Valentine’s Day, circa 496AD – a treasured day for some and a dreaded day for others. Now, I know you come to this blog for literature not love advice, but for the festivities’ sake I thought it would be fitting to look at two sonnets about love and relationships that I believe to be vastly relevant today, despite being written hundreds of years ago. The sonnet for those who love Valentine’s day is My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like The Sun (Sonnet 130) by William Shakespeare, and the sonnet for my fellow Valentine’s Day killjoys is There’s No Help, Come Let Us Kiss and Part (Sonnet 61) by Michael Drayton, so don’t click away just yet! At this time of the year, I always find myself pondering whether our modern attitudes towards love are still derived from that of our post-medieval ancestors. Think back some five-hundred years ago to when love was expressed in sonnet form, and then bring yourself back to the cheesy Hallmark cards of the now. Do you think the sentiment is the same? Perhaps we’ve come to the realisation that not everyone can write sonnets as thought-provoking as Shakespeare’s and Drayton’s. Let’s take a closer look. Roses are red, violets are blue, sonnets sound nicer, but this works too. .When it comes to sonnets with the underlying theme of love such as Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130, I believe they are much like a nicely phrased Valentines card. In Sonnet 130 [click here to read the sonnet if you haven’t already], the speaker explores the idea that he can love a woman (the subject) even if she doesn’t meet the societal expectations of the time. Although at a first glance, the speaker’s descriptions of his mistress’ physical features seem harsh, he redeemed it for me with the following lines, which stood out to me as the turning point of the sonnet: I grant I never saw a goddess go, My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground; (lines 11-12) Shakespeare’s “smooth talk” right here shows the generalised theme of romance throughout the sonnet, which I believe is heavily prominent in our society today. All you need to do is take a glance at the romance section of Spotify, Goodreads or Netflix to see just how much everyone still thinks about love nowadays. I believe Sonnet 130 was about far more than just love though. Through lines such as “Coral is far more red than her lips' red” (line 2), I noticed that the speaker was challenging both beauty standards of the time – which were prevalent back then just like they are today – and other poets of his time who used these flawless descriptions of their subjects. This reminded me of the media, with its images of models like the Victoria's Secret Angels who are covered in makeup and digitally enhanced until they appear conventionally-perfect. Just think about the societal pressures being placed on young women to this day, and the self-esteem issues that stem from these pressures. In this way, I believe the media does indeed do the exact same thing as the other poets of Shakespeare’s time by putting actresses and models on unreachable pedestals. For now, this means Shakespeare's words are still relevant, but I hope that a day will soon come where they won't be anymore. "I do" until I don't. Not all love lasts forever, even if the wedding vows suggest that it will, but sometimes it may dwindle. I found that this is the exact message Drayton’s Sonnet 61 [click here to read the sonnet if you haven’t already] portrays regarding the theme of breakups, and those dreaded regretful thoughts following them. I'd even argue that this sonnet is the early modern embodiment of hoping that your ex-partner will leave you a drunken voicemail saying they still love you. The speaker begins with an assertion of his happiness and peace with the fact that the relationship is over, as seen in the lines: And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart, That thus so cleanly I myself can free. Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows, (lines 3-5) Despite how certain the speaker sounded about the breakup, I think the couplet at the end of the sonnet abruptly erases all of this certainty: Now, if thou wouldst, when all have given him over, From death to life thou might’st him yet recover! (lines 13-14) For me, this part of the sonnet represents the speakers hope that the love between the speaker and the subject could be rekindled. Afterthoughts like these at the end of a relationship are something that many people still have these days. All I had to do was look into the nearly endless expanse of breakup songs to find evidence that this still occurs. Take Taylor Swift’s iconic “We Are Never Getting Back Together” [click here to listen to the song], where Swift somewhat paraphrases lines 13-14 with the lyrics “I say, I hate you, we break up, you call me, I love you.” Chances are you probably relate to this lyric like I do. I’m pretty sure we all know or (shamefully) have been that one person who was stuck in a cyclic relationship as Swift described. Now let’s assume the speaker "pulled a Taylor Swift" and never got back together with the subject, and that they really did stay divorced. Whilst divorce was much rarer 500 years ago, it still occurred so much so that a sonnet was written about it, and it’s even more common now. Many modern Australians would be able to relate to this decision, because according to a 2015 Love and Marriages Report, one third of Australian marriages end in divorce. Marriage is supposed to be an unbreakable promise, but it seems that a large number of Australians want to cancel their vows like Drayton mentioned. Thus, it is safe to say that much like a fine wine, Drayton’s sonnet has just gotten better with time, as it is still relevant to society now, if not more relevant that at the time it was written. Over and out. My fellow literary lovers, this has been a PSA. Although the ways people express themselves about these themes has changed throughout the generation, it is clear that every generation faces these hurdles. I’m sure that if Shakespeare and Drayton ever got the opportunity to see into the future, they would have thoroughly enjoyed Taylor Swift and cheesy Valentines cards.
