ENGLISH - Whoso - by Sir Thomas Wyatt

• What is the rhyme scheme of this poem?

  ABBAABBACDDCEE - divided into two parts octet of 8 lines, this shows initial problem and sestet of 6 lines, this shows where the solution is found.
• "Whoso list to hunt" means "Whoever wants to hunt".
• context of Wyatt

  • he is one of the first lyrical poets
  • responsible for the importation of the petrach, sonnet and the establishment of many conventions of english love poetry
  • he was a courtier and ambassador in court meaning he was an early exponent of 'courtly love'
  • he was also rumoured to be intimate with Anne Boleyn, Henry 2nds wife and queen of England.
• AO5 main views

  • modernist femanie views - violence of the hunt and charecteristics of the deer - she is infantinised or dehumanised
  • subverts female expectations of female submission - women refuses to be captured
  • glimpse of freedom - ability to flee from one mans grasp
• What does the first line of the poem introduce?

  • first word 'whoso' adresses the poem as a secret
  • the first line is very fast - unstressed syllables
  • 'hunt and hind' - alliteration - catchy
• what does the second line suggest?

  • it is slow pace as it has a lot of 'm's' makes it awkward and suggests dejection
  • 'but for me, alas' 'may no more'
• 'wearied me so sore' 


  alliteration 's' suggests pain from the chase
• 'fartheth cometh behind'

  • two syllables word
  • slowness - shown throughout the poem
• 'may'

  • repeated throughout the poem - suggests conflict
• 'wearied'

  • repeated throughout the poem - wyatt is not on top of his powers
• 'draw from the deer'


  withdrawal - body being dragged away
• 'fainting, i followe'

  • 'f' alliteration suggests fluttery notion