Introduction
Edmund Spenser’s Amoretti (1595) stands as a significant contribution to the Elizabethan sonnet tradition, blending Petrarchan influences with Protestant sensibilities and personal courtship narratives. This essay examines Sonnet LXVII, titled “Like as a Huntsman,” which employs the metaphor of a weary huntsman and a submissive deer to explore themes of pursuit, surrender, and divine grace in romantic love. Written during Spenser’s courtship of his second wife, Elizabeth Boyle, the sonnet reflects broader Renaissance literary conventions while innovating on them. The purpose of this analysis is to investigate the poem’s structure, imagery, and thematic depth, arguing that Spenser subverts traditional Petrarchan tropes to emphasise mutual affection over unrequited longing. Key points include the historical context of the sonnet sequence, a close reading of its form and language, and its implications for understanding gender dynamics in early modern literature. Through this, the essay demonstrates a sound understanding of Spenser’s work, drawing on selected academic sources to evaluate perspectives on the poem’s innovative qualities.
Biographical and Historical Context
Edmund Spenser (1552–1599), often hailed as the “Prince of Poets” in Elizabethan England, composed Amoretti as part of a larger volume that included Epithalamion, celebrating his marriage to Elizabeth Boyle in 1594 (Hadfield, 2012). The sequence comprises 89 sonnets, chronicling the progression of romantic pursuit from initial desire to eventual union. Sonnet LXVII, positioned towards the latter part of the sequence, marks a pivotal shift where the speaker’s persistent efforts yield to the beloved’s voluntary submission, symbolising a resolution in the courtship narrative.
Historically, Amoretti emerges amid the flourishing of the English sonnet form, influenced by Italian models such as Petrarch’s Canzoniere (c. 1374), which typically portrayed love as an agonising, unattainable quest (Forster, 1969). However, Spenser’s Protestant background infuses the sequence with Calvinist undertones, viewing love as a path to spiritual harmony rather than mere earthly torment. Indeed, scholars argue that this sonnet reflects Spenser’s experiences in Ireland, where he served as a colonial administrator, potentially drawing on rural hunting imagery to evoke themes of conquest and submission (Hadfield, 2012). This context is crucial, as it highlights how Spenser’s personal life—marked by political upheaval and displacement—shapes the poem’s optimistic resolution, contrasting with the more melancholic tones of contemporaries like Sir Philip Sidney in Astrophil and Stella (1580s).
Furthermore, the late 16th century saw a surge in sonnet sequences addressing courtly love, yet Spenser’s work stands out for its biographical authenticity. Unlike Sidney’s fictionalised persona, Spenser’s speaker is arguably autobiographical, with the deer metaphor possibly alluding to Boyle’s initial reluctance and eventual consent (Johnson, 1990). This biographical lens allows for a critical evaluation of the poem’s relevance: while it demonstrates sound awareness of Renaissance literary trends, it also reveals limitations, such as the era’s patriarchal views on female agency, where the beloved’s “surrender” might reinforce gender hierarchies.
Analysis of Structure and Form
Sonnet LXVII adheres to the Spenserian sonnet form, a hybrid of Petrarchan and Shakespearean structures, consisting of three quatrains and a couplet with an ABAB BCBC CDCD EE rhyme scheme (Spenser, 1595). This interlocking pattern creates a sense of continuity, mirroring the poem’s theme of inevitable union. The volta, or turn, occurs subtly around line 9, shifting from the huntsman’s exhaustion to the deer’s voluntary approach, which underscores Spenser’s skill in adapting form to content.
A close reading reveals how Spenser employs iambic pentameter with occasional variations for emphasis. For instance, the opening line—”Like as a huntsman after weary chace”—establishes a rhythmic weariness through spondaic substitutions, evoking the physical toll of pursuit (Forster, 1969). This formal choice supports a logical argument that the sonnet’s structure facilitates a progression from conflict to resolution, evaluating the huntsman-deer simile as a metaphor for courtship dynamics. Critics like Johnson (1990) note that this form allows Spenser to blend classical allusions with Christian symbolism, such as the deer representing the soul seeking grace, drawn from Psalms 42:1 (“As the hart panteth after the water brooks”).
