The following poem is by the sixteenth-century English poet George Gascoigne. Read the poem carefully. Then
write an essay in which you analyze how the complex attitude of the speaker is developed through such devices as
form, diction, and imagery.
For That He Looked Not upon Her
You must not wonder, though you think it strange,
To see me hold my louring1 head so low;
And that mine eyes take no delight to range
About the gleams which on your face do grow.
The mouse which once hath broken out of trap
Line
Is seldom ’ticèd2 with the trustless bait,
But lies aloof for fear of more mishap,
And feedeth still in doubt of deep deceit.
The scorchèd fly which once hath ’scaped the flame
Will hardly come to play again with fire,
Whereby I learn that grievous is the game
Which follows fancy dazzled by desire:
So that I wink or else hold down my head,
Because your blazing eyes my bale3 have bred.
(1573)
1 gloomy
2 enticed
3 misery
"For That He Looked Not upon Her" is a beautiful poem written by George Gascoigne. This piece is centered around a man who blames his loved one for his "bale" (14). He tells her that she is not allowed to wonder why he feels so miserable. It is her fault. Now, isn't everything always the woman's fault? Just saying. However, there are many unhealthy relationships just like the speaker describes. If he does not stand up for himself his life will be all for naught.
ReplyDeleteThe way Gascoigne presents this poem feels real. For me, it is literally a fight written with formal words. "You must not wonder, though you think it strange" (1) is the speaker saying "You're not allowed to say that even though you think you're clueless." Haven't we all said something like this to someone? I know I have, and I've also heard it in many movies and television shows. My last two lines are my favorite because the speaker is saying "it's you, not me." It kind of feels satirical, in a sense that he builds up all this rage and hate towards this woman to tell her that it needs to end because of her. He doesn't care about her feelings any more!
Gascoigne wrote this poem as a paragraph to show that there should never be a breath to build up all this steam. The last two lines, like I mentioned in the second paragraph, allow the speaker to blame his lover. I know exactly how he feels, and I find it hilarious. I was just feeling these things today towards someone who likes to throw others under the bus to further them self. So yeah! Rant away, dude!
I love the way the speaker uses a "scorchéd fly" (9) who was too dumb to avoid the flame. The beauty of the flame overtook any pain that it might experience before it was too late. It's an infatuation instead of a love. His death didn't matter until she started taking him down. Her mask hid her poison. Hasn't anyone ever told him that if he played with fire he'd get his fingers burned? Anyways, I picture the speaker as this fly flying towards a lit candle flame. It hits the flame but doesn't die. It's twitching waiting to die a slow and painful death. That is what fire does and women too, if you're not careful. (Hint for Devyn.)
So we all know how much I love poetry. You just don't realize that I like it cause it's short, unlike a novel. I can read more of them at a time. I loved this poem, and I really mean it. I can relate to it, plus I find it funny that I'm perceiving this poem with a contemporary perspective. Quite honestly, it was probably the speaker and not the woman (if you know what I mean). I was dreading analyzing this at first because of when it was written... the sixteenth century! The horror!!! Ahhhh, I love making fun of myself. Anyways, it was a beautiful poem. Loved it!
Kaitlin,
DeleteI always love reading your blogs whenever we discuss poetry because you have such a passion for it. You always are working to further your understanding of the world, and I love that about you, now, onto your blog. I think that you grasped the poem well. Your thoughts on what exactly the speaker meant in his words were definitely agreeable points. He and the fly are similar because they were each drawn to an object of immense beauty, and this beauty covered the danger that lay within. Then, when he got to close and became too enamored with the object of his desires, he was burned, scorned, and humiliated, now, he is miserable, and he tells her that she can no longer hurt him. I think it's great that you saw this poem in a more modern light, I think that really added to your analysis. Great job this week Kaitlin!
