Student Question
Is "Whoso List to Hunt" a Renaissance poem? Why?
Quick answer:
"Whoso List to Hunt" is considered a Renaissance poem because it was written during the English Renaissance by Thomas Wyatt. The poem imitates a sonnet by Petrarch, a key figure of the Italian Renaissance, reflecting its Renaissance origin and form. Additionally, the Latin reference to Caesar's authority suggests the period's shift toward secular authority over spiritual, a hallmark of Renaissance thinking.
Yes, it is.
It is a renaissance poem for several reasons. The most basic is when it was written; the author was part of the English Renaissance. Almost as basic, but a bit more substantial a reason, the poem is thought to be an imitation of a sonnet by Petrarch, who was a major writer from the Italian Renaissance. This means it is renaissance in both origin and form.
You could also argue that the Latin section asserting Caesar's authority indicates a rise of secular authority over spiritual, which was part of the renaissance.
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