"The Lie" Sir Walter Raleigh-An Analysis

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An Analysis of Sir Walter Raleigh’s “The Lie” Sir Walter Raleigh was a man in turmoil in the waning stages of his life, it was at this time where he was to be put to death for a precedent that in modern days would be considered extremely unfair. When writing “The Lie”, Raleigh must have wanted to challenge the way of thinking and make a scything point. This feat was achieved by Raleigh in thirteen short stanzas. This poem, written like a persuasive commentary in no general direction but to all, utilizes multiple elements to portray the meaning. Clearly, no elements are more apparent than the tone and persona Raleigh creates with brilliant diction and fantastic structure. Raleigh’s sarcastic and challenging tone shows throughout this poem in order to drive home a vivid point to leave the world with. The ultimate message of not to trust the status quo and to challenge an unjust way of thinking crystalizes by the end of his rhetoric. First and foremost, the actual lie in this poem should not be thought of as a superficial lie, but something much more deeply rooted than that. When Raleigh writes of the lie, he means to challenge something at its own core and to prove it illogical, thus doing this by the use of his challenging and sarcastic tone. Raleigh writes his first example of this when he states, “Fear not to touch the best/The truth shall be thy warrant”, a bold claim to begin such a poem with (lines 3-4). He wants these words and the meaning behind them to reach everybody no matter how noble or righteous the ear may be. His belief is that he had been wronged so he shall challenge everybody with the truth as his proof and his principle. Sir Raleigh continues by writing, “Go, since I needs must die/And give the world the lie” (lines 5-6). Here, he wills his words to live, since he must die, and enlighten the world of the falsities they are fed by their

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