Kaitlin,
DeleteOh my lord, the (hint for Devyn), I died laughing! I loved how you focused on the type of relationship that this poem was depicting. My blog examined the individual characters in relation to the mouse/trap and fly/flame while Felicia fixated on what the characters feeling between each other now. Reading your blog just placed another layer of depth on this poem which was fantastic! I appreciated that you stated the question of whether it was really the woman's fault or not. We were only presented with the man's side of the story - what if the woman tried to tell him she didn't love him and he sank into a depression blaming his gross attachment on her and comparing her to a trap and fire because he felt burnt and confined within his own "infatuation." By the way, I loved that you used the word "infatuation" so much! That was what really put it into my head that the man was just playing the blame game. I really liked your blog not only because you presented a new perspective for me but also because you are never afraid to let your own voice and experience shine through. It makes your writing relatable and entertaining as if I were actually having a conversation with you about the poem. Excellent work, as usual!
Kaitlin,
DeleteOh my Kaitlin you kill me. I couldn't stop laughing when I read my hint. All your side comments truly make your blogs enjoyable and unique. I love how you approached your analysis to make it comedic yet analytical in nature. I agree with you on the nature of this piece being an argument between the two characters, and the reason for the fight. It truly did seem as if the speaker is blaming the other character for his great misery. The only paragraph I wish you would've put more into is your third paragraph. Yes the poem was written in a paragraph, but that's normal for a Shakespearean/ English sonnet. Other than that I fully agree with everything else in your blog; I also appreciate the tip ;). Well done Kaitlin.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, this blog topic through me for a loop. Not necessarily due to its difficulty level, but analyzing this particular poem is not what I was expecting. However, it was a pleasant surprise. If I am not mistaken, I don’t think we have ever read any of George Gascoigne’s works. I looked up some quick information about him to share with you all. Born in 1577, he wasn’t only a poet, but a husband and soldier as well. Today, George is known as one of the most important poets of the early Elizabethan period.
In this particular poem, George pays great attention to detail and imagery. A lot of the imagery is forced upon the woman's face as well as other specifics such as the “mouse” (5) and the “scorched fly” (9). In regards to the woman's face, he seems to describe her eyes mostly. In the process, the reader can get a sense of imagery for the speaker himself as he describes how he looks at her, with his unhappy eyes being held down low, away from hers.
Honestly, I am having a hard time interpreting this poem. I have an idea, but I feel as if I am missing some big part. The first time that I read this poem, I got the feeling that the speaker was angry, furious even. Although, after re-reading this poem again a few times, I felt as if rather than furious and angry, the speaker was actually depressed and defeated. The way I see it, the man cannot look at the woman anymore because if he does, he will only continue to love her. He cannot love her though because she does not love him back. The allusion to the “scorched fly” (9) is what gave me this idea. I don’t know how many of you listen to Hunter Hayes, or any country music for that matter, but one of my favorite songs by him is “More Than I Should.” When I read about the “scorched fly,” all I could think of is one of lines from Hunter Hayes song, “Yeah, I got burned and learned that I loved you more than I should.” The speaker is like the fly, and the woman is like the flame. She is beautifully tempting, but if he goes for her then he will only get hurt. Therefor, he is trying to stay away. Its kind of sad actually, the poor guy doesn’t stand a chance.
In the last line, the speaker basically says that the woman is responsible for the “bale.” Just to be sure, I looked up what this word meant. Assuming that George wasn’t referring to a “bundle of hay,” we can go with another, older, definition that says a “bale” is “abandon a commitment, obligation, or responsibility.” I feel as if a relationship appropriately fits into the category of a commitment. Therefor, I think that makes it possible for a theme of unrequited love as the woman had abandoned him as well as their relationship.
This poem certainly was interesting in its form as well. There doesn't seem to be much of a pattern going on at all here. Maybe its possible that he didn't think that the woman was worth a sonnet, or other romantically rhyming poem. I did notice that all of the lines contain 10 syllables each, but I am unaware of the significance. However, I do not think that it is a coincidence.
