Question

 Louise Labé was a female French poet of the Renaissance. She was born in 1520 or 1522 and died in 1566. Though her parents were both illiterate (her father was a rich ropemaker), Labé received an education in Latin, Italian and music, perhaps in a convent school. She married a ropemaker. She was also identified as "La Belle Cordière" (Cordière for "cordes" or ropes.)

She was buried on her country property close to Parcieux-en-Dombes, outside Lyo

Poem; Je vis, je meurs: je me brûle et me noie de  Louise Labé

 

Je vis, je meurs: je me brûle et me noie,
J'ai chaud extrême en endurant froidure;
La vie m'est et trop molle et trop dure,
J'ai grands ennuis entremélés de joie.

Tout en un coup je ris et je larmoie,
Et en plaisir maint grief tourment j'endure,
Mon bien s'en va, et à jamais il dure,
Tout en un coup je sèche et je verdoie.

Ainsi Amour inconstamment me mène
Et, quand je pense avoir plus de douleur,
Sans y penser je me trouve hors de peine.

Puis, quand je crois ma joie être certaine,
Et être en haut de mon désiré heur,
Il me remet en mon premier malheur.

Assignment:

1- What is the author’s tone?

2- What is your opinion of the poem? Did you like it? Why or why not?

*Give one or two references to support your response.

Answer 1

" I live, I die: I burn myself and drown with Louise Labé

I live, I die: I burn myself and drown,

I am extremely hot by enduring coldness;

Life is too soft and hard for me

I am in great trouble, mingled with joy.

All at once I laugh and I cry,

And in pleasure, many times I suffer,

My good goes away, and forever it lasts,

All at once I dry and I green.

So Love inconstantly leads me

And, when I think I have more pain,

Without thinking, I find myself out of trouble.

Then, when I believe my joy to be certain,

And to be at the top of my desire,

He gives me back my first misfortune."

This is the poem in English