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A nest of singing birds. Three centuries of English verse with a doctorate from just. This is the second talk on the sonnets in the first some emphasis was given to vertical patterning but not a structure to the development of ideas from quatrain to quatrain until the combination of the 14 from 9. Today we should be more concerned with imagery and themes. We started the last program with a reading of Shakespeare's Sonnet number 73 without any commentary. We should take a closer look at this person. Now that time of year mace when yellow leaves on or do hang upon those bars which shake against the bad ruined choir. They're late this week the birds sang. What is the poet saying that he is in the autumn of his life. Rather I think that the person he addresses sees in him the autumn
of love. The power of this poem and is in its imagery the images convey intellectual ideas and emotion. Bad really and quiet for late this week. Bird sang What a magnificent way of telling someone that he or she has lost interest in you and left you desolate. But here's one as good if not better than me now seized the twilight of such day as after sunset. Fate is in the way. Which by and by a Black Knight that take away death's second to settle that seals up all the rest. And then the imagery deals with an ending in nature. Just a flick of day before the full dark in the third quatrain the images again a vision of something almost extinct in me thou sees the glowing of such fire that on the ashes of his youth
that life has the death bed bed on it must expire. Consumed with that which it was not based. That quatrain is more complicated verbal and intellectually than the others. Fire is contrasted with ashes the ashes of youth in antithesis to death band. And there is this very effective paradox. Consumed with that which it was nourished by now comes a clear explicit statement without metaphor or image no realistic assertion which cannot be gainsaid. This perceive this which makes the I love more strong. To love that way. Which Mr. Levy you and I. Now let us hear the whole sonnet that time of year may sustain me behove when yellow leaves or none
or few do hang upon those boughs which shake against the code. Really enquire where late the sweet birds sang. When me now seized the twilight of such day as after sunset faded in the way which by and by black night take away death's second to settle that seals up all the rest. In me thou sees the glowing of such fire that on the ashes of his youth that lie has the death bed bed on it must expire. Consumed with that which it was not based. This perceive is which makes by loving more strong. To love that way. Which Mr. Lee you and I.
This one by Spencer is on a similar theme. A man by the way was his separation from a woman however and he speaks of himself as a female dive mourning for the absence of her mate. And this sonnet the imagery as much sparser like as the Culver on the beret bow suits mourning for the absence of her mate and in her song sends many a wish for for his return. That seems to linger late. How different from Shakespeare's first quatrain in number 73. That time of year maced in me behold when yellow leaves are not on or if you do hang upon those bars which shake against the code really enquire where late the sweet birds sang. Yet Spencer is no mean poet had the end. Notice the compression of the couplet. Like as the cover on the buried bow sits mourning for the absence of her
mate and in her song sends many a wish for for his return. That seems to linger late. So I am now left disconsolate mourn to myself the absence of my love and wandering here in the old desolate seek with my playings to match that mournful day in a joy of all that under heaven and earth can comfort me. But her own joyous sight who sweet aspect both God and man can move in her rounds Poteet Pleasants to delight. Dark is my day while her fair light I miss and dead my life that wants such a lively place. Here's a similar sonnet by Samuel Daniel. Number 47 from Delia at the author's going intuitively.
And here we have much more verbal and intellectual ingenuity or with poor forsaken will doubt. To go from sorrow and I don't distress when every place presents like face of world where no remove can make my sorrows less you have to go for sake and leave these words these planes leave her and all and all for her. That leaves the love full on and both disdains and are both wrongful Deems and ill conceived. Seek out someplace and see if any place can give the least release and to that I agree convey the from the thought of thy disgrace steal from myself and be thy cares own thing. But yet what comfort shall I hear by again bearing the wound I needs must feel the pain.