This poem was an interesting one. It sure is no Sylvia Plath poem, thats for sure. It was a nice switch up and change of pace, especially in regards to all the comedic readings we have been doing this week…. for I am sick when I do look on thee. (;
Felicia,
DeleteI think I have to agree with you that we haven’t read any other works by this amazing author. I think the imagery he used in this poem made me more interested in reading some of his other works. I’ll have to look them up in my spare time haha. As the image of a mouse and a fly were used, I couldn’t help but think back to the weird images of flies and such that John Donne used in his poetry. I think it’s interesting to read a poem about a girl from a male perspective because typically we read and see things about girls being afraid to interact with a guy. However, this is not the case with this poem. I mean, how much more beautiful and depressing can one get than “how he looks at her, with his unhappy eyes being held down low, away from hers.” I can see where you were coming from with the whole part about the speaker being angry and now as I read through the poem again, I think I have to agree with that as much as the fact that I also believe he is just longing for something he can’t have, just like the mouse can’t have the cheese on the trap without getting hurt in some way. “Maybe he didn’t think the woman was worth a sonnet” made me literally let out a chuckle. I have to agree with the form of the poem though. There was not a specific format that jumped out at me. Good job this week. I love hearing your opinion of things because you always seem to look at things from a different angle than most. Keep up the good work!
Felicia,
DeleteDid you just throw a Helena quote at the end? Anyway, I interpreted the play essentially in the same way you did. The man fell for the woman but she didn't really want him. She probably just used him. Maybe she was even married, something I got from the "greivous...game" (11) she forced him to play. I spent a lot more time interpreting the parallels between their relationship as compared to the mouse and the trap, the fly and the fire. But I found it very interesting how you focused more on imagery, in particular the eyes. A lot of communication happens with the eyes - they show emotion and expression. The speaker's are downcast while the woman's are fiery. So we get the feeling that the speaker once loved the passion in her eyes, and maybe in her whole being, but can no longer look upon them for fear of falling into her "trap" (5) again. Because you focused on something that led me to even deeper thoughts about this poem I really enjoyed and appreciated your blog. I also liked the snipit of background on George Gascoinge at the beginning. Lovely job!
Felicia,
DeleteI really liked your view on the scorched fly. I didn't perceive it that way, but that's the beauty of poetry. It can mean ANYTHING! I hate country music, but that connection was really great! I love music and poetry put together. It makes so much more sense when you say it like that. I thought his poem was about a woman making him miserable assuming the time period it was written in. You're point of view is much more somber, and it breaks my heart because we've all loved someone like that before. Anyways, great job!
What a beautiful poem. I know that we have seen many poems in this class and in AP Lang, but I must say, I think this one is actually one of my favorites. It's just so beautiful, and the imagery in it is amazing. I really like it, also, because of the diction used. It uses diction found in novels more like "Pride and Prejudice" in that it is casually and naturally placed English phrasing and diction, unlike many of the newer novels that create a stuffy, posh atmosphere by overusing old English words. This poem really lends itself to the sonnet form also, because the shorter length keeps the reader focused and gets the point across effectively yet still with a beautiful mastery.
ReplyDeleteThis poem paints such a beautiful picture just by the words that are used. I can easily see a man with his head low, a miserable look in his eyes, refusing to look upon the face of his beautiful subject. He refuses to raise his head because of the "bale" (14) that he is suffering. The author paints the picture of a mouse that "once hath broken out of trap" (5). This mouse, now alerted to the danger that a trap holds, "lies aloof" (7) because it fears being trapped again and risking death or physical harm. Then, the author tells of a bug that had once flown too close to a flame. It now knows that the flame will cause it danger and avoids it as it can. All of these instances are similar because essentially, something is enticed by a pretty object, food, or warmth, and is harmed by that same thing that had seemed so beautiful in the beginning. Now, they admire it from a safe distance and avoid contact with it again.
