Sonnet 227

Petrarch

‘Sonnet 227’ is about “Love,” particularly “Unrequited love.” Petrarch expresses his deep love for Laura, her indifference towards his love, and the various contrasting emotions he undergoes in the poem.

Cite

Petrarch

Nationality: Italian

Petrarch is one of the most important poets in the history of world literature.

He was born Francesco Petrarca on July 1304 and is remembered as a poet and scholar.

Key Poem Information

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Central Message: The speaker's intense and fluctuating emotions.

Themes: Beauty, Desire, Love

Speaker: Likely Petrarch

Emotions Evoked: Confusion, Passion

Poetic Form: Petrarchan Sonnet

Time Period: 14th Century

This sonnet by Petrarch is a classic example of his style and mastery of the sonnet form.

Sonnet 227‘ or ‘Aura que chelle chiome blonde et crespe’ by the Italian scholar and poet Petrarch is published in his sonnet collection “The Canzoniere.” The sonnets in this collection express his unrequited love for a woman named Laura. The 366 sonnets are divided into two sections. The first set (Sonnet 1-263) is dedicated to Laura when she was living, and the next set (Sonnet 264-366) is dedicated to Laura after her death. ‘Sonnet 227‘ (‘Aura que chelle chiome blonde et crespe’) appears in the first section is devoted to Laura, his unrequited love. 

Sonnet 227
Petrarch

Breeze, blowing that blonde curling hair,stirring it, and being softly stirred in turn,scattering that sweet gold about, thengathering it, in a lovely knot of curls again,

you linger around bright eyes whose loving stingpierces me so, till I feel it and weep,and I wander searching for my treasure,like a creature that often shies and kicks:

now I seem to find her, now I realiseshe’s far away, now I’m comforted, now despair,now longing for her, now truly seeing her.

Happy air, remain here with yourliving rays: and you, clear running stream,why can’t I exchange my path for yours?

(Translated by A S Kline)


Summary

Petrarch’s ‘Sonnet 227‘ is all about his unrequited love for Laura. His emotional instability about his love and her interference inspired him to write this poem.

Sonnet 227‘ is an expression of the poet’s unrequited love for his chaste love Laura. Petrarch tries to seek comfort and company through nature. He starts the poem by speaking to the breeze blowing around his lover, for he believes that it is closer to his love than he is. It makes him sad. Besides, he begins to express the painful part of being in unrequited love. One moment she seems to be closer to him and reachable, but at the next moment, she seems so far. He is both comforted and in pain whenever he sees his love. Towards the concluding part, he starts to wish he had the life of a stream that would only keep flowing straight and not get deflected by any distractions. 


Themes

The central theme of ‘Sonnet 227‘ is “Love” or, in particular “Unrequited love.” Petrarch expresses his deep love for Laura and her indifference to it in detail using natural imageries. He undergoes various contrasting emotions at the same time because of his love. Simultaneously, the poem also speaks about the pain of unrequited love or one-sided love. The speaker seems to be in constant pain and anxiety. These feelings are made clear through the words like ‘sting’, ‘weep’, ‘despair’. Along with the happiness of seeing her, he also undergoes the pain of not being with her. These contrasting emotions run throughout the poem.  

Structure

Sonnet 227‘ by Petrarch follows his typical style, which was later named after him – The Petrarchan Sonnet. The 14 lines in the sonnet are divided into an octave and a sestet. The volta or the change happens in the 9th line. The speaker realizes his situation from blindly searching for Laura’s love. The original version of Petrarch follows the rhyme scheme of – ABBAABBACDCDCD. In the English translation, to retain the essence of the poem, a different rhyme is used. 

Literary Devices

Personification

Nature is given and life and emotions that of a living human being in the poem. The poet addresses the wind and the stream as if they have life and emotions of their own in the first and last stanza. In line 12, he tells the air to remain happy with the sun: “Happy air, remain here with your living rays.” Also, in the following line, he tries to look for the possibility of exchanging life with the stream. 

Simile

When the poet expresses his search for Laura’s love in the second quatrain, he compares himself to an animal. Like an animal that shies in fear and kicks, he keeps searching for his love in vain.  

– and I wander searching for my treasure, 

like a creature that often shies and kicks: 


Metaphor

In the second quatrain, the poet compares his lover’s gaze to the painful sting of a bee or wasp. Her loving gaze from those bright eyes lingers until it pierces his heart, for he finds no recognition in them. 

-you linger around bright eyes whose loving sting

  pierces me so, till I feel it and weep


Apostrophe

Apostrophe is used when the poet expresses his desire to swap life with the stream. He addresses the stream directly and wonders “. . . and you, clear running stream, why can’t I exchange my path for yours?” 

