Analysis of Sonnet II: Not At First Sight

Sir Philip Sidney 1554 (Penshurst, Kent) – 1586 (Zutphen)



Not at first sight, nor with a dribbed shot
Love gave the wound, which while I breathe will bleed;
But known worth did in mine of time proceed,
Till by degrees it had full conquest got:

I saw and liked, I liked but loved not;
I lov'd, but straight did not what Love decreed.
At length to love's decrees I, forc'd, agreed,
Yet with repining at so partial lot.

Now even that footstep of lost liberty
Is gone, and now like slave-born Muscovite
I call it praise to suffer tyranny;

And now employ the remnant of my wit
To make myself believe that all is well,
While with a feeling skill I paint my hell.


Scheme ABBA ABBA CXC XDD
Poetic Form
Metre 111111011 1101111111 1111011101 1101111101 110111111 1111111101 1111011101 11111101 1101111100 110111110 1111110100 0101010111 111011111 1101011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 606
Words 117
Sentences 4
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 3, 3
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 116
Words per stanza (avg) 29
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
70

Sir Philip Sidney

Sir Philip Sidney was an English poet, courtier, scholar and soldier who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. more…

All Sir Philip Sidney poems | Sir Philip Sidney Books

0 fans

Discuss this Sir Philip Sidney poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Sonnet II: Not At First Sight" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/35343/sonnet-ii%3A-not-at-first-sight>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    1
    day
    19
    hours
    17
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    What is the longest Old English poem?
    A The Fates of the Apostles
    B Beowulf
    C Soul and Body
    D Elene