thesis statement for sonnet 130

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Background of the Poem

Historical context.

William Shakespeare is probably the most renowned writer in the history of English literature. He wrote more than thirty plays and more than 150 sonnets. His sonnets were published in a collection in 1609. Among these sonnets, sonnet 18, sonnet 29, sonnet 116, and sonnet 130 are the most famous ones.

 Shakespeare’s sonnet collection is usually divided into two parts. This division is made on the basis of the different people these sonnets address. The first part consists of 126 sonnets. These sonnets are addressed to a young guy. The speaker in these sonnets tells him about the mortality of life and the ways he can escape its clutches. These sonnets also stress the role of poetry in immortalizing its subjects. The second part consists of the remaining twenty-eight sonnets. The sonnets of this part are addressed to a female. This character is usually called “dark lady.” The speaker seems to have a troublesome relationship with her and speaks to her in a manner that is not typical of lovers. Sonnet 130 falls in this portion of the sonnet collection and is, therefore, considered to address this lady.  

Literary Context

In the fourteenth century, the Italian poet Petrarch introduced the genre of sonnets. The conventions of this genre were to follow a strict guideline of form and subject-matter. In form, the sonnet was required to be written in fourteen and that its meter should be iambic pentameter. In subject matter, the convention was to praise the beauty of a god-like beloved and narrate the events of the unsuccessful quests of winning her love. The description used to involve many clichéd comparisons where the speaker would compare his beloved with heavenly and worldly symbols of beauty.

Shakespeare, when he wrote his sonnets, followed the conventions of form but deviated in the subject matter. First of all, many of his sonnets did not address a female beloved. They were addressed to a young male. Secondly, the description of the beloved’s beauty is also not the same as the convention. When he addresses the black lady in his last twenty sonnets, he does not alleviate her to the status of gods. He considers her as much imperfect as other humans are.

Sonnet 130 is another example of Shakespeare’s treatment of the conventions of a sonnet. He follows the conventional form and writes it in fourteen lines. He also uses the conventional iambic pentameter and the division of sonnet into three quatrains and a couplet. However, he chooses a subject matter, which is exactly opposite to the traditional themes. He describes the flaws in his mistress’s beauty and stresses that his mistress is human and prone to imperfections.  He says that he will not exaggerate his mistress’s beauty to express his love. Instead, he will accept her for what she is, and that is the real and rare love.

Shakespeare maintains that his mistress is not a goddess but a human, and he is content with it. His mistress does not need to be as red as roses and as white as snow. Her grayish breasts and brownish cheeks are enough for him to love her. In this way, he mocks the conventional analogies by proving that they are mere talks and have no substance.

Sonnet 130 Summary (My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun)

First quatrain.

The speaker opens the poem with the description of his mistress. He says that his mistress’s eyes are in no way comparable to the sun. He says that the sun is far more bright and beautiful than the ordinary eyes of his mistress. He goes on to describe another aspect of his mistress’s beauty by comparing her lips and cheeks to corals. However, this comparison does not go in his beloved’s favor as well. He says that the redness of corals is far more than the redness of his mistress’s cheeks and lips.

In the third line, the speaker compares the whiteness of his mistress’s breast with the whiteness of snow. He says that if snow stands as the standard for whiteness, his mistress’s breast does not qualify for such whiteness. Instead, they are brownish in comparison to snow. He furthers this description by employing another analogy. He says that his mistress’s hair is not something extraordinary. He says that if it is allowed to label one’s hair as wires, it will be right to say that his mistress’s head is covered with wires.

Second Quatrain

In the second quatrain, the speaker describes the different aspects of his mistress’s beauty by comparing her to roses and perfume. He says that he has seen many different variants of roses. Some of those roses were red, some were white, and some were grayish pink. However, connecting roses with his mistress’s cheek seems irrational to him. He says that he has never seen such roses in the cheeks of his mistress.

In the third line of the quatrain, the speaker starts talking about perfumes. He says that there is a great deal of pleasure in the smell of perfumes. At the same time, the breath of his mistress is also pleasurable. However, the pleasure in his mistress’s breath is of lesser degree in comparison to the pleasure of perfumes. He uses the word “reek,” which shows that the breath of his mistress is unpleasant at times.

Third Quatrain

In the third quatrain, the speaker continues his mockery of comparisons of his mistress and the ideal symbols of beauty. He says that it brings a great deal of joy to hear to the voice of his mistress. The moments, when his mistress talks to him, are a source of delight for him. However, he says, there is another sound that is sweeter than his mistress’s voice. This sound is the sound of music, which has a far more pleasing effect on him.

Furthermore, the speaker mocks the comparison of beloveds to goddesses. He says that he has never seen a goddess in his life. Therefore, he has no knowledge of how the goddesses walk. However, he says that he is sure about one thing. He knows that his mistress walks on earth. Therefore, he knows that his mistress cannot be compared to a goddess.  

In the couplet, the speaker says that despite all the shortcomings of his mistress that he has described in the earlier line, he is in deep love with her. He considers his love rare because he is in love with an imperfect lady. He says that his love is as rare as anyone in the world. Similarly, his mistress is as beautiful as other women about whom people lie in their poetry.

Themes in Sonnet 130

Escape from idealism.

The major focus of the poem is to free poetry from the ideal form of description. All of the sonneteers of that time used elaborated analogies to describe how ideal and beautiful their beloveds are. Almost all of these descriptions used to be exaggerated and were no way near reality. In this poem, the speaker mocks this attitude. He does so by describing the features of his own mistress. He employs some of the most common comparisons that were used by the sonneteers and points out the fact that it is not humanly possible to reach that level.

How can someone’s breath be more delightful than the smell of perfumes? How can someone’s breast be as white as snow? How can someone’s lips and cheeks be as read as the coral? How can someone’s hair be like golden wires? How can someone’s voice be sweeter than music? How can someone’s walk match the walk of goddesses? The speaker questions the conventional depiction of beauty by asking these questions and negating them by saying that his mistress’s beauty is not of this level. Furthermore, he declares that all those people that describe their beloveds’ beauty are liars.

This satire not only points out the idealism in poetry but also in all the fields of life. It shows that ideal wishes can never be fulfilled in this world, and the people dealing with such ideal forms are nothing but liars. Humans should ready themselves to accept the world as it is with all its imperfections.

The poem addresses the problem of stereotyping the beauty of females by setting unreachable standards for it. It shows how males have set such out of the world expectations for the beauty of their female partners. We have created a fixed definition of beauty for all of the humans of the world when they are very diverse. Every person is different from another, and such stereotyping of beauty can never work. Rather, it will make the females inferior for not achieving the ideal standards of beauty.

The speaker stresses the point that poets have gone a step further by taking their standards of beauty above the level of goddesses. Such idealism questions the very essence of love. If we are not ready to accept the imperfections of humans, how can we love them? Therefore, the speaker says that his mistress is full of imperfections and that he still loves her as much as others can.

One of the major themes of the poem is love. The speaker is expressing his love for his beloved. In order to do so, he describes and defines his values of love. He says that his love is not based on the physical beauty of his beloved. His beloved is neither as white as snow, nor is her lips red like the coral. Still, he loves her with all his heart.

The speaker appears to have some kind of emotional bond with his mistress. He does not need any perfect physical beauty. Rather, his love is based on true emotions and feelings.

Sonnet 130 Analysis

The poem is a satire on the conventions of idealizing one’s beloved. It uses different devices like hyperbole, metaphor, and simile, to emphasize the absurdity of idealism in love. 

