Shakespeare Sonnets

Shakespeare SonnetsWhat is a sonnet?a lyric poem consisting of fourteen lineswritten in iambic pentameterwith a definite rime schemeand a definite thought structureIambic what?Oh dear, this isgoing to be aweird lesson!A sonnetA lyric poemDeals with emotions, feelingsIambic pentameter consists offive measures, units, or meters, of iambsA sonnetThe rhyme scheme is as follows:(1) first stanza (octave): ABBA, ABBA; (2) second stanza (sestet): CDE, CDE.   ThemeTopic of sonnets written in Shakespeare's time is love or a theme related to love.Sonnet 130In William Shakespeare’s (1564 – 1616) “Sonnet 130”, published 1609 in his book “Shakespeare’s Sonnets.An unconventional love poem about the “Dark Lady”Sonnet 130My 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 damask’d, 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. William Shakespeare Sonnet 130I 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. Mistress = loverIn a conventional love poem the writer would exaggerate how beautiful his mistress is:My mistress' eyes are more fantastic than the sun;But in his unconventional love poem Shakespeare underplays how beautiful his mistress is:My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;He has turned around the convention of exaggerated praiseCoral:a hard substance that is red, pink or white in colour on the bottom of the sea.Dun: a dull brownish gray.He carries on with the unconventional approach in the next linesCoral is far more red than her lips' redPink-orange colourConventionaldesirable featureHer lips aren't redIf snow be white, why then her breasts are dunGrey brown colourThe conventionalSomething of a clicheIs he saying she is not beautiful or is he sayingshe is beautiful in a different way?Can we answer this or do we need to read on?damask rose: A native to Asia that has fragrant red or pink flowers and is used as a source of attar.Wire: Gold wires were used in head-dress and compared to golden hairIn the next lines he moves on to describe other physical featuresIf hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.Gold wires were used in head-dress and compared to golden hairBlondes were more highly ratedSo she is not conventionallybeautifulI have seen roses damask'd, red and whitemixedBut she doesn’t have this complexionBut no such roses see I in her cheeks;Reeks: a strong unpleasant smellThe author moves from how she looks to how she smellsAnd in some perfumes is there more delightThan in the breath that from my mistress reeks. Smells- the word didn’t have a negative meaning in Shakespeare’s time He’s not saying the smell of her breath is unpleasant - just that perfume smells sweeterIn conventional love poems you would say her breath wassweeter than perfumeBut Shakespeare takes anunconventional approachHath: (old use) hasThe next feature is the sound of her voiceI love to hear her speak, yet well I knowThat music hath a far more pleasing sound;He’s not being critical of her voice: all he’s saying is that musichas a more pleasing soundIn the conventional love poem the writer would say that her voicewas sweeter than musicGoddess: a female godThe poet describes how his mistress walksI grant I never saw a goddess go;My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:I admitto youI’ve never seena goddess walkMy mistress walks like anyone else, on the ground, rather than floating through the airHe’s stressing his mistress is no goddess.In a conventional love poem she would be described as a goddessrare: special. with false compare: by unbelievable, ridiculous comparisons.So does the poet think that his mistress is beautiful or what?The last 2 lines tell usAnd yet, by heaven, I think my love as rareAs any she belied with false compare.exceptionalDirect statement, telling us what he thinksFor emphasisShe is as beautiful as any woman who is praised with false comparisonsThe poet thinks she’s beautiful but doesn’t want to describe her in a cliched way.A sonnet has 14 linesThe first 12 lines are 3 quatrainsGroups of 4 linesMy 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.rhyme schemeABABWith aclosing coupletAnd yet, by heaven, I think my love as rareAs any she belied with false compare.Sums things upSummary His mistress who does not correspond with the ideals of beauty. The speaker compares her with beautiful things, but he cannot find a similarity. But he points out that his love does not depend on how she looks like. Sonnet 130 is a parody of the Dark Lady, who falls too obviously short of fashionable beauty to be extolled in print. The poet, openly contemptuous of his weakness for the woman, expresses his infatuation for her in negative comparisonsIn Sonnet 130 the poet is merely amused by his own attempt to deify his dark mistress. Message: A message in the sonnet is that love isn't about being better than anything else in physical beauty. You don't have to beat the sun, or anything in nature. This guy doesn't look at his love and tell her that her eyes are bluer than the sky, or any smarmy lies that are so common. He sees who she really is, and loves her still... thinks she is amazing and rare.Here is a link to the text of sonnet 130.