Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) wrote poems in various situations and places. Some are courtly love poems written in the court of Henry VIII, and others, which sometimes contain romantic and political implications, were written away from the court. In one of Wyatt's satires, "Myne owne John Poyns," written probably during his exile from the court, life in the country is joyfully depicted with friendly advice for his courtier friend, ambivalently creating a sense of alienation. One prominent feature of Wyatt's poems is this irresistible desire to be close to the center of authority. Several of his poems seem to have been composed on a distant continent while Wyatt traveled to Europe as a diplomat. Interspersed with descriptions of nature and place names from Europe, many of these works are relatively free, sometimes faithful reproductions of the sources, including Petrarch. The continent was then the center of humanism. As R. A. Rebholz and other critics have pointed out, Wyatt's works are richly infused with humanist elements. In this study, looking at Wyatt's poems by location or situation of composition, I will mainly examine those written during his diplomatic mission in Europe. It could be pointed out that, significantly influenced by authentic materials of humanism, Wyatt depicts an intense longing for his homeland, the court, and the lover in his own words. His poems not only prove to be the sophistication of a leading poet by imitating the originals but also consistently express the nostalgia of an estranged courtier in the marginal land.

Authors:
Yoshiko Kusunoki, Hiroshima Institute of Technology, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Yoshiko Kusunoki is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Hiroshima Institute of Technology in Japan

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