1a. Whom is the speaker addressing in Sonnet 1?
2a. What does the speaker bless in Sonnet 47? What words contradict the overall sentiment of the poem?
3a. About what does the speaker in Sonnet 54 wonder?
4a. Describe the speaker based on his thoughts, feelings, and the decisions he makes that are reflected by the sonnets.
5a. How would you critique Petrarch's conclusions on love? Do you agree or disagree with him? Why, or why not?
1b. The speaker in Sonnet 1 claims to be different from the person he was "in errant youth." How is he different? What has he learned?
2b. Why does the speaker feel both joy and pain?
3b. Why has this become a burden to him?
4b. How would you summarize Petrarch's personality and character? What kind of person would you describe him as?
5b. Review the lyric poems in this unit that deal with the subject of love. What different experiences of love are expressed in these poems? Of all the love poems in the unit, which can you identify with the most? Explain.
Petrarchan Sonnet. In what ways is the Petrarchan sonnet different from the Shakespearean sonnet? How does the difference in form affect the way that the theme or message is portrayed?
Theme. Review the chart you made in Literary Tools. What similar theme is treated in Petrarch's sonnets and those by Wyatt and Sidney in this unit?
1. Imagine you are Ann Landers or Dear Abby. Write an advice column addressing what Petrarch should do about his unrequited love for Laura.
2. Write your own definition of love. How does it compare with Petrarch's definition and attitude towards love? How does it compare with your classmates?
3. Write song lyrics consisting of 10–15 lines about unrequited love.
Influences of Petrarch. Research one of the following poets who greatly admired Petrarch: Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Philip Sidney (both of England); Torquato Tasso, Luis de Camoes (both of Portugal); Pierre de Ronsard, Joachmin du Bellay (both of France). Find information on how Petrarch influenced their writing style and content. Also find out how Petrarch's work has affected the arts and literary culture of your research subject's country. Organize your information into a written report. You may want to include some poems that the poet wrote using the Petrarchan sonnet form.
Research Log:
Sources Used:
