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As a period defined by tremendous cultural upheaval, the Renaissance encouraged the reimagining of the English poesy, significantly altering the thematic orientation of the authors in the new epoch. As a transition from the Medieval period, where literature was largely conditioned by the existing religious norms, Renaissance embraced the notions of individual interiority, actively promoting the exploration of self through creative expression (Greenblatt et.al 6-7). Particularly inspired by the Italian poetic tradition, the English poets seeked to increase the artistry of their vernacular language to create original imagery in verse and demonstrate their skills. One innovation brought to England in that epoch was the poetic form of sonnet, whose eloquent shape and lyrical nature helped it gain recognition among the distinguished poets of that period. This essay aims to assess how the sonnet form helps the Renaissance poets create imagery and conceit by studying the ways in which love themes and language are developed in Thomas Wyatt’s ‘I find no peace’, Sonnet 108 from Philip Sidney’s Astrophil and Stella, and William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73. It proposes that the distinctive structural arrangement of the sonnet enables the poet to develop multiple narratives within the text and reconcile them in the concluding lines to create a more elaborate and vibrant image.
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