Whoso List to Hunt Rules and Order Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #1

Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind,
But as for me, alas, I may no more. (1-2)

The phrase "may no more" is the first clue that there is something preventing the speaker from going after what he wants. The word "may" in particular makes us think of commands and orders: "you may not come here," for example.

Quote #2

Yet may I, by no means, my wearied mind
Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore
Fainting I follow. (5-7)

The speaker cannot "draw" his eyes away from the deer. He's compelled, or ordered, so to speak, to look at her. Desire kind of seems like a different set of rules; like the laws of a country, the laws of desire also control and order people.

Quote #3

I leave off, therefore,
Since in a net I seek to hold the wind. (7-8)

The speaker's pursuit of the hind isn't just a violation of the laws of his country; it is also a violation of the rules of nature. It's like trying to catch the wind in a net, which just isn't possible.