Oxymoron

The poet uses the two contrasting words ‘scattering” and “gathering” when he observes how the wind blows and plays with Laura’s lustrous hair.

… scattering that sweet gold about, then 

gathering it, in a lovely knot of curls again …


Repetition

In the sestet, the word “now” is repeatedly used by the poet to expresses his contrasting mental and emotional state. He feels close and distant, longs to see and see, comforted and at despair, simultaneously. He uses ‘now’ in the consecutive phrases to convey that everything is happening altogether.

Alliteration

The poet uses Alliteration in the lines when he pictures how the wind plays with Laura’s beautiful curly hair. It gives a beautiful flow to the lines, like the wind blowing and the hair swaying with the wind. “b” is repeated in “…Breeze, blowing that blonde curling hair” and “s” is repeated in the lines “…stirring it, and being softly stirred in turn. . . scattering that sweet gold about, then.”

Imagery

He also uses beautiful nature imagery to get his ideas over to the readers. Therefore, this sonnet is a powerful portrayal of love and the agony that comes with it.

Detailed Analysis

Lines 1-4

Breeze, blowing that blonde curling hair, 

stirring it, and being softly stirred in turn, 

scattering that sweet gold about, then 

gathering it, in a lovely knot of curls again, 

Petrarch begins ‘Sonnet 227‘ by addressing the wind, constantly blowing around Laura and closer to her. Laura seems to have beautiful blonde, curly hair that looks lustrous. The poet says that the wind blows through the attractive curls and scatters them in all directions, making them look pretty. It then gathers the curls back to their place and also makes Laura’s hair look lovely. By repeating this action, the breeze also gets stirred along with the hair. This scene captures the eyes of Petrarch and makes him jealous of the breeze.

Lines 5-8

you linger around bright eyes whose loving sting 

pierces me so, till I feel it and weep, 

and I wander searching for my treasure, 

like a creature that often shies and kicks:

In the second stanza of ‘Sonnet 227,’ Petrarch expresses how his lover’s stare hurts him and sends him into a frenzy. He expresses how one-sided love can be painful to the one whose love is not returned. He says that Laura’s eyes are so bright and sparkling, and just a gaze from her feels like a sting to his heart. Here, he compares the loving gaze of Laura to an excruciating bee sting. He says that it hurts him because she looks at him for a moment but does not acknowledge his presence or love for her. Subsequently, it pains his heart, and he weeps. The poet then compares himself to an animal that backs away in fear only to kick forward. In reality, even though he has no hope of uniting with Laura, he still keeps moving forward, searching for the treasure that is Laura’s affection. 

Lines 9-11

now I seem to find her, now I realise 

she’s far away, now I’m comforted, now despair, 

now longing for her, now truly seeing her. 

In stanza three, a change in tone appears as the poet moves from being a bewitched lover to the self-aware one. He finally realizes the hard truth that he cannot join hands with Laura and expresses his anxiety. His emotions go through a contrasting ride, as his realization of the situation and his emotions tries to overcome each other. He seems to find her; at the same time, he also finds her so distant and unattainable. When he finds her, he feels content, yet the realization of not being with her forever terrifies him. 

Lines 12-14

Happy air, remain here with your 

living rays: and you, clear running stream, 

why can’t I exchange my path for yours? 

In the concluding stanza, the poet returns to nature and seeks comfort and help from it. He wishes the breeze to remain with the sun and stay happy forever, even though he could not be with Laura. Then, he addresses the stream and asks if he could swap his life with it. For it runs straight in its path without getting swayed by any feelings or emotions, like the poet. Although the poet seems to have understood reality, these lines portray the emotional distress he faces. For, it consolidates that human life is more stressful and painful.

FAQs

What is a Petrarchan Sonnet?

The Petrarchan Sonnet is named after the Italian poet Francesco Petrarch. The form was invented by Giacomo da Lentini, who composed poetry in the literary Sicilian dialect in the thirteenth century. 

Who are the poets best known for Petrarchan Sonnet?

Many Italian poets explored the sonnet form, from Dante Alighieri to Michelangelo. Dante sometimes used a different rhyme scheme consisting of interlocking three-line rhymes: ABA BCB CDC DED. Petrarchan sonnets were immensely popular in England. Poets including Sir Thomas Wyatt, William Wordsworth, and Browning used it. Even though the Earl of Surrey has the credit for translating Italian sonnets into English, he has not used them in his works.

Who is Laura?

