Sonnet 130 by Willian Shakespeare Summary

In Sonnet 130, William Shakespeare challenges the conventional Petrarchan love sonnet by defying the idealization of the beloved. Instead of comparing his mistress to celestial bodies or mythical figures, the poet emphasizes her imperfections and humanness.

The sonnet opens with a direct rejection of the traditional comparison of a lover’s eyes to the sun. The speaker asserts that his mistress’s eyes are “nothing like the sun,” suggesting that she does not conform to the standards of conventional beauty.

In the second quatrain, the poet continues to break down the idealized image of the mistress. He compares her lips to coral, but not in a flattering way. He claims that coral is “far more red” than her lips, implying that her lips are pale and lacking in vibrancy. Similarly, he compares her breasts to snow, but finds her complexion to be “dun,” a dull brownish color. Finally, he likens her hair to “black wires,” a harsh and unflattering metaphor that further undermines the traditional portrait of beauty.

The third quatrain introduces the motif of roses, another common symbol of beauty in love poetry. The speaker acknowledges that he has seen “roses damasked, red and white,” but he fails to find such “roses” in his mistress’s cheeks. Instead, he suggests that her cheeks are lacking in the vibrant colors associated with roses. Additionally, he compares the scent of perfume to the breath of his mistress, finding the former to be more “delightful” than the latter.

The final quatrain brings the sonnet to a paradoxical conclusion. Despite the imperfections he has described, the speaker declares his love for his mistress to be “as rare / As any she belied with false compare.” This suggests that his love is based on true affection and acceptance, rather than superficial beauty. He admits that he has never seen a goddess walk, and that his mistress treads on the ground just like any other human being. Yet, he emphasizes that his love for her is unique and precious, regardless of her departure from conventional beauty standards.

Sonnet 130 stands as a testament to Shakespeare’s ability to deconstruct and challenge established literary conventions. By defying the idealization of the beloved, the sonnet offers a more realistic and authentic portrayal of love, one that celebrates the imperfections and humanness of the object of affection.

Key Points

Author: William Shakespeare is considered to be one of the most important English-language writers. His plays and poems are read all over the world.

Form: Sonnet 130 is a sonnet, a fourteen-line poem that is contained within one stanza. The form that has become synonymous with the poet’s name. The English or Shakespearean sonnet is made up of three quatrains, or sets of four lines, and one concluding couplet, or set of two rhyming lines.

Speaker: The speaker is the poet himself.

Setting: The setting isn’t specific to a particular place or time. It’s more about the universal human experience of love and beauty.

Theme: The main theme of the poem is the authenticity of love and the rejection of false comparisons. It explores how genuine love transcends superficial, exaggerated expressions and cherishes authentic beauty and uniqueness.

Plot: The speaker describes his mistress in unflattering terms, comparing her to things that are not conventionally beautiful but still insisting that he loves her. The poem is a satire of the exaggerated language used in traditional love poetry and a critique of the unrealistic expectations set by society for women’s beauty.

Tone: Satirical, humorous, and affectionate.

Style: Shakespeare’s style in this sonnet, like his others, is characterized by his rich imagery and metaphorical language. He uses metaphors to compare his mistress’s features to various things, but unlike traditional love poetry, these comparisons serve to highlight her ordinary, rather than extraordinary, beauty.

Message: The message of the poem is that genuine love appreciates the true beauty of a person, rather than an idealized version of them. This is encapsulated in the final lines: “And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare, As any she belied with false compare.”

Structure and Rhyme Scheme

The structure of the poem “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” is a Shakespearean sonnet. This form of sonnet is also known as the English sonnet. Here’s a breakdown of its structure and rhyme scheme:

Structure A Shakespearean sonnet consists of 14 lines divided into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final rhymed couplet.

Rhyme Scheme The rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean sonnet is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. This means that in each quatrain, the first and third lines rhyme with each other, and the second and fourth lines rhyme with each other. The final two lines, which form a couplet, also rhyme with each other.

In the case of this poem, the rhyme scheme would look like this:

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, ©

But no such roses see I in her cheeks; (D)

And in some perfumes is there more delight ©

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)

This structure and rhyme scheme are characteristic of Shakespeare’s sonnets and are part of what gives them their musical quality.

Word Meaning