I utilizing words like "bale", "ticed", "louring", and "fancy" really made this poem much more enjoyable for me. These are words that were commonly used during the time that this poem was written. Yet, now, these words are heard rarely, almost like a rare treat. I believe that the words "fancy" and "gleam" really put into perspective the relationship the narrator has with his subject. He believes that she is beautiful, and he loves her, or at least is very drawn to her. But, he acknowledges toward the end that his attraction to her ended up harming him in the end. This is because "your blazing eyes my bale have bred." (14) By stating it this way, the author is saying that it wasn't her actions solely, or any other one part of her that caused his misery, but mostly her eyes, which, in my opinion signifies the entirety of her being. He is tormented by her eyes, the eyes that he most likely looked into and loved, but which then later betrayed him.
Writing this in sonnet form really adds to the readability, rhythm, and tone of the poem. Sonnets, as seen by this poem, are contained within fourteen lines with an ABAB rhyme scheme. Due to this, the author must be very careful with word choice, which can make the poem seem halting at times so that they can achieve the rhyme scheme. However, this poem does not have that problem. The entire poem flows from one line to the next, never giving a break to the reader. They must read it, for the most part, in one go, never taking breaks. This is how I see the relationship. It was one smooth train ride until the end when the speaker finally realized his own misery. The couplet at the end shows the ending of their acquaintance as it is the final drawing away of the speaker from his subject. Overall, I really enjoyed this poem and the ideas that it brought to me.
Hannah,
DeleteI have to agree that this poem has maneuvered its way up into my favorites. Although I have never read “Pride and Prejudice” I have to agree that the English phrasing was placed carefully as to not seem too forced or overused. However, I have to disagree that more common works are “stiffy” and “over polished” simply because they use more than a few older English phrases and terms. I’m not saying that some aren’t stiff and appear to be repetitive, but I think saying that all newer novels is a bit of a hyperbole. I also talked about the shorter length of the poem in my blog. Personally, I find longer poems harder to concentrate on because of the typical flowery nature that authors use to expand and give a definite image to their readers. To me, I find it more enjoyable to make up my own image of things. I don’t really like the clear cut, this is how it is, ordeal. I believe that leaving things open for personal interpretation is critical to literature and especially poetry. I agree with you saying that Gascoigne’s diction in this poem made it much more enjoyable. Words similar to and such as “fancy” always make things more pleasurable to read because they’re not the typical everyday vocabulary that we are accustom to hearing. Keep up the good work!
When I sat down to read this poem I was surprised by the context of it. It is not nearly close to the weirdest things I’ve read in my education, but there was something about it. The meaning behind it is deeper than just on the surface. The title tells it how it is. It [the poem] is short. To me, upon a glance, this was an indication that it was going to not be very meaningful and the message hidden in between the lines of text was going to be simple. I could not have been more wrong.
ReplyDeleteGoing back to what I said at the end of the previous paragraph, I think back to Walt Whitman’s “Slang in America” which we read last year in AP Lang. For those of you who may not remember it, it was a piece that he wrote to state his opinions on using large words and flowery phrases to sound intelligent. By using these two concepts, he disproved the meaning and, after a few pages, said the same thing in a couple paragraphs that he said in the previous two pages. I feel like this poem is similar to that because there is nothing flowery about it.
George Gascoigne references a mouse to talk about his hesitation when looking upon “her”, whoever her may be. The line “but lies aloof for fear of mishap” tells of how he knows the possibilities of hardships that could come from perusing “her”. I pictured the “trustless bait” as her physical appearance. I think this was one of his best uses of diction because what I saw could be wrong or it could be right. By not describing exactly what he meant, he leaves the words and ideas open for interpretation by the reader. The mouse is also used as a piece of imagery in the work. By visualizing a mouse thinking about getting the cheese off of a mouse trap, the reader is able to mentally see the dilemma between getting the cheese and being killed by the trap. This is similar to the speaker moving in on the girl or just being burned by the flames of her personality and being as a whole.
