Henry VIII England as he traveled as an ambassador to several countries. His poetry expresses how he felt within the 16th Century. The poem which I have chosen to reflect upon these times is Satire 1; the passage is from lines 73-103, where Wyatt reveals his true thoughts within the voice of a narrator. Satire 1 which was wrote in 1536 a time in which Sir Thomas Wyatt spent some time in court as he was often banished during his ambassador duration for holding false information. The poem itself was written whilst he was banished from his courteous role. Wyatt reflects the feelings of how a courtier must have felt within this time especially showing how this was a strong affect upon his own life. The way in which Wyatt has used the narrator in his poetry shows that the narrator has a meaning towards himself in which the court has affected other people within the time.
Lines 73-75 suggest that the speaker of the poem cannot go through with the way in which his role consists of during his time as an ambassador. Wyatt questions the roles of an ambassador of what is required of oneself; hence that a sense of doubt is used in this, line 76 “I cannot I- no, no, it will not be!” The questioning of this uses him to stop then think and to continue to follow on with how he feels uncomfortable with this as he speaks from the heart. These lines are quite influential as they should be taken into consideration as he was an ambassador himself for Henry VIII.
He describes himself as a hawk who hunts around as he would describe his role as an ambassador. There seems to be some tension with the language which is used to symbolize the role in which Wyatt played, it could possibly be said that there is a loglines to be freed from a life in which he leads. As the poem continues we can learn that there is also a lot more tension, the fact that Wyatt is desperate to be in France and Spain, he is so longing to be freed from this confused life in which he leads however he is torn between the very two, in the path in which he should choose.
“I am not now in Fraunce to judge the wyne, with saffry sauce the delicates to fele; Nor yet in Spaigne, where oon must him incline to, lines 89-91. The meaning of these lines is spoken by the narrator of the poem speaking of the feelings which Wyatt must have felt during his role, therefore he voices over Wyatt’s actual feelings. However this could be a questioning role of what his conscious maybe asking of him, therefore it makes the whole of the traveling a metaphorical reference to his life, especially the importance that the court plays and is domineering towards life.
From a close analysis upon the poem it can be identified that religion plays a strong link with the way in which the differences between Catholics and Protestants held within the time which caused much conflict. Wyatt speaks of his time in Rome with attacking morals of the way in which the Catholics leave, which is somewhat degrading for those within the society. He seems to be very happy with spending time within these foreign countries, he has to accept what he is doing in his life as he does seem secluded towards where he fits within as he travels to so many places, obliviously there is much confusion held within his thoughts.
People look upon him very differently due to him traveling through many places seeking and gathering information for the King, he should not be judged for this role that he is given to play. Wyatt therefore feels more content with himself at home in Kent which is where he is comfortable with others around him as in his eyes it is a Christian place which holds much more faith than any other country in which he has to embark upon. Wyatt’s Satire 1 is very symbolic for the life in which he held as we can learn how hard it must have been from him by analyzing these few lines from his work, being heard from a second voice to shadow these effects of his life.
