Petrarch Sonnet 152 And You Know I M No Good

The Renaissance time period can be traced back to 13th century Italy, specifically in Florence. Philosophers, writers, and artists of this time period felt as though this was a period of reawakening for new philosophies and moral beliefs. Francesco Petrarca, or commonly known as Petrarch, is considered to be one of the first writers of the Renaissance time period. Petrarch sonnets were known to be about love in all capacities and emotional states of one’s well being. Petrarch’s sonnets were all typically written in an incredibly bleak and dull tone. William Shakespeare, a famous poet, writer, and playwright, followed in Petrarch’s footsteps and wrote 154 sonnets about beauty, love, and sadness. In this essay, the reader will understand how

In Shakespeare’s sonnet 152, he is writing about a man who is seemingly not in a committed relationship with anyone, but is having sexual relationships with a married woman. He is both frustrated with the position he is in, but wants to stay is this adulterous affair because he is a selfish man. The first line of the poem he states, “In loving thee thou know’st I am forsworn” (1). Then goes on to say, “I am perjured most / For all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee” (6-7). These statements both are saying that Shakespeare knows that he is breaking promises to possibly himself, his religion and others, by loving a married woman. Though he cannot put all the fault onto her, because his vows to love her were only there to exploit the love she was physically giving him. In connection to Shakespeare’s sonnet, Amy Winehouse’s You Know I’m No Good, she is singing about how she is the one in the committed relationship, yet cannot seem to stay loyal to her significant other. Winehouse may love him, but knows that she is not good for their relationship. In her chorus she sings, “I cheated myself / Like I knew I would / I told you I was trouble / You know that I 'm no good” (9-12). Winehouse is saying that she is cheating herself and her love life, by physically cheating on her partner. She believes that she is an inconvenience and worthless to the relationship. Just

Whether it is unrequited love, love that is lost, or love that could have possibly never been there in the first place. When comparing and contrasting these sonnets and contemporary songs, the reader will get to see love that is hardened by the hardships of infidelities and lies. In these songs and poems, love is a catastrophe that is facing much adversity. In sonnet 147, Shakespeare ended up being so appalled by his love life, that he said her soul was clouded by darkness. In Hold Up, Beyoncé somehow found a way to continue to love her husband, even with all of the grief he has put her through. Amy Winehouse’s, You Know I’m No Good, she clearly states that she is the toxic one in the relationship and that even though she is an adulterer, she still longs for her partner. And lastly, Shakespeare’s sonnet 152, he expresses that he wants to continue an affair with a married woman, because he is egotistical and greedy. Not everyone walking this earth has pure intentions at heart, when it comes to things like love and these songs and sonnets prove that. Love is not always effervescent and alluring, it can be gloomy and full of malicious