Essay on Sir Thomas Wyatt
Who Is Fleeing From Thomas Wyatt?
In the poem, “They Flee From Me” by Thomas Wyatt many different interpretations are formed by each person who reads it. In the title Wyatt uses the word ‘they’ never giving a definitive identity as to which ‘they’ refers to. Some would say that ‘they’ refers to the women that Wyatt has loved and left while others would say that it refers to only the few women that have seduced and left Wyatt. This type of argument is made all throughout the entire poem. It is clear that Wyatt is talking about his relationships with women or one certain woman but the only debating issue is who is fleeing from Thomas Wyatt? Is Wyatt describing one certain woman who has bestowed upon him the same courtesy that he has bestowed on past lovers? Or could it be possible that Wyatt is describing the new found attitude of those “gentle, tame, and meek” (Wyatt line 3) women who are now “wild and do not remember” (Wyatt line 4)? It can be looked upon at different angles as to who is fleeing from Wyatt. One way of looking at Wyatt’s written words is that he may be describing those women that he once loved and left and are now moved on and want nothing more to do with him. In the first stanza of the poem it says “I have seen them gentle, tame, and meek / that are now wild and do not remember.” (Wyatt ll. 3-4). This seems that he is reflecting on how his past lovers used to be and have now changed to these somewhat wild women that no longer want his company. Also in stanza two it seems that he is describing a fond memory with one of these women that used to be gentle and desired him thoroughly. He reflects back on this memory as though he misses the way they wanted him and were so tamed by his charm despite his promiscuous reputation. And that he knows that there is no longer a chance for this to repeat itself again seeing as to how they are now wild and rather forget him altogether, as though he had hurt him so bad as to change them. This
In the poem, “They Flee From Me” by Thomas Wyatt many different interpretations are formed by each person who reads it. In the title Wyatt uses the word ‘they’ never giving a definitive identity as to which ‘they’ refers to. Some would say that ‘they’ refers to the women that Wyatt has loved and left while others would say that it refers to only the few women that have seduced and left Wyatt. This type of argument is made all throughout the entire poem. It is clear that Wyatt is talking about his relationships with women or one certain woman but the only debating issue is who is fleeing from Thomas Wyatt? Is Wyatt describing one certain woman who has bestowed upon him the same courtesy that he has bestowed on past lovers? Or could it be possible that Wyatt is describing the new found attitude of those “gentle, tame, and meek” (Wyatt line 3) women who are now “wild and do not remember” (Wyatt line 4)? It can be looked upon at different angles as to who is fleeing from Wyatt. One way of looking at Wyatt’s written words is that he may be describing those women that he once loved and left and are now moved on and want nothing more to do with him. In the first stanza of the poem it says “I have seen them gentle, tame, and meek / that are now wild and do not remember.” (Wyatt ll. 3-4). This seems that he is reflecting on how his past lovers used to be and have now changed to these somewhat wild women that no longer want his company. Also in stanza two it seems that he is describing a fond memory with one of these women that used to be gentle and desired him thoroughly. He reflects back on this memory as though he misses the way they wanted him and were so tamed by his charm despite his promiscuous reputation. And that he knows that there is no longer a chance for this to repeat itself again seeing as to how they are now wild and rather forget him altogether, as though he had hurt him so bad as to change them. This