This sonnet by Edmund Spenser uses the metaphor of a ship lost at sea in a storm to represent the speaker's feelings of loneliness and despair without his love ("Helice"), who normally guides him like a star. Without her brightness to direct him, he wanders in darkness and through hidden dangers, hoping the storm will pass so she will shine again and clear his grief with her loving light. Until then, he wanders comfortless, full of secret sorrow and sad pensiveness.
Original Description:
Original Title
04 Edmund Spenser (1552_-1599). Sonnet_ 'Lyke as a Ship That Through the Ocean Wyde'. Andrew Macphail, Comp. 1916. the Book of Sorrow
This sonnet by Edmund Spenser uses the metaphor of a ship lost at sea in a storm to represent the speaker's feelings of loneliness and despair without his love ("Helice"), who normally guides him like a star. Without her brightness to direct him, he wanders in darkness and through hidden dangers, hoping the storm will pass so she will shine again and clear his grief with her loving light. Until then, he wanders comfortless, full of secret sorrow and sad pensiveness.
This sonnet by Edmund Spenser uses the metaphor of a ship lost at sea in a storm to represent the speaker's feelings of loneliness and despair without his love ("Helice"), who normally guides him like a star. Without her brightness to direct him, he wanders in darkness and through hidden dangers, hoping the storm will pass so she will shine again and clear his grief with her loving light. Until then, he wanders comfortless, full of secret sorrow and sad pensiveness.
Loneliness Sonnet: ‘Lyke as a ship that through the Ocean wyde’ By Edmund Spenser (1552?–1599)
LYKE as a ship that through the Ocean wyde,
By conduct of some star doth make her way, Whenas a storme hath dimd her trusty guyde, Out of her course doth wander far astray. So I whose star, that wont with her bright ray, 5
Me to direct, with cloudes is ouercast,
Doe wander now in darknesse and dismay, Through hidden perils round about me plast. Yet hope I well, that when this storme is past My Helice the lodestar of my lyfe 10
Will shine again, and looke on me at last,
With louely light to cleare my cloudy grief. Till then I wander carefull comfortlesse, In secret sorow and sad pensiuenesse.
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