The last line of that always reminds me of Romeo's retaught to make UTX jokes. He jests at scars that never felt a wound. Daniel's line you remember runs bearing the wound. I needs must feel the pain on more than one occasion. Shakespeare speaks of time as devouring. He starts sonnet number 19 with the invocation devouring time. Blunt thou the lion's paws. He was very aware of time's passage introducing president but perhaps because he was imagining those events which took place far back in history and which have so far overcome time itself in the quality of the men involved and their actions. Troilus complains of the thieving of injurious time as Cressida departs Troilus complains there is no time for a proper leave taking. We do that with so many thousands size did buy each other must poorly sell ourselves with the rude brevity and
discharge of one injurious time now with all robbers haste crams his rich thievery up he knows not how many farewells as the stars in heaven with distinct breath and consarned kisses to them. He fumbles up into a loose due and scans us with our single famished with distaste did with the sort of broken tears earlier in the play Ulysses talks of time as a great sized monster of ingratitude in Scene Three of act three. He tells Achilles time hath my lord our wallet at his back wherein he puts us for oblivion a great sized monster of ingratitude. Those scraps are good deeds past which are devoured as fast as they are made. For God as soon as done her severance to my Lord keeps on a bright.
In Love's Labour's Lost the rather lightweight King has decided to live on in fame after his death when as he says when spite of cormorant devouring time the endeavor of this present breath may by that honor which should be at his side skin and make us in years of all eternity in Sonnet number 19. Shakespeare bids time change everything but not to come up with ours. My love's fair brow but whatever time may do Shakespeare is sure that the man he loves shall live in his poem unchanged my love shall in my verse ever leave young. Notice the succession of images in this sonnet. Time is to take away the qualities inseparable from the world of nature dividing time Bloodstar the lion's paws and make the earth devour her sweet brood plucked the keen teeth from the fierce Tigers
jaws and burned out long live Phoenix in her blood. In the next quatrain time is told to move as swiftly as he wishes. But one thing he must not do that comes in the first line of the third quatrain time must not change the poet's love. Make glad and Saudis seasons as I please and do whatever they are will to swift footed time to the wide world and all fading sweets. But I forbid the one most heinous crime. O carved not with Die hours my love's fair brow nor draw no lines there without an antique paint him in thy course untainted. Do I live for beauty is patent to succeeding men as we go through the whole poem the effect of its last two lines will be clear. Devouring time. Blunt star the lion's paws and make the earth devour her own sweet brood. Pluck the king teeth from the fierce Tigers jaws and burned out long live
Phoenix in her blood make glad and Saudis seasons as I please and do whatever they are will to swift footed time to the wide world and all fading sweets. But I forbid the one most heinous crime card not with Die hours my love's fair brow nor draw no lines there without an antique paint. Him in die cos untainted to allow for beauty is patent to succeeding men yet do thy worst old time despite die of wrong. My love shall in my verse live the young. Internist and President we have another traditional attitude to time Christer insists that if she is force she is ready always to be known for falsehood throughout all time. If I be force or swerve. Her hair from truth. When time is own food and hath forgot itself when
water drops have worn the stones of Troy and blind oblivion swallowed cities up and mighty States characterless are grated to dust a nothing yet let memory from force to force among force maids in lab upbraid my falshood when they say it is both as a air as water wind or sandy earth sparks to land as was the heavens calf parred to the hind our step came to her son. Yea let them say to stick the heart of falshood as Forth as Christian go to our blog in May. I'll be the witness fracture gives a similar series of images in order to insist the sweet. In time must have an end except by beauty that you and I friend.
