The Persistence of Affection in Michael Drayton's ‘Farewell to love’ Anonymous College

Micheal Drayton’s sonnet tackles the themes of distance, denial, love and reconcilement. The poem presents two lovers who have decided to end their relationship; however, underpinning this facade of certainty (displayed by the lovers) lies a remaining hint of regret, a hint of remaining love. This is illustrated through the forced expression of contentment: ‘I am glad, yea glad’; clearly, the lover is having to falsely convince himself of his happiness. Drayton presents the relationship as one which was of genuine love and trust, one built upon ‘vows’ - maybe they were married. Consequently, to begin with, the reader envisages two good, true people whose relationship has reached an agreed but sorrowful end: they ‘kiss and part’. However, quickly the reader realises there remains a ‘jot of former love’.

The first quatrain refers to the period when the narrator and his partner are saying their farewell; ironically, the speaker seems to be glad that the relationship is over, a situation that might imply a singular painful experience, perhaps an outburst of anger and an irrational decision. The speaker says ‘Nay, I have done’ which has connotations of exasperation and impatience; almost as if he will not even hear an...