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Name: ______Date: ______English III, Period __ The and their – Study Guide

Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) -Time of Rebirth, Time of Progress

This man was a huge contributor to the beginning of the , which started in 1265 and continued until 1600. His efforts led to a time of Rebirth and Progress, not only for , but for England as well.

Petrarch’s Accomplishments

1. Father of –

• Belief that everyone should strive to reach their maximum potential. • Once you attain high status, you should do your best to help others do the same. • Everyone should be interested in Self-Improvement, Self-Realization, and Personal Honor.

2. Italian –

• The form of his sonnet came as an 8 line Octave, and a 6 line Sestet. • The Octave was responsible for the presentation of the topic. It did this in a variety of ways, such as present an idea, raise an argument, raise a question, make a proposition or pose a problem. • The Sestet was responsible for responding to the topic. It would respond to the topic in a variety of ways, such as illustrate an idea, vary an idea, respond to an idea, solve a problem, or answer a question. • Petrarch wrote over 365 Sonnets to the woman he deemed his soulmate, although he never actually spoke to her.

3. Collected works of art and important literature –

• Revived an interest in the : and Greek

4. Alpinism –

• It is said that he was traveling with a friend, saw a mountain and stated he wanted to climb it. This was the first documentation of climbing a mountain for the sheer sport of it.

5. First Recorded Stalker –

• It is said that he first saw his mate while attending church. Since that day, Francesco Petrarch devoted his time and thought solely to a woman he would never speak to and it is for her that he created the Italian Sonnet.

Unrequited Love - Love that is Not Returned or is Impossible in Some Way

Two Types of Unrequited Love

1. When a man explains his love for someone and that person refuses it.

2. When a man fears a woman’s response, so he keeps his love secret.

Popular Poets and their Unrequited Loves

Francesco Petrarch –

• Fell in love with a woman by the name of Laura De Noves. • Petrarch never actually spoke with Laura, even though he devoted over 365 sonnets to her. • Petrarch believed he would have time to inform her of his love once she grew older, but she died as a result of complications in childbirth. • Not only was the love of his life married and with children, but he was as well.

Sir – Anne Boleyn

• Sir Thomas Wyatt served as a diplomat, a writer, and a womanizer. • While sent away for reasons of scandal, Sir Thomas Wyatt brought Petrarch’s Italian Sonnet form back to England with him upon his return. • He was a past lover of Ann Boleyn, and not too happy when she decided to leave him. • Imprisoned 2 times, once by the Duke and once by the King. • When he was imprisoned by the King, Ann Boleyn intervened to save him.

Edmund Spenser – Queen Elizabeth

• Irish landowner who actually lived in Ireland, while most continued to live in England. • Created the Spenserian , which adapted the previous form to build to a climax. • He wrote The Fairie Queen. Originally meant to be 12 books, but he only ended up writing 6. He stopped after receiving recognition from the Queen herself. It dealt with knights and damsels in distress. The Fairie Queen was based on Queen Elizabeth herself. • The best part about basing his works on Queen Elizabeth was the fact that he was married to an Elizabeth as well.

William Shakespeare – Man, Woman, or both?

• Much of his history was found and discussed prior to reading Macbeth. • What is important to know is he had a period of “Lost Years” and after resurfacing he began to write an amazing collection of plays and sonnets. • His sonnet form was chosen because he thought unconnected quatrains gave him more freedom to write about one topic in three different ways or one topic in three connected ways. Each choice still ended with him answering his topic in a single couplet. This meant he had 12 lines to present his topic, but the couplet DEMANDED a quick response. • Shakespeare’s history shows he WAS married, but spent much time away from her while in London. Many speculate that William Shakespeare had various mistresses and some of those he dallied with may have been male. • After reading Shakespeare’s sonnets, it can be said that there are clearly three distinct people to who he writes.

When Reading a Sonnet: You Must Read it 3x

1. Read once for content (what is this sonnet about?) 2. Read second time noting the meter and rhyme, details and vocabulary 3. Read a third time to figure out the “puzzle” of the poem

The Various Forms of a Sonnet

Petrarch Spenser Shakespeare

14 lines 14 lines 14 lines

Octave (8) - Presents 3 Quatrains (12) – Presents 3 Quatrains (12) – Presents ABBA, ABBA ABAB, BCBC, CDCD ABAB, CDCD, EFEF

Sestet (6) - Responds Final Couplet (2) – Responds Final Couplet (2) - Responds CD CD CD or EE GG CDE CDE or CDE DCE.

Provides plenty of Each quatrain builds upon Each quatrain can be introduced room for both the previous quatrain with by three different aspects in each presentation and the purpose of building to quatrain or it can focus on a response. A climax. single aspect throughout all three quatrains.

Iambic Pentameter Iambic Pentameter