Also, if I happen to have any secret admirers stalking my blog this year, please feel free to take notes: dark chocolate is my favourite, and I’d love for you to give me chocolate on any day of the year.
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A concept I have struggled with for a while is Australian identity. To me, our identity is comparable to a false advertisement. While most of it consists of harmless stereotypes, our claim of being a “multicultural” society really gets on my nerves. That is, a country that voted Pauline Hanson and members of the ‘Xenophobe’ party into parliament, should not be marketed as multicultural. Don’t you feel like this is a lie to the world? In search for insight into this issue, I decided to delve into the world of Australian poetry, and found two poems that truly resonated with me. The poems, AUSTRALIA by Ania Walwicz and Nobody calls me a wog anymore by Komninos Zervos, both deliver confronting messages regarding the difficulties of fitting into our society as immigrants. Rather than promoting our existing “values”, these poems contribute to shaping the Australian identity by suggesting how we can improve as individuals and hence as a society. I believe these poems have something for everyone, regardless of nationality. Before continuing, if you haven’t read either of the poems, I invite you to click on hyperlinked titles in the above paragraph to read a copy now. Starting with AUSTRALIA, how did you feel when you first read the poem? Personally, I was frustrated by the poets’ complaints about Australia, my home country which I love very much. I felt as if the poem were directed at me, what with the word ‘you’ being used on seventy-six occasions. I found this insulting, considering the negative views on Australia that Walwicz offloads. The opening line of the poem is enough evidence by itself, with the words ‘You big ugly. You too empty.’ (Line 1). However, I realised that I had to look past the insulting aspects of this poem, because Walwicz must have had terrible experiences as an immigrant. I’ve never even been overseas, let alone emigrated to another country, yet I feel a deep connection with Walwicz. I believe most people have had a situation where they have been rejected from a group or community, so I’m sure you understand too. For me, I can relate to Walwicz on a much smaller scale – when I was seven, I moved to a school where I never quite felt accepted – people excluded me and teased me about my glasses. It was horrible to be laughed at and left out, especially when even the teachers couldn’t help me feel more accepted. Hence, the following lines had a major impact on me. "You always ask me where I’m from. You always ask me. You tell me I look strange. Different. You don’t adopt me. You laugh at the way I speak. You think you’re better than me. You don’t like me." (Lines 22-26). It was a melancholic experience to read this, as it reminds me of what it was like to be rejected from a community – melancholic and lonely. Similar to how attending that school was not perfect for me, Australia is not amazing for everyone. People of ‘alternative’ backgrounds faced discrimination in 1989, when AUSTRALIA was written, and it deeply saddens me that this discrimination still occurs today. We claim to be a multicultural country, but just because people from different cultures live in our country, doesn’t mean these said people feel accepted or happy here. AUSTRALIA delivers this harsh truth to us, and I don’t know about you, but it left me motivated to be more careful about my actions. In this way, AUSTRALIA emphasises how we have room for improvement in our collective Australian identity, by pointing out the flaws in our individual personas. I found that the poem Nobody calls me a wog anymore has a similar affect to AUSTRALIA, but is delivered in a different way. In Nobody calls me a wog anymore, the poet, Komninos, sugarcoats the truth. The Greek immigrant explains his story of how he had to assert himself to be referred to as an Australian rather than a ‘wog’. “it didn’t just happen i had to assert myself as an australian as an artist stand up and scream it point the finger accusingly thump my fist demandingly assert my identity." (lines 6-14). Being told that Komninos had to fight for acceptance irritates me, as this shouldn’t be necessary in a truly multicultural society. I was being rejected from a school community when I was just seven. I could barely do basic math, yet if I wanted to fit in, I would have to fight for it? Just as children shouldn’t have to fight for acceptance into a community, neither should adults such as Komninos. I find it easy to imagine myself in Komninos’ shoes. Picture it – you have just moved to a new country in search of exciting opportunities, but no one wants you to be there. People insult you, reject you and shun you until you ‘earn’ their respect. I find the idea simply infuriating, don’t you agree? I admire how friendly and polite Komninos is as he delivers his message. It stood out to me that he is being so kind, even though he has obviously been through a lot. “hey australia I like you lots since you stopped calling me ‘ 'me wog mate kevin’ and started calling me ‘the australian poet, komninos!'" (lines 62-67). The point Komninos makes is particularly valid, and I believe it can apply to everyone. I hated being called mean nicknames at the school I previously mentioned, but not too often do I think twice before I make comments myself. You may not intend for a comment to be insulting, it could just seem like a joke to you, but there is always a chance for misinterpretation. This happens to the best of us – but today I challenge you to take notice of what you are saying. In return, I too will do the same. I would like to thank these two poets for their valuable insight into how to improve ourselves and the Australian identity. We have so many issues that need to be solved in our society, rather than glossed over. I believe poetry is the perfect method to achieve this, as not only do they offer the potential to change individuals, they can create movements.
