Mary Wroth-Sonnet 16-March20

Mary Wroth was a well-versed female author during the Jacobean era in which her many writings reflected the poor treatment of women and children during that time. The many themes within her works are often dark and mention situations that involve imprisonment or lack of freedom. One particular work that illustrates those concepts is Wroth’s Sonnet 16. This sonnet seems to particularly focus on a relationship between a man and his wife and the abusiveness of that relationship. In the beginning of the sonnet, Wroth speaks of women as prisoners to their husbands, “Must I be still while it my strength devours, And captive leads me prisoner, bound, unfree? Love first shall leave men’s fancies to them free.” (722). From this passage, Wroth is using the relationship of a captor and prisoner to describe a marriage during her time. Wroth herself was in a forced marriage and this is shown by the usage of metaphors in Sonnet 16. Another portion of the sonnet that emphasizes the abuse between man and wife is when she states that the man’s needs come first, “His shame, and wishings hinder happy hours.” (722). This line indicates the possibility that he is forcing her to do things she may not wish to do. As the ending of the poem nears, Wroth writes about the lack of freedom she has in her relationship. She states that is it time for her to say good-bye to her freedom forever, “But O my hurt makes my lost heart confess I love, and must: So farewell liberty.” (722). Wroth is stating that she, as a wife, must love her husband no matter what and therefore gives up any freedoms she might have left. This poem is quite disheartening and sympathetic to not only Wroth, but all women who were forced to be with men they did not want.  

Comments

  1. CeAnna CummingsMarch 19, 2019 at 2:55 PM

    This is a great analysis of the poem! Your direct quotes are strengthen your argument and I love that you explained each one in depth. It was a sad sonnet to read as a female because it really does show the lack of power and freedom they had in a relationship. It reminds me of Othello and Desdemona's relationship because she did not have control in her relationship either.

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  2. CeAnna CummingsMarch 19, 2019 at 2:55 PM

    This is a great analysis of the poem! Your direct quotes are strengthen your argument and I love that you explained each one in depth. It was a sad sonnet to read as a female because it really does show the lack of power and freedom they had in a relationship. It reminds me of Othello and Desdemona's relationship because she did not have control in her relationship either.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Haley WilliardMarch 19, 2019 at 2:59 PM

    This emotion and heartbreak in this sonnet are very clear to the reader, particularly where the wife is saying goodbye to liberty. You analyzed and captured the sadness of this poem thoroughly. The way Wroth uses the analogy of being a prisoner in a relationship with an abusive husband is relate able to many women who are in the same situation.

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  4. gstroudMarch 19, 2019 at 2:59 PM

    Specifically with Wroth, I found it difficult to imagine the speaker of the poem being anyone except for Wroth herself. What she writes about is raw and real and, as you said, is extremely sympathetic and relatable to women who have been faced with similar situations. What do you think Wroth's intentions were in writing such deep material other than her sharing an experience many women face? Do you think she wanted to empower others, or maybe just bring light to the an otherwise overlooked topic in a male-dominated world?

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