Sonnet 75

by Edmund Spenser

AP/H English 12

Dercher

Mini – Read

Reading Indicators

R.1.3.4

R.1.4.5

R.1.4.9

R.1.4.10

One day I wrote her name upon the strandOne day I wrote her name upon the strand But came the waves and washed it away;But came the waves and washed it away; Again I wrote it with a second hand,Again I wrote it with a second hand, But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.

55 “Vain man,” said she, “that doest in vain assay, “Vain man,” said she, “that doest in vain assay, A mortal thing so to immortalize,A mortal thing so to immortalize, For I myself shall like to this decay,For I myself shall like to this decay, And eke my name be wiped out likewise.”And eke my name be wiped out likewise.” “ “Not so,” quod I, “let baser things deviseNot so,” quod I, “let baser things devise

1010 To die in dust, but you shall live by fame: To die in dust, but you shall live by fame: My verse your virtues rare shall eternize,My verse your virtues rare shall eternize, And in the heavens write your glorious name.And in the heavens write your glorious name. Where whenas death shall all the world subdue,Where whenas death shall all the world subdue, Our love shall live, and later life renew.”Our love shall live, and later life renew.”

One day I wrote her name upon the strandOne day I wrote her name upon the strand But came the waves and washed it away;But came the waves and washed it away; Again I wrote it with a second hand,Again I wrote it with a second hand, But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.

55 “Vain man,” said she, “that doest in vain assay, “Vain man,” said she, “that doest in vain assay, A mortal thing so to immortalize,A mortal thing so to immortalize, For I myself shall like to this decay,For I myself shall like to this decay, And eke my name be wiped out likewise.”And eke my name be wiped out likewise.” “ “Not so,” quod I, “let baser things deviseNot so,” quod I, “let baser things devise

10 To die in dust, but you shall live by fame:10 To die in dust, but you shall live by fame: My verse your virtues rare shall eternize,My verse your virtues rare shall eternize, And in the heavens write your glorious name.And in the heavens write your glorious name. Where whenas death shall all the world subdue,Where whenas death shall all the world subdue, Our love shall live, and later life renew.”Our love shall live, and later life renew.”

Remember Reading Strategy! Read once for the beauty and flow of the Remember Reading Strategy! Read once for the beauty and flow of the language! Read twice and decide what you “get” versus “not get”: language! Read twice and decide what you “get” versus “not get”: paraphrase! Read a third time to select interesting word choices, paraphrase! Read a third time to select interesting word choices, figurative language devices, rhetorical constructs, construction choices, figurative language devices, rhetorical constructs, construction choices, and mechanics.and mechanics.

Write your ideas down!Write your ideas down!

Create a theme statement!Create a theme statement!

Create a pool of terms that you could use to Create a pool of terms that you could use to discuss the sonnet!discuss the sonnet!

Think: “This contributes to the writer’s ability Think: “This contributes to the writer’s ability to convey or delivery the theme in this to convey or delivery the theme in this way…way…

Analysis: Go beyond paraphrasing and Analysis: Go beyond paraphrasing and identification!identification!

Footnote:Strand: beachAssay: tryEke: archaic for “also”

1. In this sonnet, the woman thinks the speaker isa. foolishly hopefulb. properly determinedc. attractive but unsuitabled. likely to outlive her

2. The speaker in the sonnet expects to achieve a kind of immortality by

a. finding perfect loveb. writing in the sandc. admiring the woman he lovesd. writing about eternal themes

3. The opening image “One day I wrote her name upon the strand, / But came the waves and washed it away” is best described as expressing the idea of

a. love’s impermanenceb. time passingc. death’s destructiond. nature’s transcendence

4. What does “second hand” mean?a. written a second timeb. written as an after thoughc. used d. coming after another in affection