Any Man Speak Analysis

While the woman may outwardly profess her desire for her sexual partner, the dispassionate diction and detached tone within the sonnet suggest otherwise. For, in acknowledging her lover’s close proximity, she states that she is “urged”

A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines that rhyme in a particular pattern. William Shakespeare’s sonnets were the only non-dramatic poetry that he wrote. Shakespeare used sonnets within some of his plays, but his sonnets are best known as a series of one hundred and fifty-four poems. The series of one hundred and fifty-four poems tell a story about a young aristocrat and a mysterious mistress. Many people have analyzed and contemplated about the significance of these “lovers”. After analysis of the content of both the “young man” sonnets and the “dark lady sonnets”, it is clear that the poet, Shakespeare, has a great love for the young man and only lusts after his mistress.

Befitting of the overall tone, the sonnet commences with uncertainty, plainly illustrated with the language of the speaker’s initial statement: “I’m not sure how to hold my face when I dance” (1), for he arranges his words to portray a feeling of vacillation. Immediately following this reflective proclamation, the speaker poses three questions, all of which allude to the contemplative tone apparent in the text. While these inquiries regard the subject of dance, the speaker also intends for them to be metaphors for the uncertainty he, as a black man, has for his place in society. His questions are rapid-fire, almost probing the audience for answers that are seemingly nonexistent. As a result of the rapidity, there is an absence of breaks for these questions to be answered, evincing the speaker’s belief that they, in fact, have no answers. These first four sentences are crucial in the sonnet’s development, as they kindle ruminations for both the speaker and the audience.

In the poem “Unholy sonnet 5,” Mark Jarman shows us a philosophical reflection about what is worth to do in this life based on a repetition of some patters during the poem. The structure of this poem make it a Petrarchan sonnet. This kind of sonnet is composed by two arguments, the first consist on two octaves with a rhyme ABBA and ABBA. Denoting repetition of the words have, hive, mean and men; highlighting these as significant to found sense to the first argument of the sonnet. In a deeper reading of the poem, this first argument is centered in questioning que purpose and meaning of life for human beings, coinciding with the pattern of rhymes and sounds. Following this structure of a Petrarchan sonnet, the second argument is composed by a sestet. This means that the sonnet has a rhyme CDECDE, denoting repetition of the words joy, death and forget; highlighting these as significant to found sense to the second argument of the sonnet. Also, the second argument of the poem centered on a practical analysis of what is worth to do in life (enjoying) before the death, coinciding with the pattern of rhymes and sounds.

“On Being Cautioned against Walking on an Headland Overlooking the Sea, Because it was Frequented by a Lunatic,” Charlotte Smith’s sonnet, comments on the poet’s feelings toward this lunatic and the thought process he instigates in her mind. By using different syntax to describe her two characters, Smith draws the attention of the reader to the message in the sonnet instead of the scene on the surface. The structure of the English sonnet also lends to the poem’s power, giving Smith a perfect avenue to deliver her message.

The first sonnet talks about how the man is hesitant to look at the woman. Either due to the fact that he has once loved this woman and she broke his heart or he is afraid to fall for this woman to begin with. “For That He Look Not Upon Her” is written in first person point of view. It is a male speaking to

The sonnet opens with a statement of uncertainty as the speaker admits, “I’m not sure how to hold my face when I dance” (1). Immediately thereafter, the speaker poses three questions, all of which allude to the contemplative tone of the poem. While these inquiries regard the subject of dance, the speaker also intends for them to be metaphors for the uncertainty he, as a black man, has for his place in society. His questions are rapid-fire, almost probing the audience for answers that may not truly exist. An obvious lack of breaks for these questions to be answered shows that the speaker must believe that they, in fact, have no answers. These first four sentences are crucial in the sonnet’s development, as they provoke thought and contemplation so that the reader’s mind can be in the same place as the speaker.

