ShannonGallupM.Gardner
English100
9August2014
Rematch
Thud.Ofheartbeatrippledthroughmybody,
Quakingwithdesiretovieforchampion.
Thud.Earssensednothingmore.Mymind,markedly
Vacant,plaguedbymydutytowin.
Letthecoldsnap,lettheicywindsblow,
Isensenot,driventodriveoutthelessr
Oppugnantboatsflankingfromsterntobow.
Inflamedbydeaddreamsoftheantecessor
Ipressonpastadvancingcollapse.
Dancingontheedgeofmyvision,one
Elusivemedalinsplendor,noneshelacks
Asthefinishadvances,Iknowthatitsgone
Ohbronze,ohsilver,itsforgoldthatIthirst
MaynextyearIfinish,notsecond,butfirst.
AnalysisofSonnet109
InSonnet109,aShakespeareattemptstoreconcilewithhisloveandredeemhimselfinhereyes.Throughoutthepoem,theauthorsuseoftheatricalandmelodramaticimageryconnecttohisdesperatedesiretomakeupforhismistake.Theuseofthecomparisonofhisinfidelitytoastainofbloodacrosshisrelationshipsuggestsafragileandimpulsivenaturetocarryasituationtotheextremeandanallornothingattitude.Imagesofhislovercarryinghissoulinherbreastproveshowreliantonhisloversacceptanceheis,forwithouther,heiswithouthisveryessence.Accompanyingtheimageryistheuseofabruptcaesura,usedtofocusonspecificaspectsofthepoembyisolatingcertainwordsorphrases.Oh,isolatedatthebeginningofthepoem,notonlyconveyspainandshockfeltbytheauthor,butbreakingofftherhythmalsomirrorshowhislovehasbeenbroken.Myrosebeingsetasideduringthemiddleofalinecentersourfocustothefactthatthispoemistoawoman,afactthatbringstomindShakespearesaffairsthathehadwithotherloversthroughouthislife.Toemployforgiveness,enlighteningtoourselvesandourlovedoneshowdesperatelyweneedoneanother,requiresaknowledgeofourselves.Torecognizewhatweholddearandexposeourselvestothebloodstainsofrealityandtoanotherhuman,knowingthattheyholdeverythingtocontrolus,isanactoftrustthatisraretoasocietyofsuspicionliketheoneweliveintoday.Theimageryusedbythepoetofhisinnerselfisdarkfullofbloodstainsandemptiness,expressesafrontiermysterioustomanythatofourownmind.