The form of the poem is oddly structured. I was never very good at the whole rhythm and meter thing but I did notice that the flow of the poem was not very technical. It never abruptly stopped; one idea flowed into the next. Although after listening to and reading “A Mid Summer’s Night Dream” and all of the rhyming in it, I almost felt like this poem needed to rhyme too. Taking a step back, though, and reading it yet again, I have to disagree with myself. It’s beautiful and absolutely perfect just the way it is. I think a rhyme scheme would take away from the analogies and imagery in the poem and without the imagery in this poem, it would not be half of what it is. I’m very happy that the poem ended up having much more of a meaning than I had originally thought.
Jess,
DeleteSometimes I feel the same way about poems that we are given to read, mostly because I think, "How could four lines possibly have a great, deep meaning?" But sometimes I feel the same about long poems. "Why is it taking you so long to state your opinion?" Either way, I felt that this poem was placed in the perfect Dom to get the point across. I like how you really focused on the mouse in your analysis because this was a very important piece of the poem that some of us may overlook. The image of the mouse is definitely able to be paralleled with the speaker because their situations are so similar. I thought the same way about the fly too. However, i'm curious why you thought this poem didn't rhyme. It seemed to me that it definitely did and that the rhyming that occurred brought the lines into a nice circle of releating, connecting sounds. Anyway, good work!
I surprisingly really liked this poem. I'm not the biggest fan of poetry, but something about "For That He Looked Not Upon Her," by George Gascoigne, just captures my attention. I love the word choices implemented into the text, and I think that that is what pulls the whole poem together. I'm not entirely sure I have even interpreted this poem correctly, but I'm just going to say what I think and if it's wrong or you have a different opinion then I would love to hear it.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I read this poem I was actually really confused. I don't know if that was because it was last night at midnight or what. Anyway, I reread it this afternoon and I get the feeling that the narrator has been in this situation before. From what I understand about the poem without any other sources is that he loves a woman but the love is dangerous. I feel like she brings him down rather than lifting his spirit. I think the narrator has been scorned either by this same woman or another one, and he feels somewhat ashamed because he knows he has gotten himself into the same situation. For example, "The mouse which once hath broken out of trap/Line Is seldom ’ticèd with the trustless bait" (5-6). Although the mouse wants to try to obtain whatever is on the trap, it has learned from experience to leave it alone. So the mouse "lies aloof for fear of more mishap,/And feedeth still in doubt of deep deceit" (7-8). To me the narrator is comparing himself to the vulnerable mouse. He loved a person more than he should and he got burned. Gascoigne also used the example with the fly that barely escaped a blazing fire. As the narrator puts it, the fly "Will hardly come to play again with fire" (10). I think that these two examples are necessary to get to the point of the poem, which is that the most dangerous game is the one hidden by the dazzle of a pretty face. I actually pity the fictional speaker because he doesn't stand a chance against the venom swirling inside the woman.
I believe that the attitude of that narrator is a mixture of love and hatred. As I said before, I think that the narrator loves the wrong kind of person, but I think he realizes this. He just has trouble getting out of the situation. It's kind of like when you have a crush on someone you know is bad for you, but all you can focus on is their physical appearance. In order to achieve this attitude, the speaker uses imagery through attractive words. I was easily able to picture the man, miserable with puppy love for a girl that was nothing but bad for him, and the woman, ferocious and always waking up on the wrong side of the bed. My favorite word in this whole poem is "bale" (14). Bale, which means misery, brings the poem around full circle. I feel like this word alone sets the final tone of the poem. Through this unique use of diction the speaker can entice several emotions while reading the poem. The complexity of the form of the poem allows for the attitude of the narrator to twist these emotions around in your brain and fluctuate until the final word. I love sonnets, and I think it was a wise choice for this poem as it allows the reader to swiftly read the lines and try to grasp the meaning of the poem.
