Lyrical correspondence: Maria Tesselschade Roemers Visscher, 'To My Lord Hooft on the death of Lady Van Zuilichem' (1637)

Abstract

The sonnet To My Lord Hooft on the death of Lady van Zuilichem was never intended for a public audience, but is part of an intimate correspondence consisting of letters and verses sent between Maria Tesselschade Roemers Visscher, Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft and Constantijn Huygens. Tesselschade chose to communicate in the lyrical form because lyric foregrounds the musical dimension of language. Music is connected to emotion and a lyrical structure can provide a measure for an otherwise overwhelming emotional content. Overpowered by grief over his deceased wife Constanter lost his lyrical voice. With her sonnet Tesselschade aimed to convince Constanter to use lyric to heal himself.