Introduction
This Sonnet is held to be one of William Shakespeare’s earlier works, owing in part to its relatively simple form. However, keen-eyed observers have noted that the husband of Anne Hathaway seems to have buried some tender-hearted little clues in the closing lines.
THOSE lips that Love’s own hand did
make
Breathed forth the sound that said ‘I hate’
To me that languish’d for her sake;*
But when she saw my woeful state
Straight in her heart did mercy come,
Chiding that tongue that ever sweet
Was used in giving gentle doom,*
And taught it thus anew to greet:
‘I hate’ she alter’d with an end,
That follow’d it as gentle day
Doth follow night, who like a fiend
From heaven to hell is flown away;*
‘I hate’ from hate away she threw,
And saved my life, saying ‘not you.’*
By
William Shakespeare
1564-1616
From
‘The Sonnets’, by William Shakespeare.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author
aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that
strike you. How do they help the author communicate his
ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you?
How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939)
by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at
Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn,
Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University,
USA.
Archive
Word Games
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1
Come.
Ever.
Teach.
2
Anew.
Gentle.
Lip.
3
Hand.
Hate.
You.
Variations:
1.
include direct and indirect speech
2.
include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who
3.
use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1.
Knight.
Night.
2.
Use.
Yews.
Ewes.
3.
Hart.
Heart.
4.
Flew.
Flue.
5.
Yew.
You.
6.
Strait.
Straight.
7.
Sees.
Seas.
Seize.
8.
Scene.
Seen.
9.
Throws.
Throes.
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1
Love.
2
State.
3
Fly.
4
Hand.
5
Save.
6
End.
7
Sound.
8
Follow.
9
Hate.
Variations:
1.
use a minimum of seven words for each sentence
2.
include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never
3.
use the words ‘must’ to make commands
4.
compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
ntrs
(7+2)
See Words
enters.
entrees.
entries.
inters.
natures.
neuters.
notorious.
intros.
notaries.
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