Margaret Demorest Sonnet Annotations: Sonnets 137 and 138
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 137 1597 – Parl (Oct) – Fr. Bacon spoke strongly on enclosures: Intro, 2 bills passed, Famine prompted St calls Mary the anchor of Papists Wyatt: “Farewell, Love, and all thy laws forever, / Thy baited hooks shall tangle me no more– (ends)...Me lusteth no longer rotten boughs to climb[.”] includes “liberty is lever” Prob fight over enclosure Plot is laid for my life? Letters forged acc to Essex
SONNET 138 Nothing here says she is young Could be Bacon spkg Raleigh has poem Hist which says, Death cover over all great + pride, cruelty _ ambition of men with 2 narrow words– “His jacet” [Quotation from Walter Raleigh’s “The History of the World: In Five Books.” “Hic jacet” is Latin for “here lies,” and was often inscribed on gravestones.] The Truth: Recog + accept. of false]]>
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 139 Essex letters to Queen, 1600, in despair of his condition–she refuses him audience–or letters–after 8 mos impri you “rejected my letters and refused to hear of me, which to traitors you never did.” “What remains is only to beseech you to conclude my punishment, my misery, and my life.” She had abandoned plan for Star Chamber trial. Now she brings him before special commission. She hopes to reform him. “It was a most pitiful + lamentable sight to see him that was the minion of Fortune, now unworthy of this last honor.” Still begging her vision to be wise Begs her to see + speak–not turn away Line 11 My foes: she will not give Essex an audience Line 12 Injuries: Your face the founder of my smart “That pleasant looke formed the offence + wound”
SONNET 140 Essex letter now to Q (1600–Aug.) “My uttermost ambition is to be a moste[?] person in that presence where joy + wonder would bar speech” Essex ill–bells toll “Ill-wresting”--resting badly 1599–Ess. almost dies Eyes + ears = E’s sign Begs her to put on appearance of virtue, the actual is lacking (Pleads for “false show” for sake of world?) Lines 9-11: Also he loses control and blasts her with words (godson)]]>
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 141 Letter from Es. to E. “Shaming, languishing, despairing Essex” he writes in supplication to Queen after hearing + partial release from imprison. (barred from Court) “It is not in your power, great Queen as you are, to make me love you less” q. Jenkins, p. 301 Plague in London 1592 (Theatre closed 3 mos.) 1593–Plague closes again 1594–Plague until surrender Non-repentance? (vs. Angels sonnet of D = [illegible], repentance [Likely refers to the poem “Angels and Air” by John Donne, which is not technically a sonnet.] Heart loves in spite of errors
SONNET 142 Sh. given 4 yds scarlet cloth for [illegible] under James 1603 [This cloth was issued to be made into clothing for James’ coronation procession.] Seal–at Essex Hs. day of Rising Cecil’s plea with Infanta? = false bonds? ’92 Greene’s death Could be James, who knighted 600 in 3 mos– (before he was crowned): summoned all who had £40 a year in land to come Line 6 Their scarlet ornaments: judges of Star Court wore scarlet Lines 9-10: Essex woos public—she woos him]]>
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 143 Danger to Sh. from Rich. III Form of sweet wine sought by Essex in vain Hubler interprets [this sonnet] as plea for dark lady “to go her way + come back to him later” Her failure to recognize what she really wants–the ease with which love could be reclaimed Maybe not chicken but “bird”--like Sh. in “borrowed feather” (another poet)
SONNET 144 Henslowe (owner) com[?] with Rose theatre Note heaven-hell images in this unit Two kinds of duality in these sonnets: Public-Personal[;] Man-woman: Queen vs. indiv, Good angel - bad - Fair vs. Black[;] Interwoven nature of all of us–true also of E– (S’s compassionate comprehension of mankind) Dichotomy: Could this be his view of human nature? - body, soul - both good? both bad[.] E. as repr. of all of us here?]]>
