What Does Petrarch Sonnet 90 Mean ((BETTER))

What Does Petrarch Sonnet 90 Mean ((BETTER))

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Francesco Petrarch, generally referred to as Petrarch, was an Italian poet and scholar of the fourteenth century, a proponent of the philosophy of humanism. He wrote many sonnets over his lifetime, creating the sonnet form now known as a petrarchan sonnet. This writer was also a part of the movement in Medieval Europe to write in the vernacular languages spoken by the people rather than in Latin.

A discussion regarding the logical organization of sonnets (questions and answers, the turn or volta, and the final answer) and the formal organization (stanza breaks, rhyme scheme) was essential to establish a baseline of what a traditional sonnet is before we could look at what makes a sonnet modern or contemporary. Of course, we also needed to take a step back and make sure that students understood basic iambic pentameter.

Modern uses of the word have also shifted its meaning. Although the term conceit can still be used to merely describe an aspect of Petrarchan sonnets or a metaphysical poem, it is now also used to describe heavy-handed comparisons or overwrought prose. Generally, you will be able to tell which meaning has been attached to the word by the context you find it in.

The first and most common sonnet is the Petrarchan, or Italian. Named after one of its greatest practitioners, the Italian poet Petrarch, the Petrarchan sonnet is divided into two stanzas, the octave (the first eight lines) followed by the answering sestet (the final six lines). The tightly woven rhyme scheme, abba, abba, cdecde, or cdcdcd, is suited for the rhyme-rich Italian language, though there are many fine examples in English. Since the Petrarchan presents an argument, observation, question, or some other answerable charge in the octave, a turn, or volta, occurs between the eighth and ninth lines. This turn marks a shift in the direction of the foregoing argument or narrative, turning the sestet into the vehicle for the counterargument, clarification, or whatever answer the octave demands.

Petrarchan sonnets also make use of iambic pentameter. This means that each line contains five sets of two beats, known as metrical feet. The first is unstressed and the second is stressed. It sounds something like da-DUM, da-DUM.

Aside from those requirements, there are a ton of different ways a sonnet can play out. Poets can shake up the rhyme scheme, play with the meter, and write about whatever they please. Still, most sonnets fall into one of three categories:

Spenserian. Ever heard of a guy named Edmund Spenser? While he's not as famous as Shakespeare, he does have the distinct honor of having a sonnet named after him, which has got to count for something. Like the Shakespearean sonnet, these usually have three quatrains, followed by a final couplet. Unlike the Petrarchan sonnet, there's not necessarily any volta going down, so don't look for the turn around line 9. You won't find it.

Though they date to the way back days of the 13th century, sonnets are still around today, the pesky little buggers. To be fair, though, they have changed quite a bit. Now that folks are all in to free verse, the metrical requirements, rhyme schemes, and stanza structures have fallen by the wayside somewhat in favor of a more loosey-goosey adherence to the form. Now we've got sonnets with no iambic pentameter, sonnets with extra lines here and there, sonnets with no volta, you name it.

In this lesson, we'll look at one of the most important received forms in English literature. This form is the Petrarchan sonnet, also known as the Italian sonnet. Named after 14-century Italian poet Francesco Petrarca, the Petrarchan sonnet is a 14-line poem that uses iambic pentameter and a somewhat flexible rhyme scheme.

When I use the term 'iambic pentameter,' I simply mean that each line contains five iambs, or a weak syllable followed by a strong syllable, such as the word 'aRISE' or the phrase 'the NIGHT.' For the purposes of this lesson, however, we'll be focusing more on the rhyme scheme of the Petrarchan sonnet.

When I say that rhyme scheme is somewhat flexible, I mean that the first eight lines, or octave, of a Petrarchan sonnet almost always follows the same rhyme scheme: abbaabba. A good way to remember this is to think of the Swedish pop band ABBA. The rhyme scheme of the last six lines, or sestet, of a Petrarchan sonnet varies from poem to poem. Some of the most common rhyme schemes for the sestet are cdecde, cdcdcd, cddcdd, and cddece. Of course, these aren't the only rhyme schemes available for the sestet.

Another important aspect of the Petrarchan sonnet is what occurs between the octave and the sestet. Usually, the first eight lines introduce an idea, question, or problem, and the last six lines provide a solution or a new perspective. The change that takes place is known as a volta, which means 'turn' in Italian.

Let's quickly go over what we've learned about the Petrarchan sonnet. The Petrarchan sonnet is a received form that has 14 lines and a slightly flexible rhyme scheme. The first eight lines, or octave, almost always follow an 'abbaabba' rhyme scheme, but the rhyme scheme of last six lines, or sestet, varies. Traditionally, a volta, which is a change in perspective or tone, takes place between the octave and the sestet.

