AQA A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE
LOVE POETRY
'Who so list to hount I knowe where is a hynde'
- Wyatt (Who so list to hount I knowe where is a hynde) - correct answer Wyatt begins by repeating the
title and creates an initial challenege for the reader. This suggests that he is inquisitive about his feelings
and if it is right to hunt for the 'hynde' even though he knows that he wants to. This is partially due to his
relationship with Anne Boleyn who was married to King Henry VIII. Furthermore, the calling of her as a
'hynde' is zoomorphic but was typical at the time as women were viewed as lesser beings and property
to men.
'Sithens in a nett I seke to hold the wynde'
- Wyatt (Who so list to hount I knowe where is a hynde) - correct answer Wyatt uses the end of the octet
in his petrachan sonnet to stress the futlity of his ormer quest. The metaphor of trying to catch the wind
proves this. On the other hand, as he is desperately trying to court her in the first place it shows that
typically, relationships were male dominant of the time period and the woman was only used for
children and housework.
'Noli me tangere for Cesars I ame'
- Wyatt (Who so list to hount I knowe where is a hynde) - correct answer 'Noli me tangere' is latin for
'Touch me not' which is a religious reference as Jesus said it to Mary Magdalene after he rose from the
dead. This could suggest a new beginning for her which Wyatt desperately wants however it could
suggest that she wants him to realise that she is not for him and he should respect her marriage to the
King. It is more likely to be the latter as he continues to mention the power dictator 'Cesar' which could
suggests that she wants to be with him but she is tied into a marriage with the King. Ultimately, however,
we have to take into account that this is Wyatt's persepctive and hence biased to what he wants.
'Let me not to the marriage of true mindes admit impediments'
- Shakespeare (Sonnet 116) - correct answer Shakespeare begins his love sonnet very atypically with
some negatives implying that love cannot be true if there are changes for any reason. Alternatively, it
could suggest that not everything will be perfect in a relationhip and you can still love each other. The
former point however has lowered credibility with the enjambment between the nouns 'marriage' and
'impediments' as he believes that marriage should be perfect and there should be no obstacles in love.
Thi could also relate to a wedding ceremony and the reading of banns of marriage as the congregation
are asked whether there is any reason why the couple cannot be together.
'It is an ever fixed marke that looks on tempests and is never shaken'
, AQA A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE
LOVE POETRY
- Shakespeare (Sonnet 116) - correct answer In this quote, Shakespeare chooses to replace the noun
'love' with the basic pronoun 'it' which, despite not seeming like it, could be somewhat romantic as it
presents the feeling that, even though the couple may not always feel a desire and a connection, their
love is still always there as it is an 'ever fixed marke' and it should never change. Here, it is worth noting
that divorce and remarriage was very uncommon at the time. Furthermore, by opposing love to a
'tempest' or storm demonstrates that true love can overcome any barriers.
'If this be error and upon me proved, I have never writ, nor no man ever loved'
- Shakespeare (Sonnet 116) - correct answer Shakespeare uses the couplet of the sonnet to challeneg
the reader. Shakespeare wants to be proved wrong as he believes that love is a true emotion that can
not be dissolved. Some readers, however, may see this is being highly arrogant and idealistic.
Furthermore, by using the verb 'writ' it can come across that he is only showcaing his writing ability in
the couplet which is the part of the poem which people usually take away as a moral or significant topic
from literature.
'Yet it enjoys before it woo'
- Donne (The Flea) - correct answer The extended metaphor of a parasitic flea is used by Donne
throughout the poem. This line emphasises the chase and attempt of winning over a female. Also,
Donne, as a metaphysical poet, uses this line to suggest that the long, courtly chase of women is painful
and there is a lot of satisfaction for the female who is being chased but not for the male as it puts the
female in a position of power which was atypical for the time period.The preposition 'before' presents
the motif of time and how time is crucial, especially for someone who believes in the practices of Carpe
Diem which is latin for seize the day.
'Self murder added be, and sacrilege, three sins in killing three'
- Donne (The Flea) - correct answer Donne presents the emotional manipulation that 'the flea' can bring
to people's relationships. The flea, as an extended metaphor, is used to present the wide beleif of
courting to pursue love and Donne's opinion is that this creates a parasitic relationship and power
dynamics in favour of the woman. Donne also uses sibilance to imply the pain inflicted on the man by
courting a woman. Furthermore, as society was highly religious, he uses the noun 'sins' to present the
hyperbolic view that courting was going against God and was as horrific as the Seven Deadly Sins in the
Bible which is highly hyperbolic.