In all honesty, I have no idea if I translated this poem as it was intended, but I gave it my best effort. I really do like the poem, and I hope we read some more of George Gascoigne's work. Reading poems reminds me of the first semester with the poetry genre project, and I have to say I absolutely loved it. Anyway I hope everyone has had a great weekend so far working hard on the final copies of our literary specialist papers. I'm so excited to share mine with you all and I'm even more excited to hear about yours!
Natalie,
DeleteI must say for not liking poetry I feel like you're analysis explains your thoughts, and your second and third paragraph were amazing. If there's one thing that I learned about poetry is that trying to read it while you're half asleep, or close to it is not a good idea. The love that the speaker is looking for seems to me by the way you describe it as more of a passionate one night stand thing. The problem then becomes the speaker falls for the woman he had a one night stand with, and gets burned. The other way to put this is as you said "he was looking for puppy love." The attitude being a mixture of hate and love does make more sense than what I had in mind, I personally only saw the hate of the poem. But you make a very valid point when you said "when you have a crush on someone you know is bad for you." This truly explains everything in the poem; kind of like how alcohol is bad for people, but they don't listen. I might not be interpreting your blog right in the way you meant it to be interpreted. Well done, Natalie on to the next.
George Gascoigne couldn't have picked a better way to present this poem than with a Shakespearean sonnet. He keeps this piece short, not so sweet, and to the point. The argument disguised within the lines of this poem sound to me as if the speaker and another are arguing over whose fault something was. The reason I say this is because of the opening line, "You must not wonder, though you think it strange," (1). The speaker is practically saying "don't think of an excuse because you know what you did." The other person in this case had apparently done something that wasn't acceptable, and puts the blame on the speaker. The speaker then realizes that he can no longer trust the other person much like the "mouse" (5) and the "trustless bait" (6). Now the speaker is beating himself up about being tricked because the persons "blazing eyes my bale have bred" (14) this distrust.
ReplyDeleteThe genre of the poem truly made it much easier to link ideas together and form a clearer picture. At first the attitude did not come across quite so clear, but it slowly came into play the more I reread the piece. To me the speaker sounds as if he has been betrayed and only now starting to come back to terms with what had happened. We all know this feeling when some you know and trust turns on you, and stabs you in the back. If there was ever a piece where the genre had a role in deciphering a poem it would be this one.
For in this piece the set rhyme scheme for the sonnet was key to the diction of the words and gave key points of imagery to focus on. In this poem words such as "louring"(2), "’ticèd"(6), and "bale"(14) take identities all their own. In today's modern speech we don't normally hear words such as these unless we are studying sixteenth century english. Seeing them in this particular poem really allowed them to stand out, and give a full sense of the poets situation and culture. Along with the diction of those unfamiliar words came some interesting points of imagery. "The mouse which once hath broken out of trap" (5) is basically describing how the other character had once been trapped, but turned it around on him. This small piece of imagery where the mouse breaks out of the trap is so essential that it shows the idea of betrayal. "The scorchèd fly" (9) to me just seems very unique way of describing the speakers situation. I personally never thought a fly could have an impact on a poem the way this fly does. Now that I've seen it in use it makes sense kind of like a person learning from his mistakes, but in the form of a fly.
Devyn,
DeleteYou had a really great insight into is poem! I never even thought about what you said about the first two lines of the sonnet, but it makes sense and actually ties several things together for me at least. We both think that the speaker has been betrayed by his lover and is now only realizing it. I feel bad for the guy. It is usually portrayed as the girl being the one hurt, but that is not always the case and I think that that is why I like this poem so much. I liked what you said about the diction choice for the sonnet and how it added to the imagery. This truly was a wonderful poem, although the attitude of the speaker is somewhat depressing. Anyway, great work!