In the first quatrain, the speaker questions the idea of comparing humans to sun and corals. He says that his mistress’s eyes are not like sun and that her cheeks are not red like roses. He also mocks the tradition of comparing one’s breast to snow and hair with golden wires. In order to stress his point, he starts with an alliterative sound pattern in the first line. Similarly, there is consonance in this line which reflects his urgency in attacking the absurd analogies. He also goes on to use hyperbole by exaggeratedly claiming that his mistress’s hair is like black wires. 

In the second quatrain, the speaker points out two more absurd comparisons. He maintains that comparing someone’s cheeks to roses is absurd as he has never seen roses in his mistress’s cheeks. Furthermore, he negates the idea of comparing someone’s breath to perfume. He uses hyperbole and claims that his mistress’s breath reeks to highlight the difference between human breath and perfumes.

In the third quatrain, the speaker continues the same pattern of satire and mocks further traditional analogies. He says that he can neither claim that his mistress’s voice is more delightful nor can he say that she walks like goddesses. In the last line of this quatrain, the speaker employs exaggerated alliteration to express his annoyance with these absurd notions.

In the couplet, the flow of the sonnet takes a turn as the speaker brings volta. He claims that despite all the flaws, he is pure love in his heart for his mistress.

The tone of the poem is thoroughly satirical. The speaker satirizes all the set traditions of elaborated comparisons between one’s beloved and the symbols of beauty. Every line of the poem attacks the said conventions except for the last two lines. In those lines, the speaker takes time to elaborate on his love for his mistress. However, in doing so, he again claims that other lie when they unduly praise their beloveds.

The speaker of this poem is a realist lover. He describes his beloved features that are not so attractive. However, he has a strong belief in his love and says that his love is as rare as anyone in the world.

Rhyme Scheme

The rhyme scheme of this sonnet is traditional ababcdcdefefgg. The first twelve lines make three quatrains with an alternate sound pattern, and the last two lines make a rhyming couplet.

Literary Devices in Sonnet 130

Alliteration.

Alliteration is the repetition of the same starting consonant sound in a line. The very first line of the poem starts with an alliterative sound pattern where the speaker utters the word “My mistress’.” This type of start suggests the urgency in the speaker’s tone and shows that he is desperately trying to say convince the readers. 

In the third line, the speaker compares the whiteness of his beloved’s breast to the whiteness of snow. There the words “white, why” make another alliterative sound pattern. This device emphasizes the difference between the whiteness of the two.

In the fourth line, the speaker compares his beloved’s hair to wires. In this line, there are two alliterative sound patterns. The first pattern is made by the words “be” and “black,” while the  second is made by the words “hair,” “her,” and “head.” This type of repetitive sounds at the start of the words exhibits the disagreement of the speaker with this type of comparison.

In the eleventh line, there is another exaggerated alliteration.

“I grant I never saw a goddess go;”

Here the /g/ sound is repeated three times in the line. Through this device, the speaker conveys his annoyance with the comparison of humans and gods.

Hyperbole is an exaggerated overstatement or understatement in a literary piece. In the sonnet, the speaker exaggerates the flaws of his beloved to prove his point. He wants to prove that the convention of describing human beauty through false comparisons is wrong. In the fourth line, the speaker exaggeratedly says that his beloved’s head is covered with black wires. Similarly, in the eighth line, the speaker says that his beloved’s breath reeks, which is an exaggeration. The purpose of this exaggeration is to highlight the absurdity of the conventional comparisons of humans’ breath with perfumes.

Consonance is the repetition of the same consonant sound in a line. In the first line of the poem, the sound /s/ is repeated three times. In the second line, the sound /r/ is repeated four times. Similarly, /r/ sound is repeated twice in the third line. This clustering of similar sounds makes the poem appealing by giving it a rhyming effect.

Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sound in a line. The sound /i/ is repeated in the first and second lines of the poem. Similarly, the /u/ sound is repeated twice in the sixth line. This device makes the poem appealing by giving it a rhyming effect.

A metaphor is an implicit comparison between two different things based on some similar quality. In this poem, the speaker compares his beloved’s hair to the wire by saying,

“black wires grow on her head.”

This metaphor serves the purpose of creating an image in the mind of the reader.

A simile is an explicit comparison between two different things based on some similar quality with the help of words like “as” or “like.”

In the poem, the speaker compares his mistress’s eyes to the sun in the first line.

Anaphora is the repetition of the same word at the start of consecutive lines. The third and fourth lines of the poem start with the word “if.” This device gives the poem a rhyming effect.

More From William Shakespeare

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• The Merchant of Venice
• Twelfth Night
• The Taming of the Shrew
• As You Like It
• Much Ado About Nothing
• The Comedy of Errors

Easy Insightful Literature Notes

Sonnet 130 (My mistress’ eyes) Summary & Analysis

• In Sonnet 130, Shakespeare depicts his mistress as a dark lady who is deficient in beauty as per society’s standard.
• She does not have eyes as bright as the sun, rosy cheeks, snow-white breasts etc. She is just like an ordinary human being.
• But the poet-lover finds her as beautiful as any woman and loves her for who she is.

Sonnet 130: My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun – Explanation

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;

William Shakespeare’s sonnet 130 opens with the speaker talking about his mistress’ eyes. But it doesn’t seem to be a lover’s usual attempt to glorify in verse the beauty of the woman he loves. Rather we see the exact opposite. The speaker here negates the comparison between his mistress’ eyes and the brilliance of the sun. Here, the lady’s eyes are not as bright as the sun.

Generally, we consider that a woman of ideal beauty should have eyes that are as bright as the sun. But according to the lover here, the eyes of his mistress are so dull that they can hardly come near the sun in brightness.

In the next line the comparison changes, but the motif is the same. Now it is about her lips. The speaker says that his beloved’s lips are not as red as the beautiful red corals formed under the sea.

These beginning lines of the poem sets the tone of the entire poem. The speaker here attempts to show his beloved’s beauty in true and honest way as she actually looks, without resorting to artificial exaggeration. Thus, what we see in Sonnet 130 is unique and in sharp contrast to what the Renaissance readers were accustomed to read in other poets’ verses.

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

The lover continues similar comparisons making his lady look an ordinary human being. Now he comes to describe her breasts. A woman of ideal beauty is thought to have snow-white breasts. English women’s breasts are generally white in colour. But the breasts of the speaker’s mistress are ‘dun’ or dull grayish-brown in colour when compared to white snow.

The hair is the next element that comes to our speaker’s mind. A man would generally compare his lover’s hair to something soft and smooth, shiny and silky, and it would ideally be golden in colour. But here the speaker identifies his lady’s hairs with nothing but black wires. So, the lady has frizzy black hair which is uncommon for English women.

I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

The next element of beauty the speaker talks about is his lady’s cheeks. The speaker has seen beautiful roses with red and white hues woven together (damasked). But he finds nothing like those roses in his mistress’ cheeks.

The perfectly beautiful women possess a reddish rosy blush on their white cheeks. But the lady in Shakespeare’s sonnet is not that beautiful in the stereotypical sense, as her skin is dark in complexion. When the speaker goes to measure the beauty of his beloved in the standard sense, he seemingly finds her to be hopelessly deficient in it.

And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

Poets praise the sweet breath of their mistress as if it surpasses some sweet-smelling perfumes. But our speaker is honest while describing her lady’s breath. It doesn’t give out any delightful fragrance. It rather produces a strong and offensive smell (reeks). He acknowledges that some perfumes are certainly far more pleasing than her breath which instead of a sweet smell gives out a foul odour.

