Blog 3- Laura Rutledge

Spenser’s sonnet, Amoretti, demonstrates two contradictory (yet intrinsically related) viewpoints on women and lovers. In one sense, the narrator is resentful of Penelope and her womanly wiles. Unflattering words like, “deviz’d”, “deceave”, “subtile craft”, “conceave” are associated with Penelope, the object of the narrator’s love. He is being used and dragged along by her, and he knows it. Yet, he still calls her “my Damzell”. He pursues this love, even though he concludes the sonnet with the statement that his love is “fruitless worke” like a spider’s web, it is easily destroyed in spite of intensive labor. What is demonstrated is a prime example of unrequited, or imbalanced, love. The narrator feels an excessive amount of passion for Penelope, and although she continues to cut him down, he continues to put energy into their relationship that she barely accepts. The narrator acknowledges her cunning womanly power to break his heart, yet his unwavering love is what makes him continue down this fruitless road. The narrator hates to love her, but he still does.