This poem is one from the collection of sonnets written by Lady Maria Wroth. This part of the story told through the compilation, tells the readers about the love and betrayal that causes the main characters a lot of pain and misery, especially Pamphilia.
The plot of the sonnet is her reflecting on the situation with the treason of her lover Amphilantus and analyzing her feelings about it. The main theme is dealing with the sense of betrayal and finding forgiveness. Meanwhile, the central idea of this poem is the main character’s development.
During the storyline, Pamphilia has some sort of conversation with herself, and simultaneously she turns to her partner and addresses his behavior. In the lines: “The pride of your desires; lett them bee taught” and “Theyr faults for shame, they could noe truer last;”, Wroth demonstrates a certain verbal irony.
She understands that he cannot differentiate lust from desire and that his romance with another woman is nothing more than an uncontrollable intention that has no severe or long-lasting foundation underneath it. Despite her sufferings, Wroth is searching for her way to forgiveness and inner peace, which is seen in the lines “While you, mine eyes injoye full sight of love; Contented that such hapinesses move”.
Although Pamphilia is sad, she does not seem angry about the situation or aggressive towards Amphilantus, which is a sign of character development.
Overall, the sonnet focuses on the inner struggles of the main character Pamphilia who strives to maintain control over her mental well-being and find the strengths to forgive the one who betrayed her.
The most important idea of the poem is the ability to understand the core of the suffering and have the ability to learn from the situation and continue personal growth. Pamphilia demonstrates that she is capable of turning her pain into knowledge and gradually takes steps toward self-development.