Till line 6, it was all about the lady’s look – her eyes, lips, breasts, hairs and cheeks. But now it has come down to her breath, how it smells. Let’s see what comes next.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound;

Now it’s about the mistress’ voice. The speaker seems to be getting a bit nicer to say that he loves to hear her speak. But the ‘yet’ in the middle takes us back to the same negative comparison again. He admits that music can be ‘far more pleasing’ than her voice. Though her voice sounds nice to him, it is not as good as music the way most lovers claim their beloved’s voice to be.

Lines 11–12

I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.

The speaker now admits that he has never seen how a goddess moves. And so, he won’t compare his beloved’s moves to that of a goddess as done by most lovers and especially poets in their poems. He is being frank here to admit that his mistress walks on the ground just like a normal human being, and not like a goddess, an angel or a fairy. She doesn’t fly or do anything superfluous of that sort.

Lines 13–14

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

These final lines of the sonnet, the concluding couplet, holds the speaker’s main point and the poem’s essence. He swears (by heaven) that with all the ordinary features of his mistress, he still finds his beloved (my love) to be as lovely (rare) as any other woman (any she) who are misrepresented (belied) by inflated comparisons (false compare).

Unlike other poets he doesn’t need fanciful exaggerated comparisons. He still finds his lady beautiful and loves her with all her flaws. Great! isn’t it?

Sonnet 130: My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun – Into Details

Publication.

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 is a part of all 154 sonnets which were published in 1609 in a quarto titled “ Shake-speare’s Sonnets ”. All these sonnets were written between 1594 and 1602. While the first 126 sonnets in the collection were addressed to a Fair Youth named Mr. W.H., the remaining sonnets (127-154) were addressed to a Dark Lady . The present sonnet belongs to the second part.

Background/Context

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 is about the Dark Lady who was deficient in beauty but full of sex appeal. The poet and his friend were involved in an eternal love triangle with this Dark Lady. The poet passionately loves this woman, but she tries to seduce his young and innocent friend. She betrays the poet and rejects his love. This results in his having a love-hate relationship with her. From this resentment the poet describes her in such a disgraceful way in his poem.

Though most early editors and critics took the sonnet at its face value and observed it to be simply a demeaning of the lady, currently it is seen as exactly opposite. The sonnet is now believed to be a compliment for the lady in an honest way and a satire on poetic conventions in which poets tend to make false comparisons with their mistress’ beauty.

Sonnet 130 does not have a specific setting as such. Shakespeare’s sonnets were mostly written in the 1590s and came out in the beginning of the 17th century. This sonnet questions the poetic traditions and feminine ideals of the 15 th and 16 th century English society. It also reflects the language used at that time and represents the standard of female beauty in the then society.

The sonnet actually goes beyond any particular location or time-frame in its universal approach to the concept of love and feminine beauty.

Shakespeare did not give titles to his sonnets and so they are referred by numbers. This sonnet comes at 130 th position in his collection. In most cases the first line of the sonnet is used as a title in many anthologies.

Here the first line “ My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun ” serves a very good title. It is apt in the sense that it sets the tone of the entire sonnet right at the start. From the title alone, we can guess that the speaker is going to comment negatively on his mistress’ beauty and it is most probably in a satirical note.

Form and Language

The poem “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” is a sonnet. A sonnet is a 14-lines poem usually written in iambic pentameter. Most of the Elizabethan love poetry was written in the traditional Petrarchan form in which a sonnet was divided into two parts – an octave and a sestet.

But Shakespeare broke this convention. He invented a new structure. Now this is called Shakespearean sonnet. The Shakespearean sonnet consists of three quatrains and a couplet.

The language used is simple and eloquent. Different kinds of imageries including visual and olfactory imagery are used to highlight how a perfectly beautiful woman was perceived to be in the society of his time. The overall tone is satirical here to take on the poetic conventions regarding the same. The music of the verse is created with the help of rhyme.

Meter and Rhyme

Like all other Shakespearean sonnets, Sonnet 130 consists of three quatrains and a couplet with the rhyme scheme being ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The first twelve lines rhyme in alternating pairs developing the main idea of the poem. The rhyming couplet sums it up well.

The meter used here is iambic pentameter. This is almost a norm for sonnets though. An iambic meter is a disyllabic meter where a stressed syllable comes after an unstressed one. Pentameter means five feet in a line. There are a few exceptions in the poem’s meter. For example, the first foot of the second line is a trochee.

My mis – | tress’ eyes | are no – | thing like | the sun ; Co – ral | is far | more red | than her | lips’ red ;

Sonnet 130: My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun – Themes

Beauty and love.

William Shakespeare in his Sonnet 130 redefines the idea of beauty and love and how they are related. His contemporary poets used to present their beloveds as perfectly beautiful and that was why they were so much in love with those ladies.

But Shakespeare shatters that stereotype here. The poet-lover states in the concluding couplet of the sonnet that he finds his mistress similarly rare as any other woman and loves her even knowing that she is deficient in terms of beauty in society’s defined terms. A person’s inner beauty and real appearance matters more than the inflated image of beauty by false comparisons or artificial make-up.

Real vs Superficial

The poet is tired with other poets’ exaggerated depiction of beauty of their ladylove. He knows that nothing is perfect in this world. The superficially inflated descriptions and false comparisons make him sick of their concept of beauty and love. He thus hits back to the then poetic conventions in a satiric way in Sonnet 130 by representing his mistress as she is. The poet loves to be honest and show the realness of things.

Sonnet 130: My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun – Symbols

The speaker compares (negatively though) his mistress’ eyes to the sun. The sun is generally used in literature and art as a symbol of light, life and brightness. It can bring sparkle to life. The speaker finds nothing of that sort in his mistress eyes. He depicts his beloved here as a simple and common person using the sun as a symbol.

In line 3, the speaker states that his mistress’ breasts are deplorably ‘dun’ in appearance when compared to the white colour of snow. White generally symbolizes purity and innocence. So, what does the lady’s less white skin indicate? Maybe she is not so pure.

Moreover, in the Renaissance period, whiteness of skin was a standard for perfect feminine beauty. The lovers and the poets all liked to describe their beloved’s complexion as snow-white. By stating that his mistress’ breasts are rather grayish-brown, the poet here goes against the convention. Thus, whiteness here symbolizes the conventions and the stereotypes.

Sonnet 130: My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun – Literary Devices

End-stopped line.

An end-stopped line is a line of verse that ends with a punctuation. Most of the lines in Sonnet 130 are end-stopped lines.

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips’ red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

In an enjambment a sentence continues to the next line of a verse without pause. For example –

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

A caesura in poetry is a pause (with a comma, semicolon etc.) in the middle of a line.

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

But no such roses s ee I in her ch ee ks; I love to h ea r her sp ea k, ye t well I know

Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in neighbouring words.

Co r al is fa r mo r e r ed than he r lips’ r ed; (‘r’ sound)

Alliteration

Alliteration is a sub-category of consonance. It is the repetition of consonant sounds in the beginning (or, stressed syllables) of nearby words.

I g rant I never saw a g oddess g o; (‘g’ sound)

Simile is a direct comparison between two tings using ‘as’ or ‘like’.

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;

In this very first line of Sonnet 130, the poet introduces a simile to make (or rather deny) a comparison between the lady’s eyes and the sun using ‘like’. This is an example of simile.

A metaphor is an indirect or implied comparison where there is a point of similarity.

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

When the speaker says “ black wires grow on her head ”, he makes an implied comparison between his mistress’ hair and wire. This is a metaphor.