Let me know what you think in the comments below, I’ll see you soon! One of my pet peeves is when people say that Shakespeare’s works are useless, outdated and shouldn’t be taught in school. In my opinion, Shakespeare’s works, particularly 'Romeo and Juliet', provide extensive insight into human behaviour. In 'Romeo and Juliet' the characters of Juliet, an intelligent girl who stumbles down a troublesome path, and Capulet, her father, react to a desperate situation in very different ways. The irrational behaviour of both Juliet and Capulet impact heavily on Romeo, Juliet’s husband, and Paris, her father’s selection for a spouse. The story provides a good lesson about the consequences of desperate behaviour, which can help us make the right choices in our own lives. Capulet is an interesting character – he cares deeply about his daughter, and everything he does is in her best interests, but we all know this doesn’t turn out exactly as he hopes. Early in the play, Paris requests to marry Juliet, to which Capulet replies that he doesn't want Juliet to marry yet, his words demonstrating the extent he cherishes Juliet: She’s the hopeful lady of my earth. But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart. My will to her consent is but a part. An she agreed within her scope of choice, Lies my consent and fair according voice. (Act 1, scene 2) Capulet later decides, as a solution to Juliet’s grief, which he thinks is caused by Tybalt’s death, that Juliet should marry Paris, but this further upsets Juliet. Imagine yourself in Capulet’s situation: you are devastated that your daughter is grieving, you will do anything to cheer her up, but you let your devastation get out of control. This occurs when Capulet threatens Juliet: An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend. An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets. (Act 3, scene 5) We were all kids once, and chances are, you’re a parent, so I’m sure you understand Capulet's behaviour. Parents cherish their children, just like Capulet does, and that is why they want to advise them. The exception here is how Capulet threatens Juliet, something which is accepted and normal in his society, but wouldn’t be appropriate in ours. I noticed that Capulet’s words have a definite impact on other characters, such as when he threatens Juliet, fuelling her desperation. This drives Juliet to seek help from Friar Lawrence, a person she trusts to be on her side, and she cries: Give me some present counsel, or, behold, Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that (Act 4, scene 1) Friar Lawrence, “the helpful adult figure”, offers a solution to deceive her father and allow her to run away with Romeo. Thanks Friar! Juliet returns to her father, lying through her teeth: “Henceforth I am ever ruled by you” (Act 4, scene 2). Juliet thinks she’s won, she’s over the moon. She’s going to run away into the sunset with Romeo, right? Wrong – this failed path impacts the person whom she loves most, Romeo... and consequently, Paris. What a mess! Romeo is desperate to say a final goodbye to his true love, unfortunately arriving in front of the tomb at the same time as Paris. Romeo gives his last warning words to Paris before taking away Paris’ life: “Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man.” (Act 5, scene 3). I perceive this hesitation as Romeo allowing Paris a final chance, an indicator that Romeo still has human morals, but they are clouded by his desperation. Goodbye Romeo and Paris. I believe that when desperation is involved, people respond with either fight or flight. If you’re struggling to connect this to today, ask yourself this: how have you seen people around you, including yourself, react to desperation? We’ve all heard the stories in the news of when teenagers run away from home, a typical representation of the ‘flight’ response – classic Juliet. An example of the ‘fight’ response is the well-known case of when a victim of bullying snaps and attacks the bully – typical Romeo. Capulet’s behaviour resembles a struggle of its own, pursing at any cost a stable, joyful future for his daughter, which doesn't exactly result in rational thinking either. In the end, the character’s response to despair translated differently given their perspective of the situation, but commonly, the solution and reaction proffered by the characters were all irrational. So what does Shakespeare teach us? What is clear from 'Romeo and Juliet' is that desperation gives us irrational thought processes which usually have a potential for severe consequences. I’m sure you have heard someone say: "desperate times call for desperate measures", a phrase which explains the sometimes detrimental result of decision making while in an irrational state. Shakespeare further portrays to us that parents will go to extreme measures to give their children a bright future. My advice to you is to get support from someone you trust If you are feeling desperate, as long as they aren’t too much like Friar Lawrence.
If I could write a letter to Shakespeare, I would thank him for his timeless insight into the human psyche. I hope you enjoyed this post! Where do you see Shakespeare’s knowledge of human behaviour in Romeo and Juliet? Make sure you let me know in the comments below. |
AuthorHi! I'm Chelsea, an Australian student and literature enthusiast.
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