'As the flea's death took life from thee'
- Donne (The Flea) - correct answer Donne concludes his poem by suggesting that the death of 'the flea'
caused a part of him to be lost. This is shown in a greater extent throughout the whole of the last stanza
LOVE POETRY
'Who so list to hount I knowe where is a hynde'
- Wyatt (Who so list to hount I knowe where is a hynde) - correct answer Wyatt begins by repeating the
title and creates an initial challenege for the reader. This suggests that he is inquisitive about his feelings
and if it is right to hunt for the 'hynde' even though he knows that he wants to. This is partially due to his
relationship with Anne Boleyn who was married to King Henry VIII. Furthermore, the calling of her as a
'hynde' is zoomorphic but was typical at the time as women were viewed as lesser beings and property
to men.
'Sithens in a nett I seke to hold the wynde'
- Wyatt (Who so list to hount I knowe where is a hynde) - correct answer Wyatt uses the end of the octet
in his petrachan sonnet to stress the futlity of his ormer quest. The metaphor of trying to catch the wind
proves this. On the other hand, as he is desperately trying to court her in the first place it shows that
typically, relationships were male dominant of the time period and the woman was only used for
children and housework.
'Noli me tangere for Cesars I ame'
- Wyatt (Who so list to hount I knowe where is a hynde) - correct answer 'Noli me tangere' is latin for
'Touch me not' which is a religious reference as Jesus said it to Mary Magdalene after he rose from the
dead. This could suggest a new beginning for her which Wyatt desperately wants however it could
suggest that she wants him to realise that she is not for him and he should respect her marriage to the
King. It is more likely to be the latter as he continues to mention the power dictator 'Cesar' which could
suggests that she wants to be with him but she is tied into a marriage with the King. Ultimately, however,
we have to take into account that this is Wyatt's persepctive and hence biased to what he wants.
'Let me not to the marriage of true mindes admit impediments'
- Shakespeare (Sonnet 116) - correct answer Shakespeare begins his love sonnet very atypically with
some negatives implying that love cannot be true if there are changes for any reason. Alternatively, it
could suggest that not everything will be perfect in a relationhip and you can still love each other. The
former point however has lowered credibility with the enjambment between the nouns 'marriage' and
'impediments' as he believes that marriage should be perfect and there should be no obstacles in love.
Thi could also relate to a wedding ceremony and the reading of banns of marriage as the congregation
are asked whether there is any reason why the couple cannot be together.
'It is an ever fixed marke that looks on tempests and is never shaken'
, AQA A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE
LOVE POETRY
- Shakespeare (Sonnet 116) - correct answer In this quote, Shakespeare chooses to replace the noun
'love' with the basic pronoun 'it' which, despite not seeming like it, could be somewhat romantic as it
presents the feeling that, even though the couple may not always feel a desire and a connection, their
love is still always there as it is an 'ever fixed marke' and it should never change. Here, it is worth noting
that divorce and remarriage was very uncommon at the time. Furthermore, by opposing love to a
'tempest' or storm demonstrates that true love can overcome any barriers.
'If this be error and upon me proved, I have never writ, nor no man ever loved'
- Shakespeare (Sonnet 116) - correct answer Shakespeare uses the couplet of the sonnet to challeneg
the reader. Shakespeare wants to be proved wrong as he believes that love is a true emotion that can
not be dissolved. Some readers, however, may see this is being highly arrogant and idealistic.
Furthermore, by using the verb 'writ' it can come across that he is only showcaing his writing ability in
the couplet which is the part of the poem which people usually take away as a moral or significant topic
from literature.
'Yet it enjoys before it woo'
- Donne (The Flea) - correct answer The extended metaphor of a parasitic flea is used by Donne
throughout the poem. This line emphasises the chase and attempt of winning over a female. Also,
Donne, as a metaphysical poet, uses this line to suggest that the long, courtly chase of women is painful
and there is a lot of satisfaction for the female who is being chased but not for the male as it puts the
female in a position of power which was atypical for the time period.The preposition 'before' presents
the motif of time and how time is crucial, especially for someone who believes in the practices of Carpe
Diem which is latin for seize the day.
'Self murder added be, and sacrilege, three sins in killing three'
- Donne (The Flea) - correct answer Donne presents the emotional manipulation that 'the flea' can bring
to people's relationships. The flea, as an extended metaphor, is used to present the wide beleif of
courting to pursue love and Donne's opinion is that this creates a parasitic relationship and power
dynamics in favour of the woman. Donne also uses sibilance to imply the pain inflicted on the man by
courting a woman. Furthermore, as society was highly religious, he uses the noun 'sins' to present the
hyperbolic view that courting was going against God and was as horrific as the Seven Deadly Sins in the
Bible which is highly hyperbolic.
'As the flea's death took life from thee'
- Donne (The Flea) - correct answer Donne concludes his poem by suggesting that the death of 'the flea'
caused a part of him to be lost. This is shown in a greater extent throughout the whole of the last stanza
