ShannonGallupM.Gardner

English100

9August2014

Rematch

Thud.Ofheartbeatrippledthroughmybody,

Quakingwithdesiretovieforchampion.

Thud.Earssensednothingmore.Mymind,markedly

Vacant,plaguedbymydutytowin.

Letthecoldsnap,lettheicywindsblow,

Isensenot,driventodriveoutthelessr

Oppugnantboatsflankingfromsterntobow.

Inflamedbydeaddreamsoftheantecessor

Ipressonpastadvancingcollapse.

Dancingontheedgeofmyvision,one

Elusivemedalinsplendor,noneshelacks

Asthefinishadvances,Iknowthatitsgone

Ohbronze,ohsilver,itsforgoldthatIthirst

MaynextyearIfinish,notsecond,butfirst.

AnalysisofSonnet109

InSonnet109,aShakespeareattemptstoreconcilewithhisloveandredeemhimselfinhereyes.Throughoutthepoem,theauthorsuseoftheatricalandmelodramaticimageryconnecttohisdesperatedesiretomakeupforhismistake.Theuseofthecomparisonofhisinfidelitytoastainofbloodacrosshisrelationshipsuggestsafragileandimpulsivenaturetocarryasituationtotheextremeandanallornothingattitude.Imagesofhislovercarryinghissoulinherbreastproveshowreliantonhisloversacceptanceheis,forwithouther,heiswithouthisveryessence.Accompanyingtheimageryistheuseofabruptcaesura,usedtofocusonspecificaspectsofthepoembyisolatingcertainwordsorphrases.Oh,isolatedatthebeginningofthepoem,notonlyconveyspainandshockfeltbytheauthor,butbreakingofftherhythmalsomirrorshowhislovehasbeenbroken.Myrosebeingsetasideduringthemiddleofalinecentersourfocustothefactthatthispoemistoawoman,afactthatbringstomindShakespearesaffairsthathehadwithotherloversthroughouthislife.Toemployforgiveness,enlighteningtoourselvesandourlovedoneshowdesperatelyweneedoneanother,requiresaknowledgeofourselves.Torecognizewhatweholddearandexposeourselvestothebloodstainsofrealityandtoanotherhuman,knowingthattheyholdeverythingtocontrolus,isanactoftrustthatisraretoasocietyofsuspicionliketheoneweliveintoday.Theimageryusedbythepoetofhisinnerselfisdarkfullofbloodstainsandemptiness,expressesafrontiermysterioustomanythatofourownmind.