English 102/102G: Close reading Poems of seduction and betrayal 1

How can close reading help you? “Being an English student provided me with an invaluable skill set that I believe has set me apart from others. … [It] taught me sharp critical thinking skills, how to ask the right questions and give the right answers, how to read closely and analytically, and most importantly, [it] helped me further develop empathy and emotional intelligence. My second interview for this job [I now have] was with my current director who plainly asked me what I, as an English and policy student, can bring to an Economist role. I informed her that while I may not have the technical training of an economics or accounting student, I have the ability to take numbers and tell a story. That was my selling point. Thank you for instilling the skills and confidence in me to be able to project my capabilities in such a way.” -- email received this morning from a colleague

2nd assignment: close reading skills What are we looking for? This assignment is a chance to demonstrate close reading skills, as discussed in lectures and rehearsed in tutorial. We are looking for you to use your attention to detail and your analytical ability to produce an interpretation of how the chosen passage works, both in itself and (where relevant) as an element in the larger work it is taken from.

2nd assignment: close reading skills What is the difference between “attention to detail” and “analytical skills”? Attention to detail provides the observations from which analysis is then built. For example, you might demonstrate attention to detail by noticing that the passage changes in tone, or rhythm, or voice, or positions a short sentence after a series of longer ones, or vice versa. You would demonstrate analytical skills by demonstrating the relationship between that change and the meaning communicated by the passage to the reader. Or, again, you might notice that the passage uses rhetorical questions, or exclamations, or a particular strong image and then ask, as part of an analysis based on that detail, “What is the purpose of this in relation to the subject matter or in its effect on the reader?” Noting a detail is only a first step; analysis asks to infer and comment on that detail’s significance or effect.

“The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” -- Christopher Marlowe “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” -- Christopher Marlowe Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove, That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Woods, or steepy mountain yields.   And we will sit upon the rocks, Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks, By shallow rivers, to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals.   And I will make thee beds of roses And a thousand fragrant posies, A cap of flowers, and a kirtle Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; A gown made of the finest wool Which from our pretty Lambs we pull, Fair linèd slippers for the cold, With buckles of the purest gold;   A belt of straw and Ivy buds, With coral clasps and amber studs: And if these pleasures may thee move, Come live with me, and be my love.   The shepherd swains shall dance and sing For thy delight each May morning: If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me, and be my love.

“The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” -- Christopher Marlowe “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” -- Christopher Marlowe Come live with me// and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove, That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Woods, or steepy mountain yields.   And we will sit upon the rocks, Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks, By shallow rivers, to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals.   And I will make thee beds of roses And a thousand fragrant posies, A cap of flowers, and a kirtle Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; A gown made of the finest wool Which from our pretty lambs we pull, Fair linèd slippers for the cold, With buckles of the purest gold;   A belt of straw and ivy buds, With coral clasps and amber studs: And if these pleasures may thee move, Come live with me, and be my love.   The shepherd swains shall dance and sing For thy delight each May morning: If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me, and be my love.

“The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” – Sir Walter Raleigh If all the world and love were young, And truth in every Shepherd’s tongue, These pretty pleasures might me move, To live with thee, and be thy love. Time drives the flocks from field to fold, When Rivers rage and Rocks grow cold, And Philomel becometh dumb, The rest complains of cares to come. The flowers do fade, and wanton fields, To wayward winter reckoning yields, A honey tongue, a heart of gall, Is fancy’s spring, but sorrow’s fall. Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of Roses, Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten: In folly ripe,// in reason rotten. Thy belt of straw and Ivy buds, The Coral clasps and amber studs, All these in me no means can move To come to thee and be thy love. But could youth last, and love still breed, Had joys no date, nor age no need, Then these delights my mind might move To live with thee, and be thy love.

The Flea – John Donne A dreadful evolutionary mistake – except to John Donne

Mark but this flea, and mark in this, How little that which thou deniest me is;    It sucked me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be;    Thou know’st that this cannot be said A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead,     Yet this enjoys before it woo,     And pampered swells with one blood made of two,     And this, alas, is more than we would do. Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare, Where we almost, nay more than married are.    This flea is you and I, and this Our mariage bed, and mariage temple is;    Though parents grudge, and you, w'are met,    And cloistered in these living walls of jet.     Though use make you apt to kill me,     Let not to that, self-murder added be,     And sacrilege, three sins in killing three. Cruel and sudden, hast thou since Purpled thy nail, in blood of innocence?    Wherein could this flea guilty be, Except in that drop which it sucked from thee?    Yet thou triumph’st, and say'st that thou    Find’st not thy self, nor me the weaker now;     ’Tis true; then learn how false, fears be:     Just so much honor, when thou yield’st to me,     Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee. Note: ‘this’, demonstrative pronoun/adjective; ‘thou’, pronoun of address, second person singular During 17th century sexual intercourse, the blood of the participants co-mingled Witty hyperbole: Lover claims paradoxically that to kill the flea equals 3 crimes in one – murder, self-murder and sacrilege Her response is quick. ‘Cruel (crudelis) and sudden’ marks her as tyrant.