But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

In the above line, the speaker compares the reddish hue on women’s cheeks to that of roses in an indirect way here to say that he cannot find roses on his beloved’s cheeks.

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 is full of imageries used to make readers perceive things better with the help of five senses.

We find some great visual images (that readers can almost see) in the following lines –

… why then her breasts are dun; … black wires grow on her head I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

Again, olfactory imagery (sense of smell) is used in lines 7 and 8 –

There is auditory imagery (sounds that we hear) in lines 9 and 10 –

And, there is a kinesthetic imagery (sense of movement) in lines 11 and 12 –

I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.

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“Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare – An In-Depth Analysis

William Shakespeare is well known for a vast array of poems and plays. While he did write a number of poems that were not sonnets, he is generally remembered for his sonnets specifically. Today, we will be having a look at one of his most interesting sonnets, and that is Sonnet 130 . This sonnet is also often known as My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun . So, if you want an answer to the question, “What is Sonnet 130 about?”, look no further! We will explore this in-depth in our Sonnet 130 analysis below.

Table of Contents

• 1 Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare
• 2 Sonnet 130 Summary Points
• 3 Biography of William Shakespeare
• 4 A Note on Naming Conventions
• 5.1 Quatrain One
• 5.2 Quatrain Two
• 5.3 Quatrain Three
• 5.4 Final Couplet
• 6 The Themes of Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare
• 7.1 What Is Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare?
• 7.2 Who Is William Shakespeare?
• 7.3 What Is Sonnet 130 About?
• 7.4 What Are Other Famous Poems by William Shakespeare?
• 7.5 What Are the Themes of Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare?

Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare

There are so many different examples of poems about love, including those by William Shakespeare, such as Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? that uphold a near-impossible ideal of beauty. This idealized form is something that is generally unattainable, and yet it is espoused by countless poets who view beauty in a muse-like way. However, the occasional poem comes along that entirely breaks that apart.

In terms of Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare, this is exactly the case. This poem serves as a means of satirizing the very ideals of beauty that figures like Shakespeare himself often upheld. It is a beautiful poem for this very reason. It sees someone as beautiful in a way that many poems, especially of the era, did not express. So, before we dive into our Sonnet 130 analysis, let’s first have a look at a few summary points.

Sonnet 130 Summary Points

If you truly want to understand My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun , we will need to engage in a full Sonnet 130 analysis, but not everyone has time for that. For those who don’t necessarily have the time, let’s instead first have a look at a few summarized points that may help:

• Sonnet 130 is a poem about beauty . This poem discusses various aspects of the appearance of a woman, but it focuses on the other side of beauty: ugliness. This still means that it is a poem about beauty, and the poem ultimately concludes by referring to a more inner beauty.
• Sonnet 130 is a satirical take on other poems about beauty. While many poems about beauty focus on a highly stylized interpretation of beauty, Sonnet 130 is instead concerned with breaking down this idealized version of beauty. In many ways, this poem mocks the usual way in which poems about beauty are written.
• Sonnet 130 can come across as mean-spirited. The way in which Shakespeare describes the woman who is being discussed in this poem can be construed as extremely rude. While the conclusion of the poem is far more positive about this woman, the mean-spirited language before that conclusion may turn some off the poem.

These few summarized points should help for those who do not have the time for our full Sonnet 130 analysis. However, if you do want to have an answer to the question, “What is Sonnet 130 about?”, you will need to keep reading.

And we will start that analysis with a brief look at the man behind it all.

Biography of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is one of the best-known writers of all time. The influence that this figure exerted on the English language is impossible to overstate. There are a multitude of new words and phrases that were either invented by Shakespeare or appeared in his texts for the first time. He has often become seen as the national poet of the English people and the language as a whole.

His immense fame and influence on the language and literature, in general, has earned him the title “the Bard”, and this is a fitting title. He was a poet, playwright, and actor, and while he is often best known for the many plays that he produced, he also wrote many of the most famous sonnets in the English language. Today, we’re going to check out one of the most famous of all the poems that he wrote.

A Note on Naming Conventions

If you are curious why this poem has mostly been referred to as “ Sonnet 130 ” in this article, it’s because that is what the poem is actually called. William Shakespeare did not name his sonnets. Instead, they are all numbered. However, regardless of this, they have come to be known by the first line in each of the poems. For this reason, we often know this particular poem as My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun rather than Sonnet 130 .

However, we will refer to both of those names throughout this analysis. And, speaking of our Sonnet 130 analysis, let’s get started.

An In-Depth Sonnet 130 Analysis

When it comes to an analysis of any Shakespearean sonnet, there are a few things to always remember. This is because he did not exactly vary his style of poetry from one sonnet to the next. For this reason, they are all Shakespearean/Elizabethan sonnets, and this means that they come with a specific rhyme scheme. In this case, the rhyme scheme is ABABCDCDEFEFGG.

On top of this, William Shakespeare is best known for writing his poetry in iambic pentameter. This is a metrical structure in which there is a specific beat. In this case, the beat is an unstressed followed by a stressed syllable. In addition, these syllables are in five pairs for a grand total of ten syllables per line. These are the basic elements of the analysis of any Shakespearean sonnet, and one should always remember them when diving into an analysis.

However, it’s now the time for the deeper dive! This time with a little more purpose. We are going to perform an in-depth Sonnet 130 analysis. We will perform this analysis by examining each of the quatrains of the poem before finally ending off with the final couplet of this poem.

So, let’s get going with our My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun analysis.

Quatrain One

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;

Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

The very first line of the poem is where we are introduced to this idea of the mistress. She is stated to be his mistress, but this does not mean she is a wife or anything of the sort but rather someone whom the speaker sees as connected to him. And that first line also opens with the motif that will be a recurring feature of this poem: the use of unflattering comparisons to natural images.

The first image is that of the sun, and we are told that her eyes are not like the sun. This indicates that they do not glow. They are not vibrant and powerful. They are not special in that sense. There is little in this mistress that differentiates her, or at least by this point in the poem. The next line continues this idea.

The next comparison is between her lips and coral. It states that coral is far redder than her lips will ever be. This is the use of the natural image of something that we generally accept to be beautiful, coral, and it is applied to her body. This is a common feature in many poems about beauty, except that many poems about beauty will use these comparisons in a favorable sense. For instance, imagine if the poem had stated that her lips were like coral. That would be more what we would expect from a poem about beauty.

But the subversion found in this poem started with the very first line of Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare.

The next line is yet another of these comparisons. This time around, it uses the image of pure white snow. Something that is usually seen as absolutely stunning. But it is used to say that while snow is gorgeous and white, her breasts are dull. The word “dun” is a rather old one, but it does not have any sense of positivity to it. These first few lines have appeared immensely insulting toward this woman.

And the next line is just as seemingly mean-spirited. This time, it refers to her hair, but not as something gorgeous that flows in the wind and is caught upon the breeze as if spied in a dream. No, these hairs are like black wires. They are not attractive, and they are not beautiful things that can be adored. The first quatrain comes to a close, and we have so far been presented with a very plain image.

Quatrain Two

I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

And in some perfumes is there more delight

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

The image of plainness persists in the second of the three quatrains of the poem. Now, we are given the image, in the first two lines, of roses. The speaker says that he has seen stunning red and white roses, and they are gorgeous things. However, her cheeks are not like them. She does not have rosy cheeks. Instead, we can probably assume that her cheeks are dun, like her breasts were described in the previous quatrain.

The first image is spread over two lines, and the same is true of the next image. While the first quatrain used one image per line, this quatrain has used a more enjambement style to present longer, and often meaner, statements on this mistress that the speaker is discussing. The second image uses the idea of perfume.

