One Day I Wrote her Name by Edmund Spencer
One
Day I Wrote her Name by Edmund Spencer
Edmund Spenser (c. 1552-1599) was an English poet during the Renaissance period.
- He is best known for his epic poem, "The Faerie Queene," which is considered one of the greatest works of English literature.
- "The Faerie Queene" is an allegorical poem that celebrates the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and explores themes of chivalry, virtue, and the Tudor dynasty.
- Spenser's writing style is characterized by elaborate language and intricate rhyme schemes, and he is known for popularizing the Spenserian stanza, a nine-line verse form.
- He also wrote sonnets, including the famous "Amoretti," which are a sequence of 89 sonnets dedicated to his future wife, Elizabeth Boyle.
- Spenser worked as a government official in Ireland and wrote several poems and prose works about the region.
- His literary contributions had a significant influence on the development of English poetry and played a role in shaping the English language.
One day I
wrote her name upon the strand,
But came the waves and
washed it away:
Again I wrote it with a
second hand,
But came the tide, and
made my pains his prey.
"Vain man,"
said she, "that dost in vain assay,
A mortal thing so to
immortalize;
For I myself shall like
to this decay,
And eke my name be
wiped out likewise."
"Not so,"
(quod I) "let baser things devise
To die in dust, but you
shall live by fame:
My verse your vertues
rare shall eternize,
And in the heavens
write your glorious name:
Where whenas death
shall all the world subdue,
Our love shall live,
and later life renew."
Summary
In the poem "One Day I Wrote her Name" by Edmund
Spenser, the speaker writes his beloved's name in the sand on the beach. But
then, the waves come and wash it away. He tries writing it again with another
hand, but the tide washes it away again.
The beloved scolds the speaker, telling him that he's
foolish to try to make something mortal (like her name) last forever. She
thinks everything, including her, will eventually disappear.
But the speaker disagrees. He says that other less important
things can fade away, but he'll make sure his poetry will keep her name and
virtues alive. He believes that through his verses, her name will be
celebrated, and their love will never die, even when the world ends.
So, the poem is about the struggle to make love and memory last, even though everything in life is temporary. The speaker believes that his poetry can make their love and her name immortal.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
- What does the speaker write on the strand in the poem?
a)
A love letter
b)
His beloved's name
c)
A poem
d)
A message to the waves
Answer: b) His beloved's name
- What happens to the writing on the strand in the poem?
a)
It is carved in stone
b)
The wind blows it away
c)
The waves wash it away
d)
It remains untouched
Answer: c) The waves wash it away
- How does the beloved respond to the speaker's attempt to
immortalize her name?
a)
She is pleased with his efforts
b)
She chastises the speaker
c)
She offers to help him rewrite it
d)
She writes her own name
Answer: b) She chastises the speaker
- What is the speaker's argument in response to the
beloved's criticism?
a)
He should stop trying to immortalize her
b)
His verse will ensure her name lives on
c)
He will rewrite her name in stone
d)
He will ask the waves to stop erasing it
Answer: b) His verse will ensure her name lives on
- What is the main theme of the poem?
a)
Nature's beauty
b)
The passage of time
c)
The power of the ocean
d)
The joy of love
Answer: b) The passage of time
- How many lines does the poem have?
a)
12
b)
14
c)
16
d)
18
Answer: b) 14
- Which poetic form is used in the poem?
a)
Sonnet
b)
Haiku
c)
Ballad
d)
Epic
Answer: a) Sonnet
- What is the speaker's response to the beloved's statement,
"Not so"?
a)
He apologizes
b)
He agrees with her
c)
He defends his position
d)
He remains silent
Answer: c) He defends his position
- What does the speaker believe will happen to their love
when death claims the world?
a)
Their love will disappear
b)
Their love will grow stronger
c)
Their love will renew
d)
Their love will become immortal
Answer: c) Their love will renew
- In what way does the speaker believe their love will live
on?
a)
Through the beloved's name carved in stone
b)
Through the passage of time
c)
Through his verse and the heavens
d)
Through the waves that washed the name away
Answer: c) Through his verse and the heavens
Short Answer Type Questions:
- What is the significance of the waves washing away the name in the poem?
Answer: The waves symbolize the impermanence of life and love. They emphasize how even the most heartfelt attempts to immortalize something can be erased by time and nature.
- How does the beloved respond to the speaker's initial attempts to immortalize her name, and why?
Answer: The beloved chastises the speaker, stating that he is attempting in vain to immortalize something mortal. She believes that both she and her name are subject to decay.
- What is the speaker's counterargument to the beloved's criticism, and what does he believe will ensure the beloved's name lives on?
Answer: The speaker argues that his verse will immortalize the beloved's name and virtues. He believes that his poetry will ensure her name lives on, even when death claims the world, and their love will be renewed.
- What does the poem suggest about the power of art and poetry in preserving memory and love?
Answer: The poem suggests that art and poetry have the power to transcend the limitations of mortality and time. The speaker believes that through his verse, he can immortalize his beloved's name and virtues, allowing their love to endure beyond death.
- How does the poem convey the theme of love's endurance in the face of mortality?
Answer: The poem conveys the theme of love's endurance by showing that while the physical inscription of the beloved's name may be washed away by the waves, the poet's verse and the heavens will ensure that their love lives on and is renewed, even when death claims the world.
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