It is not love which you poor fools do deem (Sonnet 40) Essay Questions

What is the speaker's relationship to the "poor fools" she criticizes in the poem?

The speaker crafts a complex relationship between herself and the "poor fools" of the first stanza. While at first glance it may seem that she is strictly critical of Petrarchan poets and the "old way" of expressing love, a deeper reading reveals that she is actually quite indebted to these poets for establishing a common language of poetic love. For example, at the same time as she criticizes the Petrarchan mode, she crafts a distinctly Petrarchan sonnet composed of an octave and a sestet with distinct rhyme schemes.

How does the tone of the poem progress or change throughout?

The tone of the poem is largely critical as the speaker takes a defensive stance against her antagonists. While a typical Petrarchan sonnet features a volta, or "turn," between the octave and the sestet, Wroth delays her turn until the final line. Such a delay creates an abrupt and uncertain tone at the end of the poem without providing the reader room or time to understand exactly where the speaker has landed. As such, the abrupt turn hints at the hypocrisy in the speaker's argument/form and throws the assertions of the preceding stanzas into question.

How does this poem speak to political, religious, and social tension in early modern England?

While most critics read this poem as a critique of Petrarchan poetry, other readings suggest that Wroth is participating in political discourse about the proper relation between individuals and the monarchy. Associating flattery with the "poor fools," the speaker suggests that a political counselor should instead speak the truth without feigned affection—a reading particularly relevant for the reign of King James I, who was known for "favoring" certain counselors over others. Furthermore, the relationship between truth and performance is part of the social and religious discourse about whether Catholicism or Protestantism should be the official religion of England, a question that became increasingly fraught as King James began to show sympathy for Catholic practice toward the end of his reign.