Devyn,
DeleteThis is going to be really short because I'm on stage for awards, but great blog this week. I had the ale views as you in the first paragraph. I really like that you mentioned it was a sonnet. I think sonnets have a certain uniqueness to them because they're so complex. I agree with you on the fly. I love that this annoying creatures have a great effect on something that's supposed to be heartfelt. I find it kind of menacing but kind of edgy. Weird. I know. Great blog!
The speaker in “For That He Looked Not upon Her” by George Gascoigne develops a tone of “doubt” (8) and “fear” (7) by explaining his actions through parallelism to a “mouse which once has broken out of trap” (5) and a “scorched fly which once hath ‘scaped the flame” (9). He makes the poem progressive by not revealing his own predicament until the final four lines after he has already described the mouse and the fly. The diction Gascoigne uses is important because it reveals the emotions of the speaker without stating them plainly. His choice of diction also develops his imagery of the man, the mouse, the fly, and the similarities between them.
ReplyDeleteGascoigne begins his poem by introducing the “lourin” (2) speaker. The speaker is obviously addressing someone in particular as he says, “You must not wonder” (1) and “your face” (4). The speaker appears to be timid and evasive. After explaining what it is about him that appears so “strange” (1) he immediately transitions into speaking of a mouse. This quick transition leads the reader to wonder why the speaker “hold[s] [his] lourin head so low” (2), but this is also the beginning of the character’s development through the descriptions of the mouse and the fly. The mouse is one that has previously “broken out of trap” (5) and now harbors a “fear” (7) of “deep deceit” (8) because of the “trustless bait” (6) that lured him into the trap. Then the speaker describes the fly who was drawn to the flame and then “scorched” (9) by it. Finally the speaker elaborates on his own situation as well as whom he is speaking to. His audience is the woman with “blazing eyes” (14) that stimulates his “desire” (12) and who led him into a “grievous...game” (11) by seducing him.
The trap and the flame symbolize how the speaker views the woman. His use of the phrase “blazing eyes” (14) draws a connection between the woman and the fire, which starts the “game” (11) he refuses to “play” (10). The speaker compares her seduction to the “trap” (5) from which the mouse “hath broken out of” (5). He uses the phrases “hath broken out of” (5) and “’scaped” (9) to illustrate how he broke free from the clutches of the woman and now treads carefully because she led him to a “fear of more mishap” (7). Gascoigne compares the speaker to a mouse and a fly, two very innocent and unintelligent creatures that are naïve until they die or narrowly escape death. This helps to present the speaker as a somewhat helpless character that has learned his lesson through pain. The woman appears to be dangerous and deceitful. The speaker compares her to a “trap” (5) and “fire” (10) – one captures and the other kills.
The poem is a story of a man that fell for a woman who led him into a dangerous “game” (11) from which he escapes and refuses to play again. The woman is the antagonist. However, at the beginning of the poem, the writer presents the two as a “strange” (1) man and a curious woman. An interpretation of the true meaning behind the poem is only found by analyzing the parallels between the man and the innocent creatures and the woman and the dangerous objects that lure them into harm’s way.
Ann,
DeleteAs you pointed out in your comment on my post, our two blogs focused on different aspects of the poem. Therefor, I was really excited to read your blog. Your blog did not disappoint my expectations! It was such a relief to find out that you viewed the poem as well as the relationship between the woman and the speaker in the same way.
You always use so many references from the works we are analyzing in your posts, and I love it. You always make such nice, details connections. This was a very good post! Thank you for sharing.
And yes, you ethiope, I did quote Helena. (;
Ann,
DeleteI always love your blogs, especially when we have a poem. We had many similar reactions to the poem as well. I liked what you said about the final four lines of the sonnet. I guess I never even realized that those lines were the turning point of the poem in a way. I only ever thought about the plot after completely reading the poem. I loved how you compared the trap and the fire to the woman. I saw it that way I just never put it to that connection. But it is genius. I love this poem, and I can tell you did too, I think. This was awesome work once again, Ann!