Meaning Of Sonnet 61 By Francesco Petrarca
The Unrequited Love of Petrarch in Sonnet 61
Sonnet 61 is one of the 366 poems that the Italian poet Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374), also known as Petrarch, wrote for his beloved Laura, a woman he saw only once in a church in Avignon and never spoke to. The sonnet is part of Petrarch's collection of poems known as the "Canzoniere," which is a series of poems dedicated to his idealized love for Laura and his own inner struggles. [^3^] [^4^]
Meaning Of Sonnet 61 By Francesco Petrarca
In Sonnet 61, Petrarch reflects on his love for Laura and the pain he feels at being separated from her. He uses the Petrarchan sonnet form, which consists of an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines), with a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA CDECDE. The octave introduces the problem or conflict, while the sestet provides a resolution or a turn. [^2^]
The octave of Sonnet 61 describes how Petrarch is tormented by the images of Laura that haunt his mind and prevent him from sleeping. He wonders if she sends her "spirit" to spy on him and find out his faults and weaknesses. He uses metaphors such as "shadows like to thee" and "phantoms" to convey the unreal and elusive nature of his love. He also uses rhetorical questions to express his doubt and confusion. [^1^]
The sestet of Sonnet 61 reveals that Petrarch's misery is caused by his own love, not by Laura's. He admits that his love is so great that it keeps him awake and makes him play the watchman for her sake. He wishes he could see her true face, not just the shadows that tease him. He also laments that she is too far away from him and too close to others who do not deserve her. He uses contrast and antithesis to emphasize his frustration and longing. [^1^]
Sonnet 61 is a typical example of Petrarch's poetic style, which influenced many later poets such as Shakespeare, Spenser, Sidney, and Donne. Petrarch's sonnets are characterized by their lyrical expression of unrequited love, their use of classical and biblical references, their musicality and harmony, and their exploration of human emotions and psychology. [^2^]
Petrarch's influence on English poetry was immense and lasting. He is often credited as the inventor of the sonnet, one of the most popular poetic forms in the western tradition. [^5^] Although he did not create the form, he perfected it and introduced innovations that allowed poets to use language in a very expressive way. He also established the convention of writing sonnets in sequences, which inspired many later poets to do the same. [^2^]
The first English poets to imitate Petrarch were Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, who translated some of his sonnets and adapted them to the English language and culture in the 16th century. They also introduced the English sonnet form, which differs from the Petrarchan form in its rhyme scheme and structure. The English sonnet consists of three quatrains and a final couplet, with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The turn or shift in thought usually occurs at the beginning of the third quatrain or in the final couplet. [^2^]
The most famous English sonneteer was William Shakespeare, who wrote 154 sonnets, mostly addressed to a young man or a dark lady. Shakespeare's sonnets are remarkable for their variety of themes, such as love, friendship, beauty, time, mortality, art, and betrayal. Shakespeare also used many rhetorical devices and poetic techniques that enriched his language and imagery. Some of his sonnets are considered among the finest poems in the English language. [^2^]
Other notable English poets who followed Petrarch's example were Edmund Spenser, Philip Sidney, John Donne, Michael Drayton, Samuel Daniel, and William Wordsworth. They all wrote sonnet sequences that explored different aspects of love, such as courtly love, platonic love, spiritual love, erotic love, and patriotic love. They also experimented with different forms and variations of the sonnet, such as the Spenserian sonnet, which has a rhyme scheme of ABAB BCBC CDCD EE, or the Donnean sonnet, which has a rhyme scheme of ABBA ABBA CDDC EE. [^2^]
Petrarch's legacy can be seen not only in his direct imitators but also in his indirect influence on other poets and movements. For example, Petrarch's humanism and classical learning inspired the Renaissance and the Enlightenment; his lyrical expression of personal emotions influenced the Romanticism; his use of allegory and symbolism influenced the Symbolism; and his exploration of selfhood and subjectivity influenced the Modernism. [^2^] c481cea774