Why is it called a sonnet 130?
Why is it called Sonnet 130? None of Shakespeare's sonnets have titles, so we refer to them by number, in this case, 130. Sonnet 130 comes from a whole group of sonnets that scholars think are addressed to a "Dark Lady." They call her that because she has black hair and dark features, like we see in this poem.
What is Shakespeare saying in Sonnet 130?
Sonnet 130
- Background of the Poem. William Shakespeare is probably the most renowned writer in the history of English literature. ...
- Sonnet 130 Summary (My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun) The speaker opens the poem with the description of his mistress. ...
- Themes in Sonnet 130. ...
- Sonnet 130 Analysis. ...
Is there a metaphor in Sonnet 130?
In Sonnet 130, there is no use of grandiose metaphor or allusion; he does not compare his love to Venus, there is no evocation to Morpheus, etc. The ordinary beauty and humanity of his lover are important to Shakespeare in this sonnet, and he deliberately uses typical love poetry metaphors against themselves.
What does Line 11 mean in Sonnet 130?
i think that Shakespeare is definately challenging petrachean beliefs with this direct subvertion of our expectations of an early 1600s sonnet; however i think the last two lines are refering to a 'goddess' mentioned in line 11 and by declention the impossible beauty Petrach creates. 'any she belied with false compare' is suggesting that the woman she would usually, and wrongly, be compared to is as rare as shakespeare's love as no such woman actuslly exitsts as Petrach suggests.
What is the meaning of Sonnet 130?
In ‘ Sonnet 130,’ Shakespeare satirizes the tradition – stemming from Greek and Roman literature – of praising the beauty of one’s affection by comparing it to beautiful things, typically in a hyperbolic manner. For example, it was not uncommon to read love poems that compared a woman to a river or the sun.
What is the poem "Sonnet 130" about?
In this piece, Shakespeare talks about how the Dark Lady is unlike any other lady as described in conventional sonnets and how his love for the lady is rare.
What is the form of Elizabethan love poetry?
Contemporary poets, such as Philip Sidney and Watson, would use the Petrarchan sonnet for its poetic form, whereas in ‘Sonnet 130,’ Shakespeare mocks all the conventions of it. This sonnet consists of three quatrains, followed by a rhyming couplet.
What is the record of Shakespeare's private life?
So little record of his private life exists that most of what people know about Shakespeare stems from scholarly discussion and speculation, rather than actual records or facts. It is still unknown who many of the figures in his sonnets are, or whether or not Shakespeare authored his own works or merely signed his name on completed plays, and convincing arguments exist on both sides.
How many sonnets did Shakespeare write?
Of the 154 sonnets that Shakespeare wrote throughout his lifetime, 126 were written to a figure known as the Fair Youth. The remaining 28 poems were written to the Dark Lady, an unknown figure in Shakespeare’s life who was only characterized throughout ‘Sonnet 130’ by her dark skin and hair.
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem "Sonnet 130"?
This sonnet consists of three quatrains, followed by a rhyming couplet. The rhyme scheme of this piece is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Shakespeare composed the poem in iambic pentameter with a few variations. It means the meter is based on five beats or iambs per line.
What is Shakespeare's tone in Sonnet 130?
When contemporary poets chose to glorify their loved ones by using hyperbolic expressions, Shakespeare preferred an unflattering and realistic tone in his ‘Sonnet 130’. The speaker of this sonnet ignores all the elevating epithets and stays in solace with his beloved as she is.
How many lines does Shakespeare write in Sonnet 130?
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.
What does the speaker in these sonnets tell him about?
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.
How many sonnets did Shakespeare write?
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 ...
What did Shakespeare do when he wrote his sonnets?
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.
What rhyme scheme is used in the sonnet?
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.
What does the speaker bring in the couplet?
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.
What is the literary context of the sonnet?
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.
