Sir Thomas Wyatt 1503-1542

Biography

Family History and Court Years Parents were Henry and Anne Wyatt of Allington Castle Thomas Wyatt first appeared in court in 1516 (13 years old) as Sewer Extraordinary to Henry VIII 1516 entered St. John’s College University of Cambridge

Personal Life 1520 he married Lord Cobham’s daughter Elizabeth Brooke 1521 Thomas Wyatt Jr. born He was popular at court, carried out several foreign missions for Henry VIII, and served various other offices 1525 Accuses wife of adultery and separates from her. Rumor has it he was also interested in Anne Boleyn at this time.

Court Life 1532 he accompanied King and Anne Boleyn to Calais. 1533 Henry VIII marries Boleyn and Wyatt served in her coronation in June. 1535 Wyatt was knighted 1536 he was imprisoned for quarreling with the Duke of Suffolk, and possibly because of rumors with Anne. 1536 Wyatt witnesses the beheading of Anne

Court Life Continued By 1539 he was again in favor of the court and served as an ambassador to Charles V in Spain 1541 Wyatt was charged with treason for charges levelled against him in 1538 by Edmund Bonner. He claimed that Wyatt had been rude about the King’s person while dealing with Henry’s divorce proceedings from Katherine of Aragon.

Court Life Continued He was confined to the Tower, and he was restored to favor in 1542 Wyatt died on October 11, 1542 He wrote: 51 Poems and Sonnets, 12 Songs and Epigrams, and 3 Satires He and Surrey were the first to introduce the sonnet in English with the final rhyming couplet. “Father of the English Sonnet”

Petrarchan Sonnet -The first eight lines (or octave) of a Petrarchan sonnet almost always follow 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.

Conceits used in Petrarchan Sonnets A fourteen-line poem in iambic pentameter. An iamb is a poetic foot with a count of two syllables, where the second one is stressed. Pentameter is a poetic line with five feet: E.g. "Loving /in truth, /and fain /in verse /my love /to show.“ Three stanzas -- two quatrains and a sestet. A quatrain is a stanza of four lines; a sestet is a stanza of six lines. Traditionally the first quatrain introduces the subject, the second complicates the subject, and the sestet resolves or alters the subject in some way. A rhyme scheme of abba abba in the quatrains, and cdc dcd with some variations in the sestet. Traditionally the poet seeks to make the rhymes in the seset as different as possible from the two quatrains. (cf. Petrarch's Sonnet # 61) Conceit: an elaborate and surprising comparison between two apparently dissimilar things.

Conceits Continued Metaphor/ Simile: a comparison of two unlike objects or an idea and an object. A simile makes the comparison in a less direct manner, using "like" or "as." E.g. "The wind is a hammer upon the eyelids of this coastland." "The wind is like a hammer . . ." Blason: a poem that proceeds detail by detail in either praise or blame of an individual, often an extended set of metaphors and/or similes that build on descriptions of the body: "I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes,/ By her high forehead and her scarlet lip,/By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh." Personification: an attribution of human qualities to an idea, an inanimate object, or an animal. E.g. "Love caught me naked to his shaft . . ." "Whereon the Sun in pity veiled his glare."

Poem 1 THE LOVER COMPLAINETH THE UNKIND- NESS OF HIS LOVE.1 Y lute awake, perform the last Labour, that thou and I shall waste, And end that I have now begun : And when this song is sung and past, My lute ! be still, for I have done. As to be heard where ear is none ; As lead to grave in marble stone ; My song may pierce her heart as soon. Should we then sigh, or sing, or moan ? No, no, my lute ! for I have done.

The rocks do not so cruelly Repulse the waves continually, As she my suit and affection : So that I am past remedy ; Whereby 2 my lute and I have done. Proud of the spoil that thou hast got Of simple hearts through Love's shot, By whom, unkind, thou hast them won : Think not he hath his bow forgot, Although my lute and I have done.

That makest but game on earnest pain ; Think not alone under the sun Vengeance shall fall on thy disdain, That makest but game on earnest pain ; Think not alone under the sun Unquit 3 to cause thy lovers plain ; Although my lute and I have done. May chance thee 4 lie withered and old The winter nights, that are so cold, Plaining in vain unto the moon ; Thy wishes then dare not be told : Care then who list, for I have done.

The time that thou hast lost and spent, And then may chance thee to repent The time that thou hast lost and spent, To cause thy lovers sigh and swoon : Then shalt thou know beauty but lent, And wish and want as I have done. Now cease, my lute ! this is the last Labour, that thou and I shall waste ; And ended is that we begun : Now is this song both sung and past ; My lute ! be still, for I have done.

Poem 2 LOVER SHOWETH HOW HE IS FORSAKEN OF SUCH AS HE SOMETIME ENJOYED. HEY flee from me, that sometime did me seek, With naked foot stalking within my chamber : Once have I seen them gentle, tame, and meek, That now are wild, and do not once remember, That sometime they have put themselves in danger To take bread at my hand ; and now they range Busily seeking in continual change. Thanked be Fortune, it hath been otherwise Twenty times better ; but once especial,

In thin array, after a pleasant guise, When her loose gown did from her shoulders fall, And she me caught in her arms long and small, And therewithal sweetly did me kiss, And softly said, ' Dear heart, how like you this ?' It was no dream ; for I lay broad awaking : But all is turn'd now through my gentleness, Into a bitter fashion of forsaking ; And I have leave to go of her goodness ; And she also to use new fangleness. But since that I unkindly so am served : How like you this, what hath she now deserved ?

Poem 3 http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/whosolist.htm