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 145 Perhaps impr. 1601–E saved him Temporary end of “eclipse” (Bacon letter) as E “agrees” to send Essex to Ireland? Facing: hatred + mortality Code of rebellion Reconciliation possible (but rebellion hidden)
SONNET 146 1599–pious Es. ill–funeral bells Globe theatre opened ’99 Religious melancholia for Essex (recurrent but strong at end) Remuneration of flash[?] Death faced (avoid in 1st part) Body is servant to soul here–pine in Tempest (Ariel’s prison) Line 9: mourners feed his spirit[.] Perhaps this is of Essex Lines 13-14: Donne poem [Likely referencing the sonnet “Death, be not proud” by John Donne.]]]>
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 147 E sent her plays to Es. Essex longed for death “I owe God-” Next time this phrase belongs to Raleigh 147 Regret at writing series? 158 Recog. of impossibility of knowing truth? Love is illness Love is unsure of truth Perhaps this is Essex spkg. + #152 is E. spkg. Error he thinks he has committed–but not sure
SONNET 148 Bacon forgives Harrington letter (wr. by Rob. Markham) spies Could be Eliz. to Mary Truth difficult Poet uncertain as to what is so– (emotion + time-blinded) Line 13 Blind: Cupid]]>
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 149 Grenville dies in ’91 in Revenge fight ’88 Revenge is Drake’s in fight with Arm. Perhaps this is his repudiation of former friendships See Vaughan poem. [Possibly referring to the poem “Vain Wits and Eyes” by Henry Vaughan.] Perhaps based on Bible: Christ heals blind– Love not hate is this seeing Irish war–South + [illegible] appts denied by E. – Dublin arrival April 1599 Essex here recalls the sacrifice made for E. in service Love is blind Love is power 149 Abases self–for love 150 Acknowledges that love elevate lover
SONNET 150 Mild grief at all the losses Or Sh. favors E. over Ess.? (how?) Power of love elevates them both Necessity of overthrow = Rising Essex favors E over James? Could even be E. of Es.]]>
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 151 Oaths + dirty jokes both charact. of James–who writes of Ind. Theme: “Conscience”[?] Loyalty to Queen of pt. Of Essex at exec. Rev. Ashton gets confession Love is innocent Love tells lies 151 contented with ups + downs 152 acknowledges falseness of celebration Conscience–Relig. issue–Alencon? Treason–reason Could be Essex at end Essex buried a few yards from Anne B. Line 6 Treason: thesis[?] of E. violated by masses Line 10 Proud of this pride: (not sexual–just a conceit) Line 14 Rise: Essex coup called a “rising”
SONNET 152 James famous for using oaths– (swearing) Like Peter–one more denial = thrice–Cock about to crow at the end? His purpose in writing these sonnets revealed–L[illegible] futile Seems to be regret at celebration of sonnets–disill. at exec. of Essex]]>
]]>The following transcription of Demorest's annotations was selected and transcribed by Casper College student and Archives staff member Grace MacPherson in February of 2024.
SONNET 153 In myth of Venus + Adonis, Venus is wounded by one of arrows of her son Cupid and falls in love with Adonis. Then she roams disguised as Diana. Wild boar wounds him John Clerk Bish. of Bath + Wells was among defenders of Cath. of Arag. S. trying to leave country–can’t 153–needs cure for illness 154–love not extinguished Bath–subversive action? Dian = Bath goddess
SONNET 154 Essex dead ’04 Letter from Essex to Eliz. protesting her intentional destruction of him in Ireland This is the summary: the true “conclusion” Blood Bath? Southwell poem–Burning Babe “So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.” [This is a line from the poem “The Burning Babe” by Robert Southwell; the speaker is the infant Christ.] If the brand is his birth–perhaps he really is the secret son–bro to Essex and Bacon? [Essex and Bacon were not brothers, though they were acquainted through Elizabeth’s court.] Cupid–like Stubbes–loses the hand that love held But–one hand gone–he still loves her]]>