I am looking for help with the analysis of Edmund Spenser's poem Ye Tradefull Merchants and Shakespeare's Sonnet 130. specifically attitudes of the poets toward their lovers and techniques used to express these attitudes.

Thank you for your assistance, which I need ASAP.

annemarie

Here are the poems, assuming I'm reading my Roman numerals correctly. See you at the bottom of the page.

Sonnet XV
by Edmund Spenser

YE tradefull Merchants that with weary toyle,
do seeke most pretious things to make your gain:
and both the Indias of their treasures spoile,
what needeth you to seeke so farre in vaine?
For loe my loue doth in her selfe containe
all this worlds riches that may farre be found,
if Saphyres, loe her eies be Saphyres plaine,
if Rubies, loe hir lips be Rubies found:
If Pearles, hir teeth be pearles both pure and round;
if Yuorie, her forhead yuory weene;
if Gold, her locks are finest gold on ground;
if siluer, her faire hands are siluer sheene,
But that which fairest is, but few behold,
her mind adornd with vertues manifold.

Sonnet CXXX
by William Shakespeare

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.


Spenser is saying, and this is the typical form of these poems- Hey, you think you've got diamonds and gold and jewels and other wonderful things, but they're nothing next to my girl.

Shakespeare takes the opposite approach- he's saying 'No, she's not gorgeous, she's not the most beautiful woman in the world, but I still adore her.

What do you think this says about the poets' attitudes. Who loves their woman most? What will happen when Spenser's love grows older?

pam