The elegy below is well known. In this case, the elegy is a kind of blazon,
in that it attempts to attract visually, as a blazon does, to the different
beautiful parts of a woman's body, by inventorying those parts of a woman's
body. However, a blazon is always a metaphor. This elegy is a metaphore too,
but what it is trying to make visually attractive are the New World colonies
that imperialism has bestowed upon England. Line 4, the male invites himself
to lie down. He then instructs madam in line 5 to make herself more attractive
by undressing. As in any striptease, the clothing removed is described: line 5:
girdle; line 7: whale-baleen corset; that partially uncovers to sight madam's
breasts (that she might offer to sell or be ordered to give her body's favours).
Line 9, madam offers herself by unlacing her corset. The male in line 10 then
orders that she must prepare herself for bed. In line 11, the male orders madam
to remove the unlaced busk (corset). In line 13, madam is now ordered to remove
her gown, remaing beautiful in her vulnerable nakedness. Line 15, madam's
coronet (her pubic hair as a covering) is to be removed. Line 17: madam must
remove her shoes. Line 18: now madam's hallowed/hollow temple (vagina and anus
that receives men - line 20) is revealed. Line 24, the male's penis is erect
(upright). Lines 25 and 26: the male uses his hands (extended to include his
penis) to become more familiar with madam. Line 27: newly conquered madam
(virgin America) may be found, but what exactly will be found? Lines 29 - 35:
mines (vaginal canal and anus) of precious stones and gems, and an imperium
(empery or further conquest by the English). Not the foolish glitter of Ovid
or Juvenal, but used arrogantly in front of the eyes of others (like Iberia),
as status (as visual exercise of power, as Europe was not displeased by colonial
conquest). Iberian ships (Spain and Portugal, the Spanish Armada defeated in 1588)
bringing home gold and other plunder: England contested Iberia's
New world status 1. Line 40: ALL
women (conquered lands) may be used thus (plans for expanded colonial conquest,
as in the funcion of a midwife: line 44). History teaches us the rest.
01 Come, madam, come, all rest my powers defy,
02 Until I labor, I in labor lie.
03 The foe oft-times having the foe in sight,
04 Is tired with standing though he never fight.
05 Off with that girdle, like heaven's zone glistering,
06 But a far fairer world encompassing.
07 Unpin that spangled breastplate which you wear,
08 That th' eyes of busy fools may be stopped there.
09 Unlace yourself, for that harmonious chime
10 Tells me from you that now it is bed time.
11 Off with that happy busk, which I envy,
12 That still can be, and still can stand so nigh.
13 Your gown, going off, such beauteous state reveals,
14 as when from flowry meads th' hill's shadow steals.
15 Off with that wiry coronet and show
16 The hairy diadem which on you doth grow:
17 Now off with those shoes, and then safely tread
18 In this love's hallowed temple, this soft bed.
19 In such white robes, heaven's angels used to be
20 Received by men; thou, Angel, bring'st with thee
21 A heaven like Mahomet's Paradise; and though
22 Ill spirits walk in white, we easily know
23 By this these angels from an evil sprite:
24 Those set our hairs on end, but these our flesh upright.
25 License my roving hands, and let them go
26 Before, behind, between, above, below.
27 O my America! my new-found-land,
28 My kingdom, safeliest when with one man manned,
29 My mine of precious stones, my empery,
30 How blest am I in this discovering thee!
31 To enter in these bonds is to be free;
32 Then where my hand is set, my seal shall be.
33 Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee,
34 As souls unbodied, bodies unclothed must be
35 To taste whole joys. Gems which you women use
36 Are like Atlanta's balls, cast in men's views,
37 That when a fool's eye lighteth on a gem,
38 His earthly soul may covet theirs, not them.
39 Like pictures, or like books' gay coverings made
40 For lay-men, are all women thus arrayed;
41 Themselves are mystic books, which only we
42 (Whom their imputed grace will dignify)
43 Must see revealed. Then, since that I may know,
44 As liberally as to a midwife, show
45 Thyself: cast all, yea, this white linen hence,
46 There is no penance due to innocence.
47 To teach thee, I am naked first; why than,
48 what needst thou have more covering than a man?
Colonialism was not the only use of the rhetoric of sonnets.
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1
Spain and Portugal (Iberia) were united from 1580 to 1640.
During this time, England used Spanish propaganda (the
"Layenda Negra") against Ibearia as England contested the
Spanish having sole rights to the New World, by a contract
granted (signed) by god. England asked to see the contract.
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