Amoretti XXX: My Love is Like to Ice, and I to Fire
by Edmund Spenser
My love is like to ice, and I to fire:
How comes it then that this her cold be so great?
Is not dissolved through my so hot desire,
But harder grows the more I her entreat.
Such is the power of love in gentle mind,
That it can alter all the course of kind.
Understanding Amoretti XXX: A Summary and Central Idea
Edmund Spenser’s Amoretti is a sequence of 89 sonnets published in 1595 that chronicles the poet’s courtship of Elizabeth Boyle. “Amoretti XXX: My Love is Like to Ice, and I to Fire” is among the most celebrated in the collection. This sonnet presents a paradox: the speaker’s passion is described as fire, yet his beloved appears colder with each attempt to warm her. The poem explores how love can defy expectations and seem to strengthen resistance rather than melt it.
The poem’s central idea is the extraordinary, transformative power of love. Spenser is not merely lamenting unrequited affection; he marvels at how love can alter even the most deeply ingrained traits. The beloved’s coldness is not a rejection but a testament to the force of the love she inspires— a paradoxical force that both increases her resistance and hints at a deeper, potentially transformative bond.
In-Depth Analysis of Literary and Poetic Devices
The Power of Metaphor
The poem’s foundation is a striking metaphor. The opening line, “My love is like to ice, and I to fire,” creates a vivid contrast. Fire, traditionally associated with passion and warmth, represents the speaker’s desire. Ice symbolizes the beloved’s perceived coldness and emotional distance. The metaphor suggests that the speaker’s ardor confronts a challenge that, rather than melting, becomes harder.
Sound Devices: Assonance, Alliteration, and Consonance
Spencer’s use of sound adds musicality and emphasis. The line “But harder grows the more I her entreat” contains repeated vowel sounds, especially the “o” in “grows” and “more.” This assonance reinforces the sense of mounting resistance. The line also features consonant repetition: the repeated “r” in “harder,” “grows,” and “entreat” creates a subtle consonance that echoes the speaker’s persistent efforts.
Enjambment and Flow
Enjambment carries the reader forward across line breaks, mirroring the speaker’s relentless pursuit. For example, the sentence “How comes it then that this her cold be so great? / Is not dissolved through my so hot desire” continues without pause, creating a sense of urgency and bewilderment.
Rhetorical Questions and Paradox
Rhetorical questions highlight the poem’s paradox. The line “But harder grows the more I her entreat?” is not a plea for understanding but an expression of astonishment at how the beloved’s coldness deepens despite the speaker’s fervor.
The Shakespearean Sonnet Form
“Amoretti XXX” follows the Shakespearean sonnet structure: fourteen lines in iambic pentameter with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The final couplet, “Such is the power of love in gentle mind, / That it can alter all the course of kind,” offers a resolution that frames love as a force capable of transforming nature itself.
A Powerful Closing: Interpreting the Final Couplet
The concluding couplet is key to the poem’s message. “Such is the power of love in gentle mind, / That it can alter all the course of kind.” This statement moves beyond the strength of love to its capacity for profound change. The phrase “course of kind” refers to the natural order and inherent characteristics of individuals. Spenser suggests that true love can inspire change that reshapes a person’s nature, elevating the poem from a lament of unrequited affection to a testament of love’s extraordinary power.
A Timeless Exploration of Love’s Paradox
“Amoretti XXX: My Love is Like to Ice, and I to Fire” remains a captivating exploration of love’s complexities. Through its use of imagery, sound devices, and formal structure, Spenser captures the paradoxical nature of affection and its ability to defy expectation. The poem continues to resonate with readers today, offering a timeless meditation on the enduring power of the human heart.