To Me Fair Friend Flashcards
Type of sonnet
Petrachen ( it is divided into an octave and a sestet )
Discuss with examples , the aspect of the theme that each part examines
- The octave presents the dilemma : time has passed since he has seen his ‘friend’
- The sestets elaborates further on this dilemma ,providing a solution : the ‘friend ‘ has not aged at all in the speaker’s eye even though he has probably aged in reality.
-The rhyming couplet suggests that the friends perfection will never be seen again
Comment on the effectiveness of the figure of speech and sound device , in ‘eye I eyed’
- pun ( play on words )
- assonance through the repetition of the vowel sounds
The poet creates intimate connection between the speaker and ‘friend’ . They place themself ‘I’ between their eye contact , feeling surrounded by the friend’s beauty and love.
HOW ARE THE SEASONS IN THE FIRST QUATRAIN CONTRASTED TO THE SEASONS IN THE SECOND QUATRAIN? WHY HAS THE POET DONE THIS?
In the first quatrain the seasons are described prosaically. He
describes the winters as cold, the summers as having “pride”,
spring as “beauteous” and autumn as “yellow” normal associations with the seasons normal passage of time.
• In the second quatrain he becomes more sensuous and passionate. “April perfumes” and “hot Junes burned” sensual, passionate connotations.
• The poet is showing that this beauty of which he speaks is both
natural and sensual.
ANALYSE THE POET’S DICTION WHEN DESCRIBING HIS FRIEND’S YOUTH.
Through the passage of time (the “process of the seasons”) his friend has not changed – he is still “fresh”
and “green”, i.e. young.
• “fresh” and “green” young and unspoiled
• He refers to his friend’s youthful colouring as a “sweet hue”.
How does the poet perceive time in the final quatrain ? Substantiate your answer with reference to the poem
Although time is moving, it is irrelevant in the face of the beauty of his friend. The friend’s beauty can never be equalled or
paralleled again – thus it is timeless.
Explain simile , ‘yet doth beauty , like a dial-hand’
Beauty is like the hand of a clock. It is ever changing and never static
