What Does Thou Blind Man's Mark Mean

In Sir Philip Sidney’s poem entitled “Thou Blind Man’s Mark” he wrestles with desire and his immense hatred for it. He struggles to free himself and to kill the desire that is consuming his life. Desire has taken over Sidney, and he wishes to no longer allow it, by killing what he refers to as the “band of all evils” he will repossess his freedom. Sir Philip Sidney reveals his antipathy immediately in line one, referring to desire as “Thou blind man’s mark” hinting that no man truly knows and understands the depths of desire and it is impossible to fully uncover. He furthers his argument with “thou fool’s self chosen snare” suggesting only the “blind” or “fools” will let it consume them. The strength of desire blinding men, leaving them not without eyesight, but without direction letting them fall victim to become a “fool” for desire. While using alliteration, Sidney illustrates the complexity of his hatred. Line two begins this change with “cradle of causeless care” presenting that chasing

Lines 9-11 also share the same scheme as 12-14. This allows the reader to acknowledge the shift of writing style in the poem. He begins his “in vain” statements in line nine, his diction shows the strict control desire tangles its victim into. Instead of having a life spent in the moment, desire will encompass someone up and consume their life, not allowing them to live freely. Sidney utilizes the rhyme scheme to illustrate his overcoming of desire. He wants to free himself from the chains that restrain him “desiring naught but how to kill desire” wishing to completely eliminate it. This line represents the only instance when Sidney refers to desire positively. His desire to kill his desire is Sidney’s only direct moment of an emotion other than hatred toward it, though he wants to kill it he also believes the desire to kill desire is