This is in Lithia number 28 in time. The strong and stately targets fall in time the rows in silver lilies die. In time the Manics captive our thrall in tying the sea and rivers are made dry. The hardest flint in time doth melt asunder. Still living faith in the entire Earth fade away. The mountain is proud we see in time calm under and earth we see in time decay the sun in time forgets for to retire from out the east where he was wont to rise. The basis thoughts we see in time aspire. And the greedy minds in time do well despise. That's all sweet fair in time must have an end except by beauty virtues and life friend
Milton calls time the subtle thief of youth. He brooded on the fact that he is in his 24th year and has shown no signs of producing anything. But my late spring. No bad or blossom show. Militant picks word and image precisely here is not disconsolately merely at having produced nothing but having shown no sign of anything that is expressed in no bond or blossom which must precede fruit and harvest changes in pronunciation since the seventeenth century can disturb our reading of this poem. Milton rhymes you with show us all then Schuth at age w apostrophe t h which we pronounce show that is as age O W O apostrophe t h how soon has taught him the subtle the stone not his wing my three and twentieth year my hasting days
fly on with full career but my late spring no bud or blossom shoe. Another difficult rhyme ends this next quatrain. I N D U apostrophe th in do you. Which we today pronounce and doubt. Or was that some more timely happy spirits India which endows some more timely happy spirit. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth that I demand what I memorize so near and then would write new stuff much less appear that some more timely happy spirits in do with the sestet of this sonnet. We see the difference between time for the other poet and for Milton. Be it less or more or soon or slow it shall be still in strictest measure even to that same lot however mean or high toward which time leads me and the will of all is if I have grace
to use it as ever in my great taskmasters are. Typically Milton is resigned or makes himself resigned to his lot. All that matters is that God perceives his intention whatever may be hidden from men. How soon has taught him the subtle thief of youth. Stone not his wing my three and twentieth year my hasting days fly on with full career but my late spring no ballad or blossom should perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth that I too manhood on the rise so near and in with rightness does much less appear that some more timely happy spirit into it be it less or more or soon or it shall be still in strictest measure even to that same lot however mean or high toward which time leads me and the will of Heaven only as if I had grace to use it as ever in my great taskmasters eyes.
For years Milton didn't lose the impatiens of genius which has not expressed itself. But he was safe from frustration by his faith his utter trust in God. We see this in that other sonnet which deals with the fact that he still has not done what he wanted to do that is make his mark as a poet. This is the sonnet on his blindness. And this sonnet is treated in detail in the first of the two programs on Milton. But there is every justification for including it here. We'll just have it through once when I consider how my light is spent half my days in this dark world and wide and that one talent which is death to hide lodged with me useless for my soul more bent to serve there with my maker and present my true account lest he be returning chide. Does God exact day labor light denied.
I fondly ask. But patience to prevent that murmur soon replies God does not need either man's work or his own gifts. Who best bear his mild yoke. They serve him best his state is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed and post store land and ocean without rest. They also say who only stand and wait. He really meant what he said in the sestet of that earlier sonnet written when he was 23. Milton is not disturbed by whatever lot may lead him to. And that as I have said he differs from most summiteers But Samuel Daniel is typical. Fair is my love. I'm cruel as she's fair. Her brow shades frowns although her eyes are sunny her smiles are lightning though her pride despair and her disdains our goal
her favors. Honey a modest maid decked with a blush of Ana whose feet to tread green pastures of youth and love the wonder of all eyes that look upon her sacred on earth designed a saint above chastity and beauty which were her Deadly Foes never reconciled friends within her grow. And had she pretty to conjoin with those men who had heard the planes I turned now. Oh Had she not been fair and thus unkind my muse had slipped and none had known in my mind a very neat poem with its antithesis and Paradox moving logically to the irony of the close for had not been fair and thus and dine my muse had slipped and none had known my mind. As the lady remains unkind the poet reminds her in another sonnet that time moves swiftly and youth goes with it.
Swift speedy time feathered with flying hours dissolves the beauty of the fairest brow. So his counsel to her is this. Then do not though. Such treasure wasted in vain but love now while to be loved again. That last line is the first of the next on it but love whils that thou mayst be loved again. Now whilst I may have filled the lap with flowers now whilst thy beauty bare so without a stain now use the sum of smiles ere window. Ours. The sonnet has all the usual images. The Lady Is a flower a bright sun. She is reminded of day becoming night of summer turning to winter and whiles those spreads down to the rising sun the fairest flower that ever saw the light. Now Joyce I had time before was I sweet to be done.
