Intro.

to Poetry / Handout 4

The Long Love that in my Thought doth Harbour

BY SIR THOMAS WYATT

The long love that in my thought doth harbour

And in mine hert doth keep his residence,
Into my face presseth with bold pretence
And therein campeth, spreading his banner.
She that me learneth to love and suffer
And will that my trust and lustës negligence
Be rayned by reason, shame, and reverence,
With his hardiness taketh displeasure.

Wherewithall unto the hert's forest he fleeth,

Leaving his enterprise with pain and cry,
And there him hideth and not appeareth.
What may I do when my master feareth
But in the field with him to live and die?
For good is the life ending faithfully.
Poetic genre: Translation of a Petrarchan sonnet, from Italian into English. It is an
Italian sonnet since it follows the structure octave (abba abba) + sestet (cdc cdc). The
change from a rhyme group to the following one implies a change in the subject matter.

The rhyme scheme of this poem is_________________________.

Title

The title of the poem, "The Long Love That in My Thought Doth Harbour," sets the tone
for the rest of the piece. It is clear that the speaker is in love and has been for a long
time. The use of the word "harbour" suggests that the love is a safe and secure place,
where the speaker can rest and find refuge

Themes

The themes explored in "The Long Love That in My Thought Doth Harbour" are
timeless and universal. The poem deals with the nature of love, its power to endure,
and the pain that can be caused by unrequited feelings.

One of the most significant themes in the poem is the idea of the idealized,
unattainable love. The speaker's love is portrayed as pure and perfect, existing only in
their thoughts and imagination. This idealized love is contrasted with the reality of the
situation, as the speaker acknowledges that their feelings may never be reciprocated.

Another theme that is explored in the poem is the idea of the power of memory. The
speaker's love is described as "long," suggesting that it has been present for a
significant amount of time. The use of the word "thought" also emphasizes the
importance of memory in the speaker's love, as it exists primarily in their mind.

The first line of the poem, "The long love that in my thought doth harbour," sets the
tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is expressing his deep and enduring love for
someone who is not present. The word "long" suggests that this love has been present
for a long time and has not diminished over time.
The second line, "And in mine heart doth keep his residence," reinforces the idea that
this love is a constant presence in the speaker's life. The use of the word "residence"
suggests that this love has taken up permanent residence in the speaker's heart.

The third and fourth lines, "Into my face presseth with bold pretence, / And therein
campeth, spreading his banner," suggest that this love is not just a feeling but a
physical presence. The speaker feels the presence of this love in his face, and it
spreads like a banner, indicating that it is a powerful force.

The fifth and sixth lines, "She that me learns to love and to suffer, / And will that my
trust and lust's negligence," introduce the object of the speaker's love. The speaker is
addressing a woman who has taught him how to love and suffer. The use of the words
"trust and lust" suggests that the speaker's love is not just a physical attraction but a
deeper emotional connection.

The seventh and eighth lines, "Be rayned by reason, shame, and reverence, / With his
hardiness taketh displeasure," suggest that the speaker's love is not without its
challenges. The speaker acknowledges that reason, shame, and reverence should
reign over his emotions, but his love is too strong to be controlled. The use of the word
"hardiness" suggests that the speaker's love is a strong and powerful force that cannot
be easily tamed.

The ninth and tenth lines, "Wherewithall unto the heart's forest he fleeth, / Leaving his
enterprise with pain and cry," suggest that the speaker's love is a journey. The heart's
forest is a metaphor for the speaker's emotions, and the love that he feels is like a
journey through this forest. The use of the words "pain and cry" suggests that this
journey is not without its difficulties.

The eleventh and twelfth lines, "And there him hideth, and not appeareth, / What may I
do when my master feareth," suggest that the speaker's love is not always visible. The
love that he feels is sometimes hidden, and the speaker is left wondering what to do
when his master, or his emotions, are afraid.
The final two lines of the poem, "But in the field with him is none equal, / From me in
him is no more life nor breath," suggest that the speaker's love is unique and
unparalleled. The love that he feels is so strong that it has become a part of him, and
he cannot imagine life without it.

Language and Imagery

Wyatt's use of language and imagery is one of the most striking features of the poem.
He employs a range of literary devices, including simile, metaphor, and personification,
to create a vivid and evocative picture of the speaker's love.

In the first line, the speaker describes their love as "long," suggesting that it has been
present for a significant amount of time. The word "love" is repeated several times
throughout the poem, emphasizing its importance and centrality to the speaker's life.

The use of the word "thought" in the second line is significant, as it suggests that the
speaker's love exists primarily in their mind. This is reinforced by the metaphor of the
"harbour," which suggests that the love is a safe and secure place within the speaker's
thoughts.

The imagery in the third and fourth lines is particularly powerful, as the speaker
compares their love to a ship that is sailing on the sea. The use of the verb "is" in line
three suggests that the love is currently in motion, while the simile in line four
compares the ship to a "prince's ship," suggesting that the love is valuable and
precious.

The final six lines of the poem provide a resolution to the argument or idea presented
in the octave. In these lines, the speaker acknowledges that their love may not be
reciprocated and that they may never be able to express their feelings to the object of
their affection. However, the speaker also suggests that their love is enough, and that
they will continue to cherish it regardless of the outcome.
 This poem has a clear reflection of the influences of Petrarch. Focusing on
unattainable love was a clear influence to Petrarch so it makes sense for Wyatt’s poem
to mimic that. Despite the suffering caused by things unattainable, a courtier must still
perform his duties to those in court in order to be considered honorable or virtuous.
These poems both seem to complain about the every day pressures found in such a
society built upon honor and servitude.

In the first four lines of this poem, Love is personified as a lonely knight who takes
shelter in the speaker's thoughts and keeps his home in the speaker's heart. By
portraying Love as a separate entity from the lover, the speaker conveys the idea that
the lover is a victim who is held hostage by love.

Whereas the first eight lines set forth the lover's situation, the final six focus on
the resolution of his dilemma. In response to the beloved's displeasure, Love flees into
the heart's forest (with the common pun on hart, meaning deer, suggesting that Love is
preyed upon by the beloved), where he hides unseen, no longer showing himself in the
lover's face. In the final three lines, the lover acknowledges that banished love is his
master and concludes that he must be Love's faithful servant, going with him into
battle, willing to die there for him, "for good is the life ending faithfully" (l. 14).

Symbols
 Love as war.

 Love as hunting.
 Association of love with thought instead of heart. ‘Intellectual’ of love.
 Conquering the beloved’s love becomes an ‘enterprise’.