Love Comparisons

Question 1

Sonnet 43 vs Valentine

Answer 1

Opening:
- ideal, vast love vs ordinary, subverted notions of love with imperfections
- both present love with great depth but in differing ways (extra terrestrial vs ordinary)

Middle:
- both present domesticated love
- freedom present in 43 vs a sense of forcefulness in Valentine
- however love empowers both giving freedom to express true opinions
- slight insecurities in both’s love

End:
- juxtaposing images of wedding vs funeral, marriage references (both critique)
- emotion of grief used in contrasting ways (to demonstrates extent of love vs grief that love can cause)
- religious connotations vs none, contextual links

Structure:
Traditional Petrarchan sonnet form vs free verse, unstructured
Both 1st person at intended audience, dramatic monologue (future husband vs unknown addressee)

Question 2

Sonnet 43 vs Cozy

Answer 2

Opening:
- idealised love contrasts with everyday love, both idealise partner
- both show traditional love, for Cozy rooted in fantasy whilst for Sonnet 43 real
- both addressing particular person (Fred, Robert)

Middle:
- shows this immense love as everyday as well vs uses everyday pragmatism to criticise love
- pure, free marriage vs showing ‘love’ for fun as children which meant little, both show this only as true love

End:
- both have love which keeps them away from melancholy, drives them forward
- love which is imperfect but mention of God and that he may perfect such love

Structure:
Petrarchan sonnet vs free verse with some flirting with meter (fantasy vs real), conversational
Both towards intended audience, apostrophe

Question 3

Sonnet 43 vs She Walks in Beauty

Answer 3

Opening:
- idealised love for partners, love vs lust
- religious/abstract imagery vs natural imagery to exemplify lover
- more genuine, feelings vs appearance

Middle:
- everyday love, all-encompassing vs beauty seen in nature
- freedom of love which is righteous vs first focus on inner beauty

End:
- pain present despite love but love fights this pain vs no pain seen here
- love after death, God will make stronger with religious tone vs lustful tones
- mysterious vs known love

Structure:
Petrarchan sonnet vs 3 sestets presents
Strong rhyme scheme in both, iambic tetrameter vs pentameter
Direct address vs 3rd person (both have person)
Enjambment vs caesurae