Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare An unconventional love

Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare An unconventional love poem about the “Dark Lady” http: //marrasouk. com

What is a sonnet? A sonnet is a 14 line poem which traditionally is used as a way to declare love for someone – you say brilliant things about them and tell them how much you love them! What sort of things would you put in a sonnet? Think of ways to compliment someone – did they feature in your original list of love poetry? Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets. The lady spoken about in this sonnet is featured in Sonnets 127 to 154. she is known as ‘The Dark Lady’ Early sonnets are based on the Petrachan model (which follows a different rhyme scheme), however, the focus of the sonnet remains the same – idolising the woman and making her an ‘inspiration’.

Sonnet 130 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 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. 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. The iambic pentameter is similar to a heartbeat. Try A sonnet: 14 lines iambic pentameter carefully patterned rhyme scheme. Often used in love poetry; Its perfect

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

Eyes and lips are traditionally compared and are features of female beauty A traditional comparison In a conventional love poem the writer would exaggerate how beautiful his mistress is: “nothing” is a criticism My mistress' eyes are more fantastic than the sun; But in his unconventional love poem Shakespear underplays how beautiful his mistress is: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; has turned around the convention of exaggerated praise http: //marrasouk. com

He carries on with the unconventional approach in the next lines Conventional Pink-orange colour. Her lips aren't red desirable feature Coral is far more red than her lips' red Something Grey, brown colour of a cliche. The conventional If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun Is he saying she is not beautiful or is he saying Can we answer this she is beautiful in a different way? or do we need to read on? http: //marrasouk. com

Hair was often compared to golden wires or threads, so he’s saying her hair looks ugly! In the next lines he moves on to describe other physical features If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. So she is not Gold wires were used. Blondes were more conventionally in head-dress and highly rated beautiful ompared to golden hair mixed I have seen roses damask'd, red and white What is he saying here? Would you be offended at this point? A woman would usually be compared to something like a But she doesn’t have this complexion But http: //marrasouk. com no such roses see I in her cheeks;

“reeks” would not have been as insulting then but still quite rude! The author moves from how she looks to It was part of the how she smells courtly tradition of love to declare (and believe) that And in some perfumes is there more deligh the goddess Than in the breath that from my mistress reek whom one adored had virtually no human qualities. He’s not saying the smell of Smells- the word didn’t have a her breath is unpleasant negative meaning in just that perfume smells sweeter Shakespeare’s time In conventional love poems you would say her breath was But Shakespeare takes an sweeter than perfume unconventional approach http: //marrasouk. com

The next feature is the sound of her voice I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; Why is her voice not perfect? What reservations has Shakespeare still got? And where is this shown? He’s not being critical of her voice: all he’s saying is that music has a more pleasing sound In the conventional love poem the writer would say that her voice was sweeter than music http: //marrasouk. com A turning point in the poem – he actually likes something about her!! A direct statement; he would rather listen to his mistress than music, even though music sounds superior.

However, divine comparisons are not relevant, for his beloved is beautiful without having to be a Goddess. He is being REALISTIC about her. The poet describes how his mistress walks I admit to you I’ve never seen a goddess walk I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: My mistress walks like anyone else, on the ground, rather than floating through the air In a conventional love poem she would be He’s stressing his mistress is no goddess. described as http: //marrasouk. com a goddess

The last two lines are inset, making them stand out. Ends in a rhyming couplet So does the poet think that his mistress is beautiful or what? The last 2 lines tell us This exclamation shows real feeling, he does love her after all. Direct statement, telling us what he thinks exceptional And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare For emphasis As any she belied with false compare. Any woman The poet thinks she’s She is as beautiful but doesn’t want any woman who is praised to describe her in a cliched way. with false comparisons http: //marrasouk. com

A sonnet has 14 lines rhyme scheme The first 12 lines are. Groups of 4 lines ABAB 3 quatrains 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. With a closing couplet And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare. http: //marrasouk. com Sums things up

The rhyme scheme emphasises the rhyming couplet at the end; this is where the true nature of his feelings is revealed. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare G As any she belied with false compare. G Shakespeare is mocking clichés; he wants to show real love as something deeper than a string of unrealistic compliments. Shakespeare is breaking the tradition of love poetry; the idea of courtly love is replaced with something more ‘real’, more genuine.

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare. • The poet is satirising the tradition of comparing one’s love to all things beautiful, divine and immortal. • He makes many negative comparisons. • But these final lines suggest that she is beyond all these things just by being herself: mortal and approachable. • Rare = precious, superb, of fine and unusual quality • He thinks that his love is more special, than those which are based on superficial comparisons.

Sonnet 130 Simile commonly used in an overexaggerated way by writers of sonnets My mistress' eyes are nothing like Damask is a cloth with a pattern woven in to it, what might it mean here? Regular number of syllables per line Is this a positive or negative impression? Gave wrong impression of Brown colour the sun; Mockery of usual romantic images Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her Breathed out, but also connotations of foul smelling breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. Rhyming couplet, gives the feeling of conclusion Turns all the negative in to I have seen roses damasked, red and white, She walks on earth, the sky was the realm of goddesses