Written by Edmund Spenser, one of the most notable English poets of all time, Amoretti is a sonnet cycle published in the 16th century that Spenser dedicated to his future wife, Elizabeth Boyle. At the time of writing these sonnets, Spenser was not yet married to Boyle, and to describe in detail the complexity of his love for her, he dedicated these “little loves” of writing to win her devotion finally.
Sonnet 54, in particular, is an impactful piece that uses theatre as a metaphor to show the unreciprocated love that Spenser experiences regarding Boyle, despite his valiant efforts in pursuing her. The first line states “Of this world’s theatre in which we stay,” sets the scene with the use of theatre as a metaphor for life. The speaker continues to describe what life feels like for him, “performing on the stage,” and his lover being a mere spectator of his performance. He tries to charm and get his lover’s attention in any way he believes a gentleman would.
The poet carries on with the theatrical metaphor, stating how sometimes, his lover makes him feel joyous and whimsical, comparing it to the carefree feelings one may experience in a comedy show, while other times, he experiences feelings of hopelessness and sorrow, as one would feel during the performance of a tragedy. However, despite these performances of his, the speaker mentions how his lover only watches him with a “constant eye,” unfazed by the efforts he puts forward in these expressions of love for her.
Approaching the end of the poem, the speaker states, “But when I laugh she mocks, and when I cry/ She laughes, and hardens evermore her hart.” This is when the speaker begins to feel that his attempts at an expression of love are a lost cause. He does not feel that he is ever on the same page as his lover, and does not know what more he can give in order to feel that his love is reciprocated, helping the audience feel sympathy towards the speaker’s situation.
Overall, Sonnet 54 is a momentous poem that is only a small part of the 89 sonnets that Spenser’s Amoretti consists of. Due to the positive outcome this great collection of poems brought towards Spenser’s relationship with Boyle, this serves as a real-life example of some of the wonderful things that poetry can do for a person. Writing is one of the best ways for an individual to be vulnerable and confess their deep frustrations regarding love. This simple and admirable work of his is quite the relatable piece since most people experience unrequited love at least once in their life. There is an impact that can be made by those who express their inner struggles and intentions at heart. Sometimes, all that is needed is the raw truth for people to get the thing they desire most, which is exactly what Spenser did, writing these sonnets to finally improve and ultimately marry his lover.