Many love poems mention the smell of a person. They smell lovely, like flowers! This image appears to evoke a similar idea. The first two lines in the quatrain specifically mentioned roses. However, we are, once again, given a mean image, and because of the contemporary connotations of this word, this is probably the line that sticks out the most to contemporary audiences, because the speaker states that her breath “reeks”. The use of the word “reeks” does not necessarily mean that her breath is foul-smelling, but there is a direct comparison between the smell of perfume and her breath. So, her breath, in comparison to perfume, reeks.

This is a very unpleasant image, but because of what has come before, it is unlikely that this means she smells. It is just another way of stating that she is rather average.

Quatrain Three

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound;

I grant I never saw a goddess go;

My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.

The last of the quatrains opens with a change. We are now given the idea that he loves her. He has spent the entire poem being rather rude to and about her, but we are suddenly given this image of love. He uses this love to state that even though her voice is not like music, which is yet another negative image, it is one that he loves to hear. He knows that her voice is not magical and beautiful, yet he adores it.

The last two lines, which form one image, continue this switch toward positivity. However, it does so by calling attention to the more traditional kind of love poetry. He explicitly states that this mistress he so loves is not an angel. She does not glide through the air as if held aloft by divine powers because of her immense and unfathomable beauty! Instead, she is a person. She walks on the ground. She is not special. Or at least, she is not special in a more objective sense that many poems about beauty would have us believe about certain people. We have now seen the shift in tone, but the final couplet is what brings it all together. This is common in many Shakespearean sonnets, and it applies here too.

It is time for the final words of the poem, and they are the most beautiful of them all because they do not focus on the impossibility of beauty, but rather on the subjective reality of it.

Final Couplet

   And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

   As any she belied with false compare.

The last two lines of this poem speak from the first-person perspective to state that his love for her is a rare thing that he cherishes. There is no point to these false comparisons that are often made in poems about beauty. She does not have angelic hair, perfect skin, rosy cheeks, or a musical voice. She is a person. He loves her for the person that she is rather than the person that is usually discussed in poems about beauty. She is not idealized, she is real.

This is the end of the poem and the conclusion of our in-depth Sonnet 130 analysis. This poem is a criticism of sorts of the usual way in which beauty is discussed in many poems about beauty. One does not need to be some gorgeous creature beyond all compare to be beautiful to someone else.

This poem shows this in a stunning way, and it remains one of the best poems ever written by William Shakespeare.

The Themes of Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare

Some of the main themes that you will find in Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare include, of course, beauty and an examination of it. However, this central theme incorporates a number of other thematic elements around it. For instance, like many examples of poems about beauty, the poem serves as a means of expressing love and adoration as well as celebrating the beauty of that person.

Regardless of these more traditional elements, Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare is far from traditional in its presentation of these themes. Instead of focusing on an idealized version of some kind of perfect beauty, this poem examines how subjectivity falls into our ideas of beauty. Someone may not be beautiful in the more typical and traditional understanding of the word, but they are beautiful to us. This is the primary idea around which this poem is based.

Today, we have examined one of the best-known poems in the English language. This Sonnet 130 analysis has also included a look at the author behind it all, a separate look at some of the themes of Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare, and a brief word on the naming conventions of the poetry collection in which this sonnet is found. Hopefully, this has provided a good and detailed understanding of Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare for those who were unfamiliar with it before. However, there are many other Shakespearean poems out there that are also worthy of a good reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sonnet 130 by william shakespeare.

This is one of the best-known Shakespearean sonnets. This poem is a satirical take on poems about beauty, and it can be seen as something of a mocking poem. It instead focuses on inner beauty rather than the kind of idealized beauty that is often found in many examples of poems about beauty.

Who Is William Shakespeare?

This figure is still seen as one of the most important in the history of the English language. He was a poet and playwright, who also worked as an actor, and he had a massive impact on English literature. His work includes many words and phrases that were never seen before, and so he either invented or recorded them for the first time. 

What Is Sonnet 130 About?

This sonnet is about a woman known as the Dark Lady. She is a figure who is the object of several sonnets in the collection of Shakespeare’s work. He compares her, unfavorably, to various beautiful things to instead focus on a more inner beauty that she exhibits. This is a satire on traditional poems about beauty, and, thanks to the language used, it can come across as mean-spirited at times.

What Are Other Famous Poems by William Shakespeare?

The poems of William Shakespeare are actually numbered, but we will mention a few of his most famous sonnets by the names they are best known by, which were all published in the same 1609 collection: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day, Let me not to the marriage of true minds , and Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed . However, he wrote many other famous poems, but this has been a tiny selection of his many sonnets.

What Are the Themes of Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare?

The principal themes of this immensely famous Shakespearean sonnet include beauty, love, a celebration of inner beauty, and subjectivity of perception. This is a stunning poem that explores beauty in an unconventional way.

Justin van Huyssteen is a freelance writer, novelist, and academic originally from Cape Town, South Africa. At present, he has a bachelor’s degree in English and literary theory and an honor’s degree in literary theory. He is currently working towards his master’s degree in literary theory with a focus on animal studies, critical theory, and semiotics within literature. As a novelist and freelancer, he often writes under the pen name L.C. Lupus.

Justin’s preferred literary movements include modern and postmodern literature with literary fiction and genre fiction like sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, and horror being of particular interest. His academia extends to his interest in prose and narratology. He enjoys analyzing a variety of mediums through a literary lens, such as graphic novels, film, and video games.

Justin is working for artincontext.org as an author and content writer since 2022. He is responsible for all blog posts about architecture, literature and poetry.

Learn more about Justin van Huyssteen and the Art in Context Team .

Cite this Article

Justin, van Huyssteen, ““Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare – An In-Depth Analysis.” Art in Context. November 29, 2023. URL: https://artincontext.org/sonnet-130-by-william-shakespeare/

van Huyssteen, J. (2023, 29 November). “Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare – An In-Depth Analysis. Art in Context. https://artincontext.org/sonnet-130-by-william-shakespeare/

van Huyssteen, Justin. ““Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare – An In-Depth Analysis.” Art in Context , November 29, 2023. https://artincontext.org/sonnet-130-by-william-shakespeare/ .

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Sonnet 130: My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun

by William Shakespeare

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips’ red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

Summary of Sonnet 130

• Popularity of “ Sonnet 130”: William Shakespeare , a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor, “Sonnet 130” is a remarkable piece famous on account of its themes of love and appearance. It was first published in 1609. The poem speaks about the shortcomings of the speaker ’s beloved . It also illustrates how he loves her in spite of her flaws.
• “ Sonnet 130”, As a Representative of Love: This poem is an expression of love; the speaker admires his beloved, despite knowing her physical flaws. He explains her physical features are “uncatchy though,” yet she is beautiful in her own way. He talks about his lips, breasts, and hair, which looks like wires sticking on her head, and her cheeks also do not meet the ideal standard of beauty . Also, he talks about her unpleasant voice and compares her stinky breath with perfume. This strange comparison shows his acceptance of her flaws. As the poem progresses, he develops the idea that we should not set high standards in love. He accepts that his mistress is not a godlike figure. She is just an ordinary woman with lots of imperfections, and he admires and loves her despite those qualities.
• Major Themes in “Sonnet 130”: Love, appearances, and admiration are the major themes of this sonnet. The poem presents two things: the worldly standard of beauty and the poet’s definition of beauty. Throughout the poem, he talks about the physical features of his mistress that do not match the standards of beauty. She is not at all stunning or marvelous like a goddess, but he still loves and adores her. To him, she is unique and rare. That is why he does not measure his love on the worldly scale of beauty.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Sonnet 130

literary devices are tools used by writers and poets to convey their emotions, feelings, and ideas to the readers. Shakespeare has also used some literary devices to bring depth to this poem. The analysis of some of the literary devices used in this poem has been discussed below.

