We have been reading so many romantic poems in class that when I read "Ingrateful Beauty Threatened" by Thomas Carew it stuck out to me like a sore thumb. Such a power-hungry and controlling man, I truly hope Celia did not crawl on back to him.
Carew begins the poem with a very bold first verse: "Know, Celia, since thou art so proud." In the first line he has already called her out. Most poems do not refer to their lover by name since these romances could be risky and dangerous. However, Carew blurts her name in the first line, revealing her identity. There is no "darling Celia" or "my loving Celia", so the reader can anticipate that this poem will not be as romantic as the rest. In the first two stanzas we begin to understand the dynamic between the two. The speaker feels that Celia is his creation: "I gave it to thy" and "all are mine." Instead of the very lovely verses describing the beauty of the woman, the speaker makes this very personal about himself. We see a lot of possessive pronouns such as "mine" and "my". The speaker does not see their relationship as one; instead he emphasizes how they are different. The contrast acts as a metaphor that extends throughout the poem. The speaker portrays himself as God, the creator, and Celia just another mortal that he has shaped. In the end he threatens her and says that if she "tempt[s him]," he will "uncreate" the beautiful person she is considered to be. This is the speaker's way of trying to manipulate Celia by making her feel insecure. Everyone else sees her "mystic form," but he knows the truth behind "all her veils." Therefore, he may reveal her even farther if she does not comply with his desires. Thomas Carew's poem, "Ingrateful Beauty Threatened", tries to coerce a woman to stay with him using power assertion, dominance, and threats.
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