Amoretti LXXV: One Day I Wrote Her Name
by Edmund Spenser
One day I wrote her name upon the strand,
But came the waves and washed it away:
Again I wrote it with a second hand,
But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.
“Vain man,” said she, “that dost in vain assay,
A mortal thing so to immortalize;
For I myself shall like to this decay,
And eke my name be wiped out likewise.”
Not so,” quoth I, “let baser things devise
To die in dust, but you shall live by fame:
My verse your virtues rare shall eternalize,
And in the heavens write your glorious name:
Whenever death shall all the world subdue,
Our love shall live, and later life renew.”
Summary of Amoretti LXXV: One Day I Wrote Her Name
- Background, this sonnet, written by Edmund Spenser, explores love, mortality, and the power of art.
- Dialogue, the speaker attempts to write his beloved’s name in the sand, only to have the waves erase it. She acknowledges their shared mortality, while the speaker counters that his poetry will preserve her virtues.
- Major Themes, the poem wrestles with the conflict between fleeting existence and enduring art, the inevitability of death, and the transformative power of love.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Amoretti LXXV: One Day I Wrote Her Name
Edmund Spenser masterfully employs a range of literary devices to enrich the meaning and beauty of this sonnet. These devices aren’t merely decorative; they contribute to the poem’s overall thematic impact.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within words creates a musical quality and emphasizes certain ideas. The short “e” sound in phrases like “second hand” subtly connects the action of writing with the fleeting nature of time.
- Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds, such as the “l” sound in “Our love shall live, and later life renew,” adds to the poem’s musicality and draws attention to key phrases.
- Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words, such as the “r” sound in “My verse your virtues rare shall eternalize,” creates a subtle harmony and reinforces the poem’s themes.
- Enjambment: Spenser frequently uses enjambment, where a phrase or sentence continues from one line to the next without punctuation. This creates a flowing rhythm and encourages the reader to move quickly through the poem, mirroring the relentless passage of time. For example:
“Not so,” quoth I, “let baser things devise to die in dust, but you shall live by fame.”
The thought is not contained within a single line, but spills over, creating a sense of momentum.
- Imagery: The poem is rich in vivid imagery, particularly images of the sea and the shore. The waves washing away the written name symbolize the transience of life and the destructive power of time.
- Metaphor: The act of writing the beloved’s name on the sand can be seen as a metaphor for the lover’s attempt to capture and preserve her beauty and essence. The fleeting nature of the sand underscores the impossibility of truly holding onto anything in this world.
- Symbolism: The sea, the waves, and the sand all serve as symbols for time, mortality, and the endurance of memory.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Amoretti LXXV: One Day I Wrote Her Name
Edmund Spenser’s sonnet demonstrates a variety of poetic structures that support its emotional resonance.
- Couplet, the sonnet culminates in a rhyming couplet, two lines that rhyme, which often serves to provide a final, conclusive thought or resolution. For example:
“Whenever death shall all the world subdue,
Our love shall live, and later life renew.” - End Rhyme: Spenser employs a consistent end rhyme scheme throughout the sonnet, creating a musical and harmonious effect.
- Petrarchan Sonnet: Spenser’s Amoretti sonnet is a Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet, characterized by its fourteen lines and a distinct rhyme scheme that separates the octave and the sestet.
- Quatrain, the octave of the sonnet is composed of quatrains, four‑line stanzas that organize the argument and reinforce the rhythmic structure.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the typical Petrarchan rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA CDCDCD, providing a sense of order and balance.
Deeper Dive into Key Lines and Themes
Below are some of the most significant lines, presented with emphasis on their contribution to the poem’s emotional landscape.
- “One day I wrote her name upon the strand,
But came the waves and washed it away:” - “Vain man,” said she, “that dost in vain assay,
A mortal thing so to immortalize;” - “Not so,” quoth I, “let baser things devise to die in dust, but you shall live by fame.”
- “My verse your virtues rare shall eternalize,
And in the heavens write your glorious name:” - “Whenever death shall all the world subdue,
Our love shall live, and later life renew.”
Quotes to be Used
These lines capture the central promise of the sonnet and are ideal for highlighting its themes.
“To die in dust, but you shall live by fame:
My verse your virtues rare shall eternalize,
And in the heavens write your glorious name.”
By incorporating these passages, the poem emphasizes that memory is preserved through art, even in the face of inevitable decay.