The “sea” commonplace takes many forms in these two epics. The parameters used in tracking the commonplace for this visual representation are as follows:
- Every instance of the word “sea” was included
- In Paradise Lost, at present, instances of specific names of seas (i.e. the Jasper Sea) were excluded due to time constraints
- Instances of “waue(s)” or “billowe(s)” used in extended metaphors or similes (specific to The Faerie Queene)
- Other instances of “waue(s)” or “billowe(s)” not involving a metaphor were excluded
*At present, the data goes through Book II of The Faerie Queene and Book VII of Paradise Lost.
![A visual representation of the "sea" commonplace as it appears in both texts.](http://epicwriting.as.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Sea-Visual-300x189.png)
![A visual representation of the "sea" commonplace as it appears in //The Faerie Queene//](http://epicwriting.as.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screenshot-4-300x189.png)
![A visual representation of the "sea" commonplace as it appears in //Paradise Lost//](http://epicwriting.as.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screenshot-5-300x189.png)