Laura is Petrarch’s unrequited love and a big inspiration for his poetry collection “Canzonier.” He met her in the Church of St. Clare at Avignon on April 6, 1327, and started loving her. Even though she did not return his love, he kept loving her, almost till death. Her real identity is not known to date, for Petrarch himself kept quiet about it.


About Francesco Petrarch

Francesco Petrarch, born in Italy, is the pioneer of the artistic movement “Renaissance”.  He has written many essays, poems, and sonnets. In his poetry, he often spoke about human emotions and emphasized inner feelings without hiding the reality. He is rightly called the “Father of Humanism” for his humanistic approach and to be the initiator of the sonnet form. His famous works are “Trionfi” and the “Canzonier”.

Similar Poetry 

Love is a common emotion and a popularly used theme in poetry. Even after ages, as the popularity of Petrarch’s poetry and his love for Laura remain unchanged, there are many poems that express the happiness and pains of unrequited love. Some of the most popular poems are as follows:

Poetry+ Review Corner

Sonnet 227

Enhance your understanding of the poem's key elements with our exclusive review and critical analysis. Join Poetry+ to unlock this valuable content.
Poet:
Petrarch (poems)
89
Period:
Nationality:
Themes:
Emotions:

Petrarch

89
Petrarch is widely regarded as the father of the Italian sonnet, and his poetry is marked by his exploration of love, beauty, and desire, as is seen in this beautiful sonnet. His influence can be seen in the works of later poets, and his sonnets continue to be studied and admired today.
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14th Century

89
The 14th century saw the emergence of some of the greatest poets in history, including Petrarch and Chaucer. This was a time of great upheaval and change in Europe, and the poetry of this period reflects the cultural and social changes taking place. This poem is a great example of verse from the period and how enduring some specific poems have been.
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Italian

95
Petrarch is one of the most famous Italian poets of all time, and his influence on Italian poetry cannot be overstated. His sonnets, including this one, continue to be studied and admired today, and his legacy as a poet is secure.
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Beauty

59
Beauty is a central theme in Petrarch's poetry, and his sonnets often describe the physical appearance of the women he loves in great detail. His appreciation for beauty extends beyond the physical, however, as he also writes about the beauty of nature and the human spirit. These things are seen, in varying degrees, in this well-loved sonnet in which Petrarch explores a complicated love.
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Desire

60
Petrarch's exploration of desire is intimately linked to his exploration of love and beauty, as is seen in this successful sonnet. His poems often express a longing for the women he loves and a deep yearning for spiritual fulfillment.
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Love

53
Love is a central theme in Petrarch's poetry, and his sonnets are often addressed to a beautiful woman he loves but cannot have. This subject matter is seen very successfully in this beautiful sonnet. His exploration of love is marked by a deep emotional intensity that resonates with readers today.
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Confusion

41
Confusion is an important emotion in this poem. He expresses his confusion regarding where exactly he stands in this relationship and what will happen next. His poems often express a sense of uncertainty and ambiguity as he struggles to come to terms with his feelings.
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Passion

60
Passion is an important emotion in Petrarch's poetry. This sonnet, and many others, is marked by a deep emotional intensity that is as memorable as poignant. Readers who enjoy his work will likely find this same passion in this poem.
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Adversity

45
Adversity is a recurring theme in Petrarch's poetry and is seen to some degree in this sonnet. He grapples with the challenges of unrequited love and the uncertainties of life. His poem expresses a sense of struggle and hardship as he wrestles with his emotions and tries to make sense of the love he's dealing with.
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Beautiful Women

56
Petrarch's sonnets often describe the physical appearance of the women he loves in great detail. This sonnet is a great example of his interest in this kind of imagery. His exploration of beauty is closely linked to his exploration of love and desire.
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Overcoming Adversity

34
In this poem, the poet discusses a relationship, its issues, and his desire to (but inability to) understand the other person's emotions. This is something that readers will find in most of Petrarch's poems.
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Unrequited Love

50
This sonnet is addressed to a woman the speaker loves but cannot have. His exploration of unrequited love is marked by a deep longing and melancholy, as seen in this poem. His poems express a profound sadness at the impossibility of his love.
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Petrarchan Sonnet

85
The Petrarchan sonnet is a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme that was popularized by Petrarch in the 14th century. This is seen in this specific poem to a fantastic degree. This form has been widely used by poets ever since and continues to be admired for its elegance and beauty.
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Miz Alb Poetry Expert
About
Miz Alb received her MA in English Literature. Her thirst for literature makes her explore through the nuances of it. She loves reading and writing poetry. She teaches English Language and Literature to the ESL students of tertiary level.

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