1 Jpura B.A.

in English 2nd Year Notes for Rashani by RCF - Poetry

And Wilt thou Leave me Thus?

BY S IR THOMA S WYATT

And wilt thou leave me thus?

Say nay, say nay, for shame,
To save thee from the blame
Of all my grief and grame;
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,

That hath loved thee so long
In wealth and woe among?
And is thy heart so strong
As for to leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus,

That hath given thee my heart
Never for to depart,
Nother for pain nor smart;
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay!

And wilt thou leave me thus

And have no more pity
Of him that loveth thee?
Hélas, thy cruelty!
And wilt thou leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay!

Sir Thomas Wyatt: Poems Summary and Analysis of 'And Wilt Thou Leave Me
Thus?'
2 Jpura B.A. in English 2nd Year Notes for Rashani by RCF - Poetry

Summary

In the first verse the narrator appeals to his lady not to leave him in such a state of
grief and sorrow. If she does, she will then be responsible for his misery. He repeats
his rhetorical question from the first line.

The narrator repeats his petition in the second verse, questioning as to whether she
will abandon he who has loved her constantly, through times of profit and anguish. He
then questions whether her heart has the strength and capacity to withstand the
pressure of her terrible deed. Again he pleads with her not to desert him.

In the third verse, again beginning with his repeated request, he says that he gave his
heart to her for them to be together, and not out of a desire to experience pain or
embarrassment. His plea this time is for her not to leave him so broken and
humiliated.

By the fourth verse the appeal is more plaintive. He asks for compassion, as he has
loved her. By line 22 he bemoans her unkindness and brutality. The song concludes
with the opening two lines being repeated.

Analysis

The song is composed of four sestets (six-line verses), each with a refrain, ‘Say nay!
Say nay!’, which reflects the tone of desolation and anguish. In the first stanza, the
appealing for her to deny her rejection places the effect of the separation more to her
disadvantage rather than his. The narrator implies that the lady will be held
accountable for the distress she has caused him. Here Wyatt is reminding the audience
that courtly relationships are public entities in many ways, and the lady may damage
her own reputation by dissolving this union. This implication reminds us of the tense
social relationships within the Tudor court, wherein being out of favor could have
fatal consequences.

The second stanza deals with losses beyond those of the heart and mind. He reminds
the lady of his loyalty and how he has stood by her through good and bad times,
which is expressed in the alliterative phrase ‘wealth and woe’. Relationships were
often conducted with fiscal implications being important, if not central, and money
brought power and security to any match. Here there is a suggestion that his support of
her may have been more than as a lover, but also as a financial patron. These sorts of
bonds would be difficult for a lady to give up unless there was a replacement for her
3 Jpura B.A. in English 2nd Year Notes for Rashani by RCF - Poetry

former beau. There is a veiled warning in the question as to whether the lady’s heart
can survive the impact of such a callous action as abandoning the narrator. Her
rejection could have consequences on her own emotional - and perhaps physical -
state. If she were to break his heart, she may, in turn, damage her own or even fall
prey to the court.

By the fourth stanza the narrator is filled with hopelessness at the lady’s dismissal of
him. He asserts that her cruelty has destroyed him.

The song concludes with the repetition of the opening two lines. Here Wyatt is using
the structure of the song to add further social comment. By using a cyclical
arrangement, there is an indication that the situation, along with the refrain and the
despair, will be repeated. There is no real resolution offered, merely an indication that
the lady will continue to break hearts and the narrator will continue to misplace his
loyalty. There is much passion in the song, as indicated by the frequent use of
exclamation marks, but no logic or conclusion.