/ / / / Cruel and sudden, hast thou since / / / / / Purpled thy nail, in blood of innocence? Wherein could this flea guilty be, Except in that drop which it sucked from thee? Yet thou triumph’st, and say'st that thou Find’st not thy self, nor me the weaker now; ’Tis true; then learn how false, fears be: Just so much honor, when thou yield’st to me, Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee. Couplets: aabbcc Triplets: ddd

“Ask me no more” -- Thomas Carew   Ask me no more where Jove bestows, When June is past, the fading rose, For in your beauty’s orient deep These flowers, as in their causes, sleep.   Ask me no more whither do stray The golden atoms of the day, For in pure love heaven did prepare Those powders to enrich your hair.   Ask me no more whither doth haste The nightingale when May is past, For in your sweet dividing throat She winters and keeps warm her note. Ask me no more where those stars ’light, That downwards fall in dead of night, For in your eyes they sit and there Fixed become, as in their sphere.   Ask me no more if east or west The phoenix builds her spicy nest, For unto you at last she flies, And in your fragrant bosom dies.

“Ask me no more” -- Thomas Carew   Ask me no more where Jove bestows, When June is past, the fading rose, For in your beauty’s orient deep  These flowers, as in their causes, sleep.   Ask me no more whither do stray  The golden atoms of the day, For in pure love heaven did prepare  Those powders to enrich your hair.   Ask me no more whither doth haste  The nightingale when May is past, For in your sweet dividing throat  She winters and keeps warm her note. Ask me no more where those stars ’light  That downwards fall in dead of night, For in your eyes they sit and there  Fixed become, as in their sphere.   Ask me no more if east or west  The phoenix builds her spicy nest, For unto you at last she flies, And in your fragrant bosom dies.

The Answer to “Ask me no more” – Anon The Answer to “Ask me no more” – Anon.   I'll tell you true whither doth stray The darkness which succeeds the day, For Heaven’s vengeance did allow It still should frown upon your brow.   I'll tell you true where may be found A voice that's like the Screech-Owl’s sound, For in your false deriding throat It lies, and death is in its note.   I'll tell you true whither doth pass The smiling look seen in the glass, For in your face't reflects and there False as your shadow doth appear.   I'll tell you true whither are blown The angry wheels of thistle-down: It flies into your mind, whose care Is to be light as thistles are.   I'll tell you true within what nest The cuckoo lays her eggs to rest: It is your bosom, which can keep Nor him nor them: farewell, I'll sleep.

“A Moderating Answer to both” – The Moderatrix (pseudonym in manuscript)   I’ll tell you of another sun That sets as rising it begun: It is myself who keep one sphere And were the same if men so were.   What need I tell that Life and Death May pass in sentence from one breath: So issue from mine equal heart Both Love and Scorn on men’s desart.   I’ll tell you in what Heav’nly Hell An Angel and a Fiend do dwell: It is mine eye whose glassy book Sends back the gazers’ diverse look.   I’ll tell you in a diverse scale One weight can up and downward hale: You call me Thistle, you a Rose: I neither am, yet both of those.   I’ll tell you where both Frost and Fire In peace of common league conspire: My frozen breast the flint is like, Yet yields a spark if well you strike.   Then you that love and you that loath, With one aspect I answer both: For round about me glows a fire Can melt and harden cross desire.

‘To Lysander, who made some Verses on a Discourse of Love’s Fire’   In vain, dear Youth, you say you love,        And yet my Marks of Passion blame;        Since Jealousie alone can prove,        The surest Witness of my Flame: And she who without that, a Love can vow, Believe me, Shepherd, does not merit you. II        Then give me leave to doubt, that Fire        I kindle, may another warm:        A Face that cannot move Desire,        May serve at least to end the Charm: Love else were Witchcraft, that on malice bent, Denies ye Joys, or makes ye Impotent. III        'Tis true, when Cities are on Fire,        Men never wait for Christal Springs;        But to the Neighb'ring-Pools retire;        Which nearest, best Assistance brings; And serves as well to quench the raging Flame, As if from God-delighting Streams it came. IV        A Fancy strong may do the Feat        Yet this to Love a Riddle is,        And shows that Passion but a Cheat;        Which Men but with their Tongues Confess. For 'tis a Maxime in Loves learned School, Who blows the Fire, the flame can only Rule.        

‘To Lysander’ (continued) V        Though Honour does your Wish deny,        Honour! the Foe to your Repose;        Yet 'tis more Noble far to dye,        Then break Loves known and Sacred Laws: What Lover wou'd pursue a single Game, That cou'd amongst the Fair deal out his flame? VI        Since then, Lysander, you desire,        Amynta only to adore;        Take in no Partners to your Fire,        For who well Loves, that Loves one more? And if such Rivals in your Heart I find, Tis in My Power to die, but not be kind.      

“To Philaster” – Sarah Fyge Egerton (publ “To Philaster” – Sarah Fyge Egerton (publ. 1703)   Go, perjured youth, and court what nymph you please, Your passion now is but a dull disease; With worn-out sighs deceive some list'ning ear, Who longs to know how 'tis and what men swear; She'll think they're new from you; 'cause so to her. Poor cozened fool, she ne'er can know the charms Of being first encircled in thy arms, When all Love's joys were innocent and gay, As fresh and blooming as the new-born day. Your charms did then with native sweetness flow; The forc'd-kind complaisance you now bestow, Is but a false agreeable design, But you had innocence when you were mine, And all your words, and smiles, and looks divine.

How proud, methinks, thy mistress does appear In sullied clothes, which I'd no longer wear; Her bosom too with withered flowers drest, Which lost their sweets in my first chosen breast; Perjured imposing youth, cheat who you will, Supply defect of truth with amorous skill: Yet thy address must needs insipid be, For the first ardour of thy soul was all possessed by me.

“Reading well, or creatively, entails not just noticing what other readers might be expected to notice, but also adding something of your own – taking a path or flight across the poem that involves new connections, new resonances, new possibilities.” -- Bennett and Royle, p. 35