And Delia think my morning must have night and that my brightness sets at length to west window will close up that which now is our shows and think the same becomes the life fading best which then shall most in veil and shadow moves. The couplet at the end has an unusual warning a stem with no flower is not valued by men. Men do not wave or stalk for that it was when once they find her flower glory pass the next sonnet in the sequence takes up where the last line ended. When men shall find I flower thy glory powers. Then he says you will value the poet's love. This is proclaimed as undying in a series of paradoxes. And again antithesis gives a balanced rhythm. When men shall find I flower thy glory pass and thou with
careful brow sitting alone receive it has this message from bi glass that tells the truth and says that all is gone. Fresh shalt thou see in me the wounds of our midst those spent by flame in me the heat remaining I that have loved this US before thou fades my face shall waxe when of our art in thy waning the world shall find this miracle in me that fire can burn when all the matters bent then what my faith has been by self shall see and that thou wast unkind now may strip and now mist repent that thou hast scorned my tears when winter snows upon thy sable hair.
In the sequence the poet is about to console her receive my love now he says. And you will never die. You will live forever in my verse. When winter snows upon by sable hairs and frost of age have nipped my beauties near. When dark shall seem like a day that never clears and all lies with that was held so dear. Then take this picture which I here present very limbed with a pencil not all unworthy. Here see the gifts that God and nature lent to the hero read by self. And what I suffered for the. This may remain the lasting monument which happily posterity may cherish these colors with fading are not spent. These may remain when thou and I shall perish if they remain. Then thou shalt live there by
very will remain. And so canst not die. Daniel insists she cannot die. Why must any Zio abound in feeling hearts that can conceive these lives in another place. He asserts. Let others sing of nights and have it in an age of accidents and untimely words paint shadows in imaginary lines which Well the reach of their high wits records. But I must sing of thee. And those fair eyes authentic show in my verse in time to come when Yet the unborn shows say where she lies whose beauty made him speak that else was down. These are the arcs the trophies I erect that 45 I name against old age. And these are by sacred virtues must protect against the dark and times consuming rage though
the error of my youth they shall discover suffice they show I live and was Die Another. Again another summit. None other fame. An ambitious muse affected but it turned eyes of the. Let's hear his muse again when man we shall find I flower thy glory pass and thou with careful brow sitting alone receive it has this message from bi glass that tells the truth and says that all is gone. Fresh shalt thou see in me the wounds of our midst those spent thy flame in me. The heat remaining I that have loved this us wherefore thou fades my face shall waxe when thou art in thy waning the world shall find this miracle in me that fire can burn. When all the maters spent then what
my faith has been by self shall see that I was done kind. Now may strip and now may just repent that thou hast scorned my tears when winter snows upon thy sable hairs. When winter snows upon by sable hairs and frost of age have snipped. Beauty is near when dark shall seem light day that never clears and lies with a. That was held so dear. Then take this picture which I here present. SEE Lynde with a pencil. Not all here see the good it's that God and nature lent thee. Here read by self and what I suffered for the vase may remain the lasting monument which happily posterity may cherish
these colors with the life fading are not spent. These may remain when thou and I shall perish if they remain. Then thou shalt live there by very will remain. And so canst not die. You have been listening to the second of three programmes on the sonnet. The readers where Duncan Rose Charlotte Dorothy and Jonathan follow. This is Bertram Joseph inviting you to be with us again next week. This programme was produced by Radio Broadcast Services of a University of Washington under a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This is the national educational radio network.
Series
A nest of singing birds
Episode Number
4
Episode
The Sonnet Imagery & Themes
Contributing Organization
University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/500-fq9q6d1g
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No description available
Date
1970-00-00
Topics
Literature
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Sound
Duration
00:29:22
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University of Maryland
Identifier: 70-3-4 (National Association of Educational Broadcasters)
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Duration: 00:30:00?
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Citations
Chicago: “A nest of singing birds; 4; The Sonnet Imagery & Themes,” 1970-00-00, University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed October 31, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-fq9q6d1g.
MLA: “A nest of singing birds; 4; The Sonnet Imagery & Themes.” 1970-00-00. University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. October 31, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-fq9q6d1g>.
APA: A nest of singing birds; 4; The Sonnet Imagery & Themes. Boston, MA: University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-fq9q6d1g