Laura, descended from a family of ancient and noble extraction, was thedaughter of Audibert de Noves, a Provençal nobleman, by his wifeEsmessenda. She was born at Avignon, probably in 1308. She had aconsiderable fortune, and was married in 1325 to Hugh de Sade. Theparticulars of her life are little known, as Petrarch has left fewtraces of them in his letters; and it was still less likely that heshould enter upon her personal history in his sonnets, which, as theywere principally addressed to herself, made it unnecessary for him toinform her of what she already knew.

Petrarch continued to reside at Avignon for several years afterreturning from his travels in France and Flanders. It does not appearfrom his sonnets, during those years, either that his passion for Laurahad abated, or that she had given him any more encouragement thanheretofore. But in the year 1334, an accident renewed the utmosttenderness of his affections. A terrible affliction visited the city ofAvignon. The heat and the drought were so excessive that almost thewhole of the common people went about naked to the waist, and, withfrenzy and miserable cries, implored Heaven to put an end to theircalamities. Persons of both sexes and of all ages had their bodiescovered with scales, and changed their skins like serpents.

"As to Laura," continues the poet, "would to Heaven that she were onlyan imaginary personage, and my passion for her only a pastime! Alas! itis a madness which it would be difficult and painful to feign for anylength of time; and what an extravagance it would be to affect such apassion! One may counterfeit illness by action, by voice, and by manner,but no one in health can give himself the true air and complexion ofdisease. How often have you yourself been witness of my paleness and mysufferings! I know very well that you speak only in irony: it is yourfavourite figure of speech, but I hope that time will cicatrize thesewounds of my spirit, and that Augustine, whom I pretend to love, willfurnish me with a defence against a Laura who does not exist."

Years had now elapsed since Petrarch had conceived his passion forLaura; and it was obviously doomed to be a source of hopeless torment tohim as long as he should continue near her; for she could breathe nomore encouragement on his love than what was barely sufficient to keepit alive; and, if she had bestowed more favour on him, the consequencesmight have been ultimately most tragic to both of them. His ownreflections, and the advice of his friends, suggested that absence andchange of objects were the only means likely to lessen his misery; hedetermined, therefore, to travel once more, and set out for Rome in1335.

If his object was to forget Laura, the composition of sonnets upon herin this hermitage was unlikely to be an antidote to his recollections.It would seem as if he meant to cherish rather than to get rid of hislove. But, if he nursed his passion, it was a dry-nursing; for he led alonely, ascetic, and, if it were not for his studies, we might say asavage life. In one of his letters, written not long after his settlingat Vaucluse, he says, "Here I make war upon my senses, and treat them asmy enemies. My eyes, which have drawn me into a thousand difficulties,see no longer either gold, or precious stones, or ivory, or purple; theybehold nothing save the water, the firmament, and the rocks. The onlyfemale who comes within their sight is a swarthy old woman, dry andparched as the Lybian deserts. My ears are no longer courted by thoseharmonious instruments and voices which have so often transported mysoul: they hear nothing but the lowing of cattle, the bleating of sheep,the warbling of birds, and the murmurs of the river.

"Athens and Lacedemon had between them a species of rivalship similar toyours: but their forces were not by any means so nearly balanced.Lacedemon had an advantage over Athens, which put it in the power of theformer to destroy her rival, if she had wished it; but she replied, 'Godforbid that I should pull out one of the eyes of Greece!' If thisbeautiful sentiment came from a people whom Plato reproaches with theiravidity for conquest and dominion, what still softer reply ought we notto expect from the most modest of nations!

During the spring of this year, 1351, Petrarch put his last finish to acanzone, on the subject still nearest to his heart, the death of hisLaura, and to a sonnet on the same subject. In April, his attention wasrecalled from visionary things by the arrival of Boccaccio, who was sentby the republic of Florence to announce to him the recall of his familyto their native land, and the restoration of his family fortune, as wellas to invite him to the home of his ancestors, in the name of theFlorentine republic. The invitation was conveyed in a long andflattering letter; but it appeared, from the very contents of thisepistle, that the Florentines wished our poet's acceptance of theiroffer to be as advantageous to themselves as to him. They wereestablishing a University, and they wished to put Petrarch at the headof it. Petrarch replied in a letter apparently full of gratitude andsatisfaction, but in which he by no means pledged himself to be thegymnasiarch of their new college; and, agreeably to his originalintention, he set out from Padua on the 3rd of May, 1351, for Provence. 2b1af7f3a8