• Alliteration : Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession. For example, the sounds of /b/, /w/ and /h/ in “If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head”, the sound of /th/ in “Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks” and the sound of /w/ in “If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun”.
• Consonance : Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /h/ in “If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun” and the sound of /s/ in “As any she belied with false compare.”
• Enjambment : It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break ; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;

“And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.”

• Hyperbole : Hyperbole is a device used to exaggerate a statement for the sake of emphasis. For example, Shakespeare exaggerates the mistress’ beauty by insulting her by using ordinary objects and contrasting her beauty to objects in nature.
• Imagery : Imagery is used to make the readers perceive things with their five senses. For example,

“ If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damasked, red and white.”

• Metaphor : It is used to compare an object or a person with something else to make meanings clear. For example, “If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head”.
• Simile : It is a figure of speech used to compare something with something else to make the meanings clear to the readers. Shakespeare has used this device in the opening lines of the poem, such as;

“My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun Coral is far more red than her lips’ red.”

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Sonnet 130

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this rhyme .

• Sonnet : A sonnet is a fourteen-lined poem usually written in iambic pentameter . This Shakespearean sonnet consists of three quatrains and a couplet .
• Couplet : There are two constructive lines of verse in a couplet, usually in the same meter and joined by rhyme. This sonnet ends with a couplet, which usually reveals the central idea of the poem.
• Rhyme Scheme : The poem follows the ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme .
• End Rhyme : End Rhyme is used to make the stanza melodious. Shakespeare uses end rhyme in the poem. For example, “sun/dun”, “rare/compare”, “white/delight” and “know/go.”

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below are suitable in a speech or lecture to glorify the positive attributes of true love.

“And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.”

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Shakespeare's Sonnets

By william shakespeare, shakespeare's sonnets summary and analysis of sonnet 130 - "my mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun".

What's he saying?

"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; / Coral is far more red than her lips' red;"

My mistress's eyes look nothing like the sun; coral is far more red than her lips are.

"If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; / If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head."

If snow is white, then her breasts are a dull brown (in comparison); if hairs are wires, then black wires grow on her head.

"I have seen roses damask'd, red and white / But no such roses see I in her cheeks;"

I have seen roses of pink, red, and white, but her cheeks are none of these colors;

"And in some perfumes is there more delight / Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks."

And some perfumes smell more delightful than the malodorous breath of my mistress.

"I love to hear her speak, yet well I know / That music hath a far more pleasing sound;"

I love to hear her speak, even though I know well that music has a far more pleasing sound;

"I grant I never saw a goddess go; / My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:"

I admit I have never seen a goddess walk, but my mistress, when she walks, steps (humanly) on the ground:

"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare / As any she belied with false compare."

And yet, I swear before heaven, I think she is just as extraordinary as any woman that may be described with false comparisons.

Why is he saying it?

Sonnet 130 is a pleasure to read for its simplicity and frankness of expression. It is also one of the few of Shakespeare's sonnets with a distinctly humorous tone. Its message is simple: the dark lady's beauty cannot be compared to the beauty of a goddess or to that found in nature, for she is but a mortal human being.

The sonnet is generally considered a humorous parody of the typical love sonnet. Petrarch, for example, addressed many of his most famous sonnets to an idealized woman named Laura, whose beauty he often likened to that of a goddess. In stark contrast Shakespeare makes no attempt at deification of the dark lady; in fact he shuns it outright, as we see in lines 11-12: "I grant I never saw a goddess go; / My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground." Here the poet explicitly states that his mistress is not a goddess.

She is also not as beautiful as things found in nature, another typical source of inspiration for the average sonneteer: "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; / Coral is far more red than her lips' red." Yet the narrator loves her nonetheless, and in the closing couplet says that in fact she is just as extraordinary ("rare") as any woman described with such exaggerated or false comparisons. It is indeed this blunt but charming sincerity that has made sonnet 130 one of the most famous in the sequence.

However, while the narrator's honesty in sonnet 130 may seem commendable, we must not forget that Shakespeare himself was a master of the compliment and frequently made use of the very same sorts of exaggerated comparisons satirized here. We even find them elsewhere in the sonnets, and in great abundance, too; note that while his "mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun," his fair lord's indeed are, as in sonnet 49: "And scarcely greet me with that sun, thine eye."

This may lead one to wonder, is it really pure honesty that the poet is showing in sonnet 130, or is there also some ulterior sentiment, perhaps that the dark lady is not deserving of the narrator's fine words? Or perhaps she is deserving but such words are not necessary, as though the narrator feels comfortable enough with the dark lady that he is able to show such honesty (which his insecurity regarding the fair lord prevents him from doing)? There are many ways to interpret how the poet's psychological state may have influenced stylistic choices in his writing, but these sonnets do not provide definitive proof.

Shakespeare’s Sonnets Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Shakespeare’s Sonnets is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Summary of sonnet 18

Here the theme of the ravages of time again predominates; we see it especially in line 7, where the poet speaks of the inevitable mortality of beauty: "And every fair from fair sometime declines." But the fair lord's is of another sort, for it...

Part A In Sonnet 12 (“When I do count the clock that tells the time”), what do the images of passing time make the speaker wonder about the person he addresses? a. Will that person’s beauty fade? b. Will that person’s fame endure? c. d. Will that person a

a. Will that person’s beauty fade?

What is the message of Sonnet 18?

Shakespeare's main message is that which will fade in life (beauty) can be immortalized in verse.... his poetry will live forever.

Study Guide for Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Shakespeare's Sonnets study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Shakespeare's Sonnets
• Shakespeare's Sonnets Summary
• Character List

Essays for Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Shakespeare's Sonnets essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of various sonnets by William Shakespeare.

• Colonial Beauty in Sidney's "Astrophil and Stella" and Shaksespeare's Sonnets
• Beauty, As Expressed By Shakespeare's Sonnet 18
• From Autumn to Ash: Shakespeare's Sonnet 73
• Dark Beauties in Shakespeare's Sonnets and Sidney's "Astrophil and Stella"
• Human Discrepancy: Mortality and Money in Sonnet 146

Lesson Plan for Shakespeare’s Sonnets

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Shakespeare's Sonnets
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Shakespeare's Sonnets Bibliography

E-Text of Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Shakespeare's Sonnets e-text contains the full text of Shakespeare's Sonnets.

Wikipedia Entries for Shakespeare’s Sonnets

• Introduction
• The quarto of 1609

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Shakespeare's Sonnets - Sonnet 130

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This sonnet plays with poetic conventions in which, for example, the mistress’s eyes are compared with the sun, her lips with coral, and her cheeks with roses. His mistress, says the poet, is nothing like this conventional image, but is as lovely as any woman.

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Shakespeare's Sonnets

Shakespeare's Sonnets Shakescleare Translation

Shakespeare's Sonnets Translation Sonnet 130

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head; I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some pérfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound. I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

My mistress's eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far redder than the red of her lips; If snow is white, then her breasts are a dull brown; If hairs are  wires , black wires grow on her head; I have seen Damask roses , red and white, But I do not see the color of roses in her cheeks; And some perfumes are more delightful Than the breath that reeks out of my mistress. I love to hear her speak, but I also know that That music has a much more pleasing sound. I admit that I never saw a goddess walking, My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground. But, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any other woman misrepresented by false comparisons.