Summary: Sonnet 130
This sonnet compares the speaker’s lover to a number of other beauties—and never in the lover’s favor. Her eyes are “nothing like the sun,” her lips are less red than coral; compared to white snow, her breasts are dun-colored, and her hairs are like black wires on her head.
Commentary
This sonnet, one of Shakespeare’s most famous, plays an elaborate joke on the conventions of love poetry common to Shakespeare’s day, and it is so well-conceived that the joke remains funny today. Most sonnet sequences in Elizabethan England were modeled after that of Petrarch.
What is the theme of Sonnet 130?
Sonnet 130 is starkly different in theme than Shakespeare's other sonnets. Most of his sonnets praise his lover's beauty, wit and worth. In fact, women are almost deified in many sonnets. Some are more melancholy than others, but no sonnet seems insulting - except this one! We will dissect the sonnet, line by line, ...
Why is it refreshing to read Sonnet 130?
It is refreshing to read Sonnet 130 because it avoids the unrealistic, syrupy sentiments that may be found in many other sonnets. Sonnet 130 reflects, through its exaggeration, a truer viewpoint. We hope for relationships that are based on honesty, and with honesty comes depth and acceptance.
What does Shakespeare say about his love in line 13?
She has flaws. She is real. In line 13, Shakespeare states that he thinks his love is rare.
What is Shakespeare's metaphor?
Shakespeare uses metaphor, or a figure of speech that makes a point through comparison, all throughout his sonnet. It is an odd use of metaphor, though. Instead of comparing his love to something she is, he is comparing his love to something she is not: his love is not like the sun; her lips are not even as orange as coral; her cheeks are not like a rose.
What does Shakespeare use to make a point?
Shakespeare also makes use of hyperbole, or a figure of speech that makes a point through exaggeration. At the end of the poem, we realize that the speaker's love is not really unattractive. She is simply not the perfect, unattainable image we see in other sonnets. Lesson Summary.
Why does Shakespeare believe his relationship with this woman is better?
He believes his relationship with this woman is better because it is based on honesty. He doesn't have to worship a woman to have a healthy relationship. Literary Devices. Shakespeare uses metaphor, or a figure of speech that makes a point through comparison, all throughout his sonnet.
Is Sonnet 130 a poem?
Shakespeare's 'Sonnet 130' is substantially different in theme than his other sonnets. Discover a summary of 'Sonnet 130', dissect the poem line by line, review how the tone affects the meaning, and discuss literary devices used, including metaphor and hyperbole. Updated: 08/31/2021
What is a sonnet sequence?
A sonnet sequence then is really just a collection of poems, a collection of sonnets. It’s always good to remember that we do have this larger context of all of these other sonnets and that sonnets can kind of start talking about themselves — kind of like rappers do … they talk about their own songs and each other and so on.
What is the meaning of the sonnet "She's got black wires"?
In some sonnets you actually have comparisons to let’s say golden thread (her hair is like golden thread), so he’s basically saying if hairs be wires, if you want to make that comparison, well, she’s got black wires.
How many sonnets did Shakespeare write?
Let’s see if we can shed some light on Sonnet 130, by William Shakespeare. Now we know that Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets and the first 126 of these are addressed to a man, and the last number (so 127 to the end) … these ones are addressed to a woman. This woman has traditionally been referred to as the Dark Lady …
When did sonnets start?
In England that really started in the early 1590s, especially after the publication of Sir Philip Sidney’s Astrophil and Stella in 1591.
What does "rare" mean in Shakespeare?
This word rare is sort of a mix of marvelous, special but also unusual. Shakespeare is playing with those meanings, so you might translate this is as something like unique. Both unusual and special and wonderful at the same time. Think of a diamond in that sense. A diamond has those qualities too.
Is "I don't think so" in the third person?
I don’t think so, because if you address a poem to your beloved you don’t say my mistress. You write your eyes. So this is in the third person. It’s all in the third person. It’s saying, she is like that.
