Amoretti has been largely overlooked and unappreciated by critics, who see it as inferior to other major Renaissance sonnet sequences in the Petrarchan tradition. In addition, it has been overshadowed by Spenser’s other works, most notably The Faerie Queene, his epic allegorical masterpiece. C. S. Lewis, among the most important twentieth century Spenser scholars said that “Spenser was not one of the great sonneteers”.[4] However, other critics consider Spenser’s sonnets to be innovative and to express a range of tones and emotions, and are much more skillful and subtle than generally recognized.