“My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130)” the Poem by William Shakespeare Essay

Introduction.

William Shakespeare is one of the world’s most well-known playwrights and poets. Among his numerous works, sonnets occupy a special place. Shakespeare wrote over one hundred sonnets, all of which have been translated to a large number of languages. Sonnet 130 is one of the most widely recognized sonnets in various parts of the world. The present paper will offer a stylistic analysis of this literary masterpiece.

Sonnet 130, called “My Mistress Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun,” is written in the same form as all other Shakespearean sonnets. There are fourteen lines that are arranged into three quatrains and a couplet. This rhythmical pattern is known as “Shakespearean sonnet,” although other poets used to employ it before Shakespeare. The rhyme scheme of Sonnet 130 is the following: ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG. The most important role belongs to the ending couplet. Whereas quatrains develop the essence of the poetic story and explain the poet’s ideas, opinions, or problems, the last two lines serve as a summing up.

Frequently, the couplet is in contrast with what has been mentioned in the previous twelve lines. The sonnet under consideration has exactly such structure. In quatrains, the author compares his beloved woman to nature, and the latter’s position is winning. The girl’s eyes are “nothing like the sun” (1), her lips are not as red as coral (2), her breasts are not as white as snow (3), her hair is not golden but black (4). The mistress’ cheeks do not have “roses” in them (5-6), and her breath does not bring as much “delight” as some perfumes do (7-8). The sound of music is “far more pleasing” than the girl’s voice (9-10), and her walk is not heavenly (11-12). However, even despite all of these unfavorable comparisons, the main idea is hidden in the couplet ─ in the last two lines of the sonnet. Here, Shakespeare says that even though nature may have much more beautiful features, the beauty of his mistress is “as rare / as any she belied with false compare” (13-14).

The metrical line used in the sonnet is iambic pentameter. This line presents the rhythm established in the words that rhyme in each line. The small groups of syllables forming the rhyme are called feet. In the iambic meter, the foot is represented by two syllables: the stressed one follows the unstressed one. The word “pentameter” means that there are five iambic feet in every line. This rhythmical pattern is the most common for traditional English poetry. The meter is also called decasyllabic verse because it contains ten syllables.

Despite being composed of only fourteen lines, the sonnet contains a variety of stylistic devices and expressive means. The most common of them is the comparison group represented by similes and metaphors:

• “eyes are nothing like the sun” (1): simile;
• “black wires grow on her head” (4): metaphor;
• “no such roses see I in her cheeks” (6): metaphor.

With the help of metaphors and similes, the author creates a portrait of the girl and makes it vivid for the reader. Also, the use of these stylistic forms makes the text more expressive.

There are several instances of antithesis. The use of this device helps the author to emphasize the contrast between two objects that are being described:

• “If snow be white , why then her breasts are dun” (3);
• “If hairs be wires [in the meaning “golden wires”], black wires grow on her head” (4);
• “ I have seen roses damasked… / But no such roses see I in her cheeks” (5-6);
• “I grant I never saw a goddess go / My mistress when she walks treads on the ground” (11-12).

Another device used by Shakespeare is inversion. In the line “I have seen roses damasked” (5), the attribute “damasked” follows the object “roses,” while indirect word order, should be vice versa. In the following line, the author says “no such roses see I” (6) instead of “I see.” The next instance of inversion is in the sentence “in some perfumes is there more delight” (7): the direct word order would have been “there is.” Another example is “the breath that from my mistress reeks” (8): the non-inverted version would have been “that reeks from my mistress” since the predicate should precede the object. In the sentence “yet well I know” (9) the author changes the position of the adverbial modifier and places it before the subject-predicate group, although the normal word order is contrary to that. All of these instances of inversion help to make the lines more expressive and draw attention to particular details that would have probably remain unnoticed if the word order was not reversed.

Phonetic devices used in the sonnet also help to make it more pronouncing and melodic. Although not numerous, these expressive means are rather suitable. Shakespeare employs alliteration and assonance:

• “ M y m istress’” (1): alliteration;
• “nothing like the sun” (1): assonance;
• “then her breasts” (3): assonance;
• “her head” (4): alliteration;
• “ r oses damasked, r ed” (5): alliteration;
• “ s uch roses s ee” (6): alliteration;
• “ h ear h er” (9): alliteration;
• “I g rant I never saw a g oddess g o” (11): alliteration;
• “ w hen she w alks” (12): alliteration.

In Sonnet 130, Shakespeare uses hyperbole and meiosis to exaggerate some qualities and understate others:

• “eyes are nothing like the sun” (1): meiosis;
• “no such roses see I in her cheeks” (6): meiosis;
• “And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare / As any she belied with false compare” (13-14): hyperbole.

By using these figures of speech, the author draws particular attention to some qualities. He insists that the eyes of the girl are not bright at all ─ “nothing like the sun” (1) and her cheeks are absolutely pale ─ there are “no roses” (6) in them. However, in the last two lines, in the couplet, Shakespeare uses hyperbole that aims at emphasizing how extraordinarily beautiful his mistress is: “as rare / As any she belied with false compare” (13-14). By employing this device, the poet draws a picture for the reader that shows a girl more gorgeous than anything or anyone else in the world.

The analysis of William Shakespeare’s poem “My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130)” allows making several inferences. The sonnet has the form of three quatrains and a couplet, the meaning of which is contrasting to the quatrains. The rhythmical pattern is iambic pentameter. The poet uses a variety of stylistic devices, such as simile, metaphor, assonance, alliteration, antithesis, inversion, hyperbole, and meiosis. All of these devices make the sonnet memorable, giving special prominence to particular features, objects, and attributes.

Shakespeare, William. “My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130).” Poets.org , n.d., Web.

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IvyPanda. (2023, October 30). "My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130)" the Poem by William Shakespeare. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-mistress-eyes-are-nothing-like-the-sun-sonnet-130-the-poem-by-william-shakespeare/

""My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130)" the Poem by William Shakespeare." IvyPanda , 30 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/my-mistress-eyes-are-nothing-like-the-sun-sonnet-130-the-poem-by-william-shakespeare/.

IvyPanda . (2023) '"My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130)" the Poem by William Shakespeare'. 30 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. ""My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130)" the Poem by William Shakespeare." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-mistress-eyes-are-nothing-like-the-sun-sonnet-130-the-poem-by-william-shakespeare/.

1. IvyPanda . ""My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130)" the Poem by William Shakespeare." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-mistress-eyes-are-nothing-like-the-sun-sonnet-130-the-poem-by-william-shakespeare/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . ""My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun (Sonnet 130)" the Poem by William Shakespeare." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/my-mistress-eyes-are-nothing-like-the-sun-sonnet-130-the-poem-by-william-shakespeare/.

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Sonnet 130 Analysis

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Read Sonnet 130: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun BY...

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Read Sonnet 130: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45108/sonnet-130-my-mistress-eyes-are-nothing-like-the-sun

The purpose of this assignment is to argue how the use of 1-2 particular elements in a poem helps to develop a specific theme in the poem. Essentially, you will answer the questions, "What is the theme of the poem, and what difference does it make to our understanding of the theme with the elements you notice?" You will not simply make an observation about how an element is used in the poem or an observation about what the theme is, but rather answer the question, "SO WHAT?"  You must make clear what the poem's theme is directly in your introduction. In the body of your essay, you will show how these elements help get that theme across.  For all parts of your argument, support your interpretation with specific textual examples. The ideas you express will be unique to your understanding of the poem, and will reflect an extension of the discussions we had in class.

