Question

Compare breton’s portrayal of his wife in this poem to how spenser and shakespeare portray their loves in their sonnets. what cultural and generational differences do you notice?

Answer 1

Probably a little too late, but "Brenton's poem includes the expected comparisons to the beauty of his wife's hair and mouth, but he goes beyond praising mere physical beauty to create a comparison about her thoughts. Brenton's poem reveals a modern outlook with his inclusion of less expected parts: her eyelashes, brows, and waist. Both Shakespeare and Spenser stick to the usual body parts: hair, eyes, cheeks, and breast. All express their love, but Shakespeare portrays his loved one as a "real" woman, not a perfect woman. Brenton's wife seems more real than Spenser's, who is idealized the most with rich comparisons like gold, rubies, and pearls. Brenton's poem also uses more modern and unexpected comparison: "the waist of an otter," "teeth like the tracks of white mice on the white earth," "shoulders of champagne." His images are more vivid because they are less familiar.

Answer 2

Difference between Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser

>Shakespeare maintained the forms of his works as manuscripts, Spenser on the hand put on his faith and belief on his works. 
>Both have different views in religion. Spenser who is Christianizes Neo-Platonic applied his belief in marriage,place a Christian point of view on his sonnets while Shakespear mocks the Neo-Platonic tradition and gave more importance on men's role and transmit an anti-female image.
>Famous works. Both have famous works. Shakespeare's "Hamlet" was considered as his famous work which discusses tragedy. Spenser too, who is known for her work "Faire Queene" mainly concerns on purity of the knights and women.
>Both are poet of nature too.

Brenton, Spenser and Shakespeare's different views

> Brenton's poem illustrates a more modern outlook where he include comparisons with  his wife's physical features but those comparisons do not give a clearer picture since they are not so familiar, while Shakespeare and Spenser stays on describing the usual parts of a woman's body, from her hair to her chest. The three of them tells about ideal women, about their love but viewed them differently. Shakespeare portrayed his love as "real woman", however, Brenton's wife seemed more real compared to Spenser's.