born 1503, Allington, near Maidstone, Kent,
Eng.
died Oct. 6, 1542, Sherborne, Dorset
poet who introduced the Italian sonnet and
terza rima verse form and the French rondeau
into English literature.
Wyatt was educated at St. John’s, Cambridge,
and became a member of the court circle of Henry
VIII, where he seems to have been popular and
admired for his attractive appearance and skill
in music, languages, and arms. During his
career, he served a number of diplomatic
missions and was knighted in 1537, but his fame
rests on his poetic achievements, particularly
his songs. His poems are unusual for their time
in carrying a strong sense of individuality.
They consist of Certayne Psalmes . . . drawen
into Englyshe meter (1549); three satires, and
Songes and Sonettes, published in Tottel’s
Miscellany (1557); and songs identified in
manuscript, published in 19th- and 20th-century
editions.
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