QUESTIONS ABOUT MY GALLEY, CHARGED WITH FORGETFULNESS

1.         How is the analogy of life-voyage expressed?

The poet's life is like a voyage. The love for Laura occupies his mind and he doesn't able to use reason to find his road. He can't see Laura and so he doesn't know where conducting his life.“Scilla et Caribdi” are the names of two islands, the navigation was considered very difficult and hard near them.

2.         What is the function of meteorological conditions?

The poet's pulses and desires push him against the torment of the terrible tempest and he can't see the stars to find his safeway. The stars are the Laura’s eyes. ‘’Pioggia di lagrimar’’ and ‘’nebbia di sdegni’’ describe his sad mood.

3.         In what way the intelligent reader understands that is the voyage a pretext to talk about other things?

The intelligent reader understands that is a pretext to talk about other things because the poet  uses  words as “signore”, “nimico mio”, and “nave mia” that indicate Petrarch wants to talk about his life and moral condition, “signore” and “nimico mio” stay for his unrequited love for Laura and his life is conducted with ‘’nave mia’’  in a unknown direction.