Ashley Scott

College Literature

Thou Blind Mans Mark Essay
In Sir Phillip Sidneys poem, Thou Blind Mans Mark, he uses Imagery, through the use of
diction, and tone. He also uses personification, and syntax, with the help of repetition, to convey the
complex attitude that he has toward desire.
Sir Phillip Sidney starts off the poem by describing the thought process of someone Blinded by
desire, so to speak. While going through these motions, Sidney uses the diction and tone in the
following lines to paint a picture in the readers head: Thou blind mans mark, thou fools self-chosen
snare (I. 1), in this line, Sidney uses a mocking tone to describe how a blind man, blinded by desire,
sets himself up for his own demise. This creates the image, in the readers head, of a man walking
straight into a trap, the he didnt even know he had set up himself. In lines 3 and 4: Band of all evils,
cradle of causeless care; thou web of will, whose end is never wrought (II. 3-4) Sidney increases the
imagery and tone by making it seem as if desire is the root of all evils within ones self. Describing desire
as cradle of causeless care makes readers think of desire as being that one feeling that fuels all
careless actions.
In the poem, although Sir Philip Sidney uses examples of imagery, through the use of diction and
tone, He also uses personification and syntax to convey his complex attitude toward desire. In the last
few lines of the poem, Sidney writes: Desiring naught but how to kill desire.(I. 14) in this line, Sidney
addresses desire as something to be killed, giving it a human like characteristic which relates back to
earlier lines in the poem and the Imagery aspect of his writing. When Sidney describes desire as a band
of all evil (I. 3) it now makes the reader see desire as a demon of some sort that is residing within a
host, controlling their thought process and careless actions. The syntax aspect of Sidneys writing is
shown throughout the whole poem. Sidneys use of repetition is apparent when he uses the work Vain
multiple times near the end of the poem. He uses the word in a way that emphasizes how everything
Ashley Scott
College Literature

done while under the influence of desire was not worth it after the moment of realization that was
shown in lines 9, 12, and 13: But yet in vain thou hast my ruin sought (I. 9), For virtue hath this
better lesson taught- Within myself to seek my only hire (II. 12-13).
In conclusion, personification, diction, syntax, imagery, and repetition are poetic devices that
help Sidney convey the complex attitude that he has toward desire. These are the devices that
emphasize the writing style that he has presented and allow the reader to get a complete image of how
he feels, and to understand his ideas.