• Pre-write My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE to discover what you believe is the poem's/poems' most significant meaning and the ways in which that meaning is conveyed (which you will likely discover are generally inseparable).  This meaning will be your essay's thesis statement.
• Develop a strong, clear thesis statement that articulates the message in the poem/s you have chosen.  Your thesis statement should answer this question:  What is this poem about?  Your essay should then support that thesis.
• Explain your ideas about the poem/s in a well-organized essay.  Compose body paragraphs that effectively support your interpretation of the poem/s and explain how the poem/s conveys this message.  Consider the questions about the poem's speaker, audience, setting, plot, structure, imagery, diction, language, tone, sounds, rhythms, etc.  It is often helpful to divide the poem into more accessible parts, though you should not depend solely on the poem's superficial structure for your essay's organization (i.e., avoid writing chronologically as you would in a poetry explication by starting out "In line one, the poet says ...," "In line two, the poet says ...," etc.) rather use parenthetical citations as used
• Quote or paraphrase the poem/s, your primary source, to support your thesis, and correctly integrate your quotes.
• Use at least one outside source (your secondary source) as a direct quote from a scholar. Use an academic database for your research, not a .com site .
• Remember that, as in all the writing you do for this class, your goal is to allow the reader to return to the poems you choose with greater understanding and hence to enjoy them more. Analyzing (or "explicating") a poem is not the same thing as "decoding" it. Poetry is art, not a code. Your job is not to dissect it, leaving a dead thing easily understood but which no one would be interested in. Your job as a critic is to explore all of the ways in which a poet has made something wonderful out of words. Never forget that the poem itself is alive, a far greater thing than all of the things

Answer & Explanation

The speaker of William Shakespeare's sonnet number 130, "My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun," makes a humorous critique of the conventional comparison of the beauty of a lover to the sun. Instead, the speaker celebrates the beauty of his beloved's imperfections and the reality of their relationship. This theme is developed through the elements of imagery and structure, which allow the meaning of the poem to be understood as a realistic and novel take on romantic love. This theme is developed through the elements of imagery and structure.

The speaker of the poem paints a vivid picture of his mistress that is very different from the imagery that is typically used to describe a beloved subject in conventional forms of love poetry. Her eyes are "nothing like the sun," her lips are "gray," her cheeks are "dull," her hair is "black wires," and her breath is "reeking," according to what he says about her in verses 1 through 4. The idealized views of beauty that were commonly used in love poetry of the time period stand in stark contrast to the precise and realistic descriptions of the speaker's mistress that were provided by the speaker. The speaker is illustrating the concept that there is perfection in imperfection by using these images, as he considers his beloved to be beautiful despite the fact that she does not possess conventional beauty.

When developing the theme of the poem, the structure of the poem is also an important factor to consider. The sonnet's fourteen lines are broken up into three quatrains and one couplet, thereby allowing the poem to adhere to the conventional format of a Shakespearean sonnet. The speaker is able to present his unconventional perspective on love in a format that is more recognizable thanks to this structure, which was traditionally utilized in love poetry. The final couplet of the poem, in which the speaker professes his love for his mistress, is especially moving because it serves as a reminder of the speaker's unwavering love for his beloved despite his beloved's lack of conventional beauty. This makes the couplet especially poignant.

A theme of love is developed in "My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun" by William Shakespeare that is not based on idealized beauty but rather emphasizes the beauty of imperfection and reality through the use of imagery and the structure of the poem. This theme of love is developed through the use of imagery and the structure of the poem. The speaker is able to recognize and celebrate the beauty that exists within his mistress despite the fact that she does not possess the conventional characteristics of beauty. This idea is made abundantly clear by the speaker's use of descriptive imagery that is grounded in the real world, as well as by the structure of the poem, which adheres to the conventional pattern of a Shakespearean sonnet. In this way, the poem inspires readers to find beauty in the flaws that exist within their own lives, which is an important and invigorating reminder in a society that frequently values impossible standards of beauty.

The speaker of the poem paints a vivid picture of his mistress that is very different from the imagery that is typically used to describe a beloved subject in conventional forms of love poetry. In the beginning, he describes her appearance by stating that her eyes are "nothing like the sun," her lips are "grey," her cheeks are "dull," her hairs are "black wires," and that her breath "reeks" (1- 4). The speaker illustrates the point that there is perfection in imperfection by using these vivid images by describing how he finds his beloved to be beautiful despite the fact that she does not possess conventional beauty. Traditional love poetry often presents idealized views of beauty; however, the speaker challenges these views by using descriptions of his beloved that are so grounded in reality.

When developing the theme of the poem, the structure of the poem is also an important factor to consider. The sonnet's fourteen lines are broken up into three quatrains and one couplet, thereby allowing the poem to adhere to the conventional format of a Shakespearean sonnet. The speaker is able to present his unconventional perspective on love in a format that is more recognizable thanks to this structure, which was traditionally utilized in love poetry. The final couplet of the poem is especially moving because it serves as a reminder of the speaker's unflinching love for his beloved despite the fact that she is not conventionally beautiful. This makes the couplet especially moving.

In addition to this, the poem investigates the absurdities that are typically found in love poetry. For instance, the speaker makes a remark about how his mistress' "raven black" hair is "wires," implying that even the hair of a beloved cannot compare to the splendor of nature (3). This comparison is funny because it draws attention to the fact that the beauty of the person the speaker loves cannot truly compare to the beauty of nature. The speaker also compares his mistress' pale skin to "snow" and "ivory," implying that even the whitest of skin cannot compare to these natural elements (5). The speaker's comparison of his mistress' pale skin to these natural elements is quite interesting. The speaker draws attention to the absurdity of comparing the beauty of a loved one to the beauty of nature by making comparisons of this kind.

The speaker's final declaration of his love for his mistress is where the poem's underlying theme of love that is based on imperfection and reality becomes abundantly clear. He emphasizes that his love for her is not based on her physical beauty, but rather on her character and the inner beauty that she possesses by stating that "if snow be white, why then her breasts are dun" (13). His love for her is not based on the fact that she is physically beautiful. This proclamation is emphasized even further by the structure of the poem, which includes a couplet at the end that serves as a reminder of the speaker's undying love for his beloved.

Because the speaker's love for his beloved remains unwavering despite the fact that she does not possess conventional beauty, the poem can also be read as a reminder of the strength of love. The message of the poem, which is that there is beauty even in flaws, is particularly pertinent in today's world, when many people are attempting but failing to live up to often unachievable standards of beauty presented in popular culture. The poem serves as a gentle reminder that genuine beauty comes from within and is not dependent on outward appearances by virtue of the fact that it places an emphasis on the beauty that can be found in flaws. Because the speaker's love for his beloved remains unwavering despite the fact that she does not possess conventional beauty, the poem can also be read as a reminder of the strength of love.

William Shakespeare's sonnet "My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun" develops a theme of love that is not based on idealized beauty but rather emphasizes the beauty of imperfection and reality. This theme is developed through the use of imagery as well as the structure of the sonnet. The speaker is encouraging readers to find beauty in the imperfection of their own lives by taking a critical stance against the conventional view of beauty that is presented in traditional love poetry. Because the speaker's love for his beloved remains unwavering despite the fact that she does not possess conventional beauty, the poem can also be read as a reminder of the strength of love. This serves as a necessary and important reminder that true beauty does not depend on outward appearance but rather originates from within. In this regard, the poem acts as a revivifying reminder of the beauty that can be found in imperfection and the strength that can be found in love.

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