•Most early sonnets focused on love and the nature of love, often unrequited or unattainable love.
• What do the speakers have in common in the sonnets "Whoso List to Hunt" by Sir
Thomas Wyatt and "Sonnet 30" by Edmund Spenser? How are they different? Consider the focus of the speaker in each work.
• Compare and Contrast the speaker's situation and feelings.
The speakers in both "Whoso List to Hunt" by Sir Thomas Wyatt and "Sonnet 30" by Edmund Spenser have unrequited or unattainable love as a common theme, but they differ in their focus and approach to their situations.
In "Whoso List to Hunt," the speaker compares pursuing a dangerous hunt with trying to win the love of a woman who is already claimed by someone else. The speaker expresses his frustration and melancholy, realizing that his pursuit is in vain and that the woman's heart is not easily won. He portrays himself as a weary hunter, trying to catch a deer that belongs to someone else, thus emphasizing the futility of his desires.
On the other hand, in "Sonnet 30," the speaker reflects upon his own feelings of love and loss. He describes the pain and sadness he experiences after losing someone dear to him, possibly through death or separation. The speaker uses vivid imagery and powerful emotions to convey his grief, evoking a sense of despair and longing.
While both speakers in these sonnets share the experience of unattainable love, their approaches and focuses differ. The speaker in "Whoso List to Hunt" directs his attention towards the woman he desires, comparing her to a hunted animal and emphasizing his powerless position. In contrast, the speaker in "Sonnet 30" focuses on his own emotions and the internal turmoil he faces as a result of losing his beloved.
In terms of their situations and feelings, the speaker in "Whoso List to Hunt" displays a sense of resignation and acceptance of defeat, understanding that he cannot possess the woman he desires. He feels frustrated and despondent, recognizing that her heart is already claimed. In "Sonnet 30," the speaker's situation is that of mourning and deep sadness. He grieves the loss of someone close and expresses his intense longing and longing to be reunited with the departed.
In summary, both "Whoso List to Hunt" and "Sonnet 30" explore themes of unrequited or unattainable love, but they differ in their focus and approach. The former emphasizes the speaker's powerless position in trying to win the love of a woman who is already taken, while the latter centers on the speaker's grief and longing after losing someone dear.