At the beginning of this sonnet, Nelson uses images such as “a body thrown to bloat” (line 1), “suicide” (line 3), “gray flesh” (line 4), and most vividly, “chains around his throat” (line 4). Apart from the meaning of physical metal chains, the word “chains” also suggests a state of captivity, as if Till’s deserved freedom is forcefully incarcerated. Further, Nelson applies alliteration in several sets of words in the second half of the sonnet. Most if not all of her combination of words in alliteration consists of an abstract concept and a concrete one. The phrases “hands of hate” (line 8), “loving light” (line 9), “head in humility” (line 10), and “healed heart” (line 11) are all examples that combines a concrete object and a subjective feeling. By utilizing this repetitive pattern of language, Nelson is able to materialize the concepts that she is attempting to convey, including the aforementioned “hate”, “loving”, “humility”, and “healed”. In addition, as Nelson reminisces about the tragedy of Till, she juxtaposes the dire circumstances that Till’s mother is in and the redemptive blessings from God. This sharp contrast can be clearly seen from the contrasting symbolism in “hands of hate” and “loving light”. Through these images at the end of the sonnet, Nelson clearly demonstrates that Till’s adversity may be beneficial for the greater good, and

He noticed that God created peace in nature just as He feels is necessary all the while disregarding His people in anguish. This sonnet observes love, not the usual type of romance, but one-sided

speakers with distinct attitudes toward death. In the sonnets, where one speaker is seen repenting

In “Holy Sonnet 14” by John Donne, dramatizes the conflict between contradictions and a relationship with God.

He is made craftily and "of an angelike sprite;'; implying holiness. He then goes on to say that he has sinned and needs both parts of his world to be cleansed and renewed. He asks God to give him more seas, a world's tears continuing the metaphor, to wash his sin away. Then the speaker makes a Bible reference. He asks the Lord to burn him. It is said in the Bible that the end of the world will be caused by fire. This reference is saying that the speaker wants God to destroy his world now so that he can start anew and forget about his sins in the past. Again we see the theme of sin and the want to be healed and accepted. By using this metaphor in the sonnet, he gives himself a lot of credit. To say that he is a world which God must pay so much attention to creates extreme self-significance. And to make the allusion that the actions of the Bible would be appropriate to be put to use on such an unholy world seems a little absurd.

Sonnet 129 is about the sin of lust and the actions and feelings that correspond with it. The author tells a story of sorts, outlining the feelings one goes through before, during, and after indulging in lust. It tells of the urge before, the bliss during, and the regret and shame after. The author states that although men know the unhealthy cycle, they continue to take part in it. Underlying, however, is the speaker’s own struggles within lust. The speaker feels great religious guilt and shame for his sin. Moreover, the act of lust itself as well and his fear, and regret surrounding it, drive the speaker towards madness that he attempts to remedy by finding a logical solution to this human struggle.

In the poem a man longs to find a permanent home ,and treads the idea of appealing to no true destination after the loss of his lord. The poem is written as an elegie, which displays a solemn tone followed by a serious reflection. Unlike “The Seafarer”, the speaker has developed a deepening voice of Christian Values. The speaker's introduction expressed the voice of a christian moralist as he says, “..oft to the wanderer, weary of exile, cometh God’s pity, compassionate love. Though woefully toiling on wintry seas”. The speaker’s exile causes him to feel unrighteous and unaccepted by God. In the poem the man further details his emotions of loss due to the the death of the lord, and he explains what he believes a wise man is to him. He says, “a wise man in patient, not swift to anger, nor hasty of speech, neither too weak, nor too reckless, in war, neither fearful nor fain, nor too wishful of wealth... a brave man must bide when he speaketh his boast until he know surely the goal of his spirit.” The man expresses how a wise man must be righteous and dwell in the custom his religious faith has set. He creates a precedent for Christians to follow in the Anglo-Saxon society through his strong opinions. Religion may have arised from early literature and is still relevant today.

The form of ‘God’s Grandeur’ is an Italian sonnet, but with some alteration. Even though Hopkins does not use sprung rhythm here, he varies his sonnet structure from the traditional iambic pentameter. Typically, a sonnet contains 3 quatrains (4 lines) and a couplet (2 lines); the Italian sonnet is characterized by having 1 octave (8 lines) and 1 sestet (6 lines). In ‘God’s Grandeur’ a similar pattern is followed, however, Hopkins presents a technique he often employs in other works as well, that of using the octet to present a personal or a sensory experience and the octet in order to provide some reflection on the topic (Gardner 221).