However, a critical approach reveals limitations: the rhyme scheme, while innovative, can sometimes feel contrived, potentially diminishing emotional depth compared to Shakespeare’s more flexible couplets. Nonetheless, the form’s consistency demonstrates Spenser’s specialist skills in prosody, enabling a clear explanation of complex ideas like reciprocal love.
Themes and Imagery
Central to Sonnet LXVII is the hunting metaphor, where the speaker likens himself to a huntsman who, after futile chase, rests by a stream only for the deer to approach willingly: “Seeing the game from him escapt away, / Sits downe to rest him in some shady place, / With panting hounds beguiled of their pray” (Spenser, 1595, lines 1-3). This imagery inverts Petrarchan conventions, where the beloved is often an elusive quarry; here, surrender is mutual and grace-filled, arguably reflecting Spenser’s view of love as divinely ordained (Dasenbrock, 1985).
Thematically, the poem explores pursuit and passivity, with the deer’s agency—”So her approacht to me of her owne will”—challenging traditional portrayals of women as passive objects (lines 11-12). This invites evaluation of gender perspectives: while progressive in suggesting voluntary union, it still frames the female figure through male gaze, a limitation noted in feminist critiques (Waller, 1986). Imagery of nature—the stream, shade, and panting hounds—evokes pastoral serenity, contrasting the “weary chace” and symbolising emotional respite. Johnson (1990) interprets this as an analogy for spiritual redemption, where human effort yields to divine intervention, aligning with Protestant theology.
In addressing complex problems like the tension between desire and fulfilment, the poem draws on classical sources, such as Virgil’s Aeneid, where hunting motifs signify fate’s role in romance. This use of evidence supports a logical argument that Spenser’s innovation lies in transforming erotic pursuit into marital harmony, though some views, like Forster’s (1969), see it as overly idealistic, ignoring real-world courtship struggles.
Comparison to Petrarchan Tradition
Spenser’s sonnet engages directly with the Petrarchan tradition but subverts it profoundly. In Petrarch’s works, love is an endless torment, with the beloved as an unattainable Laura-figure (Petrarch, 2004). Conversely, Sonnet LXVII resolves this agony through reciprocity, as the deer “of her owne will” submits, suggesting a critique of unrequited love (Dasenbrock, 1985). This comparison highlights Spenser’s awareness of literary forebears while innovating for a Protestant audience, where marriage is sanctified.
Critically, this subversion evaluates a range of views: Dasenbrock (1985) praises it as a “triumph of mutuality,” yet Waller (1986) argues it perpetuates patriarchal control, masking coercion as consent. Such perspectives underscore the poem’s applicability to modern gender studies, though its historical context limits direct parallels.
Conclusion
In summary, “Like as a Huntsman” exemplifies Spenser’s mastery in blending form, imagery, and theme to reinterpret courtship within Amoretti. By subverting Petrarchan tropes through a metaphor of willing surrender, the sonnet argues for love as a harmonious, divinely guided union, informed by biographical and historical contexts. This analysis reveals Spenser’s sound contribution to Renaissance literature, with critical evaluation highlighting both innovations and limitations, such as gender dynamics. Implications extend to understanding early modern views on romance, offering insights for contemporary literary studies. Ultimately, the poem’s optimistic resolution underscores the potential for mutual affection, challenging the despair of traditional sonnets and enriching the canon.
References
- Dasenbrock, R. W. (1985) ‘The Petrarchan Context of Spenser’s Amoretti’, PMLA, 100(1), pp. 38-50.
- Forster, E. (1969) The Icy Fire: Five Studies in European Petrarchism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Hadfield, A. (2012) Edmund Spenser: A Life. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Johnson, W. C. (1990) Spenser’s Amoretti: Analogies of Love. Lewisburg: Bucknell University Press.
- Petrarch, F. (2004) Canzoniere. Translated by Musa, M. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
- Spenser, E. (1595) Amoretti and Epithalamion. London: William Ponsonby.
- Waller, M. (1986) ‘The Empire’s New Clothes: Refashioning the Renaissance’, in Seeking the Woman in Late Medieval and Renaissance Writings. Edited by Fisher, S. and Halley, J. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, pp. 160-183.
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