Is Shakespeare romantic or serious?
He must be romantic, he must be serious. But no. Really take Shakespeare as somebody who is trying to be clever, he’s trying to explain off and he’s not doing that just for his beloved. He’s also doing it to have this kind of poetic competition with other people.
What is the meaning of the 130th sonnet?
Most authors embellished their women’s physical characteristics, but Shakespeare’s 130th sonnet states that his mistress lacks most of the qualities other men wrongly praise their women for possessing, such as eyes like the sun or lips as red as coral. While Shakespeare criticizes his lover’s physical traits, he believes his ³love as rare as any?² and displays subtle disdain for relationships ³belied by false comparison.² Through this work Shakespeare tells the reader that true love recognizes imperfections and feels devotion regardless of flaws.
Why is Shakespeare's sonnet so weak?
If Shakespeare had simply said that love should recognize and accept imperfections, stylistically, the sonnet would be weak because its pattern would be inconsistent with the other sonnets in the series, all of which describe Shakespeare’s relationship with his mistress, his feelings for her, or her attributes.
How does Shakespeare communicate his meaning?
To communicate his many meanings, Shakespeare uses several literary devices. Most obviously, Shakespeare uses rhyme and rhythm to make the poem more aesthetically pleasing. The consistency of rhyme scheme (ABABCDCDEFEFGG) and rhythm underscore Shakespeare’s unwavering feelings toward his lover.
What literary devices does Shakespeare use to enliven his words?
Finally, for a stylistic dénouement Shakespeare effectively uses literary devices such as rhythm, rhyme, simile, and metaphor to enliven his words. The reader can visualize what Shakespeare’s woman is not like because of his colorful language, such as ³My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.² The sound-oriented devices Compositely, Shakespeare does a wonderful job in his 130th sonnet.
How does Shakespeare use comparisons?
In addition to rhythm and rhyme, Shakespeare uses comparisons to tell describe how his woman is not. For example with a simile, he states that his ³mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.² Shakespeare also employs metaphors such as ³black wires grow on her head.² Essentially, every line of the poem except for the couplet describes the women through a comparison. These comparisons enable the reader to vividly picture what his mistress’ does not look like. Shakespeare uses literary devices to aid the reader’s comprehension.
What is the figurative language of Sonnet 130?
The figurative language in Sonnet 130 consists of a series of modified and reversed similes, in which the poet emphasizes how unlike his mistress’s attributes are to various tropes of romantic...
What is imagery in Shakespeare's Sonnet 130?
Imagery is description using any of the five senses of sight, sound, taste, touch, or smell. The imagery in Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130" pokes fun at or parodies the conventionalized love imagery...
What different figures of speech are in Shakespeare's Sonnet 130?
Shakespeare relies on strong visual imagery to deliver the similes in Sonnet 130. These devices ultimately demonstrate the type of love he shares with his beloved. For the majority of this sonnet,...
What is the subject matter of a sonnet poem?
The subject matter of the poem is, simply, the speaker's mistress and the speaker's love for her. Most sonnets are written about love, but they often make use of unrealistic comparisons meant to...
Why is the sonnet of the Mistress so famous?
This sonnet is among the most famous because of Shakespeare's mocking of the conventional poetic praises of a mistress's beauty. He uses parody and satire to "describe" his love. Remember that to...
How does Shakespeare's word choice for his mistress differ from the word choice he uses when?
In general, the speaker describes a number of things that are typically thought to be beautiful and then explains that his mistress's qualities are not as conventionally beautiful as these objects....
What is the tone of the sonnet?
The tone of this sonnet is down-to-earth and pragmatic, and rather wry. It paints a picture of the poet’s beloved in realistic terms rather than indulging in the kind of hyperbole that love poets,...
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 … - 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. I…
Sonnet 130 Summary
- 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 b… - 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, connect…
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 rea… - Femininity
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 w…
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 no...