Sir Walter Raleigh's poems, as tghey circulated in manuscripts, are influenced by Raleigh's position at court, his social situation, the patronage system, and the political scene. Even though many scholars believe that often verses were copied groups according to theme, careful consideration shows that verses that have been tradionally seen as related by theme have a stronger connection. The context of the peom can reveal a great deal about the intention of the author and the situation about which the author wrote. / Master of Arts