Baudri and his "student"

The poem we read this week Ad Iuvenem Nimis Elatum is a poem that can be divided into three different parts. The author Baudri in this poem uses many references to Greek character such as Filomela, Orpheus, Ganymede, Jove, Narcissus, and nature, which suggest that he is writing this poem in a classical sense rather then a medieval sense. I believe that because he writes this in this way rather then a more Christian way it means that Baudri is speaking as the way he himself feels that speaking as a person of his position and status would feel. This implies to me that this poem would be something that would be a little racier then what would be traditionally expect of a man of Baudri stature. The first part of the poem is about things that are physical, the second part about the poem is talking about the young boy character, and his pride, while the third part of the poem is about how beauty does not last forever. The main themes that are reiterated are the idea of youth as well as the idea of Baudri superiority to this young man.

Baudri in the first part of the poem especially the first seven lines are all very personal. They are about what pleases or displeases Baudri himself. Baudri uses the word placere 4 times in the first seven lines and uses the word displicere 4 times as well. I found it very interesting that he uses to please and displease the same number of times in the poems because those are two opposite ideas. Baudri seems to be inferring to me in this young man the good balances out the bad.

Like most poems that we read so far the next couple of lines describe the physically beauty from the face down. It starts with the head with the blonde hair that seems to imply youth. The reason for this is many people outgr...

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...pleased and displeased is used the same number of times. This seems to imply to me that Baudri is almost writing a persuasive poem to this young boy convincing him to change his ways. In the first part of the poem even thought the word placere and displicere are used evenly, placere has more lines devoted to its use implying that Baudri is pleased with the young boy in the beginning on their relationship. In the second section the word hate is used more than loved implying that Baudri as he got to know the boy past the physical sense which is described in part one, realized their were many qualities about the boy that needed to changed. However in the third part placere and displicere are used evenly suggesting although Baudri has gotten to know the boy more and there are qualities that he dislikes, the good balances out the bad and he would give this boy a chance.