Sonnet 130
Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 130” presents a new form of poetry. Shakespeare’s writing style and form in “Sonnet 130” aid in the presentation of the meaning of the poem. In Shakespeare’s sonnet, he expresses his eternal love for his mistress in a fashion that is new to the reader. With his fine sense of language, Shakespeare is able to successfully accomplish his task of writing a parody love poem.
Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 130” is considered a parody of Petrarchan style. Petrarchan sonnets are written by love struck males comparing their mistresses to goddesses and beautiful objects such as a rose and the sun. Shakespeare’s parody of Petrarchan style involves comparing his mistress to objects such as the sun and roses but with an unsuspected twist. Shakespeare admits that his “mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;” and that “coral is far more red than her lips’ red.” Shakespeare writes a love poem criticizing his mistress, but makes up for it at the end with the turn in his sonnet. In lines thirteen and fourteen, Shakespeare changes the tone of his writing. He begins line thirteen with the phrase, “And yet,” which shows that he is changing the tone of his writing. After Shakespeare states that his mistress is not attractive, has bad breath, and walks like a lame dog, he attempts to make up for it by saying that no one can love her more than him. In his turn Shakespeare makes a sarcastic comment about Petrarchan style sonnets. Shakespeare declares that he is not falsely comparing his mistress like all the other poet’s comparisons of their mistresses. The turn shows that a person does not need to be perfect to be loved.
Without Shakespeare’s use of metaphors and similes, the poem would not have the same meaning. Shakespeare uses metaphors to compare his mistress to many beautiful things in the world. He writes, “If snow be white, when then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.” Much of Shakespeare’s sonnet is the comparison of his mistress to the world.
Shakespeare’s content fits into the normal organization of a sonnet well. Shakespeare uses the organization to his advantage when planning how to present his information. In the first quatrain of his sonnet, he is comparing the physical appearance of his mistress to earthly objects with the normal “a/b” rhyme scheme. In the second quatrain, he moves on compare his mistress’s more personal qualities such as her breath, her speech, and her gait in the standard “a/b” rhyme scheme. “I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground,” Shakespeare comments. His comparisons of her are increasingly harsh until the last stanza when he says “And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.” His love of her is greater than anything else; her looks and personal issues do not matter to him.
Careful word choice contributes to Shakespeare’s well crafted sonnet. In line eight, Shakespeare uses the word reeks to describe his mistress’ breath. This choice is much stronger than smells or stinks. The word reeks is associated with putrid and garbage. This strong word choice shows that even though her breath is putrid he still loves her. In line ten, Shakespeare claims that “music hath a far more pleasing sound.” With a word like music, a reader associates lyrical beauty with music. Since the mistress has a voice less lyrical than music, a screeching sound is associated with her voice. Shakespeare makes his comparisons very extreme.
Shakespeare’s appropriate use of language allows for a new form of poetry to be explored. His sarcastic style is a change from the normal Petrarchan style of sonnet writing.
-Do we need citations?
-How do we write “Sonnet 130”
-how do we write a/b rhyme scheme
-help me write an end!!!!!!
Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 130” presents a new form of poetry. Shakespeare’s writing style and form in “Sonnet 130” aid in the presentation of the meaning of the poem. In Shakespeare’s sonnet, he expresses his eternal love for his mistress in a fashion that is new to the reader. With his fine sense of language, Shakespeare is able to successfully accomplish his task of writing a parody love poem.
Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 130” is considered a parody of Petrarchan style. Petrarchan sonnets are written by love struck males comparing their mistresses to goddesses and beautiful objects such as a rose and the sun. Shakespeare’s parody of Petrarchan style involves comparing his mistress to objects such as the sun and roses but with an unsuspected twist. Shakespeare admits that his “mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;” and that “coral is far more red than her lips’ red.” Shakespeare writes a love poem criticizing his mistress, but makes up for it at the end with the turn in his sonnet. In lines thirteen and fourteen, Shakespeare changes the tone of his writing. He begins line thirteen with the phrase, “And yet,” which shows that he is changing the tone of his writing. After Shakespeare states that his mistress is not attractive, has bad breath, and walks like a lame dog, he attempts to make up for it by saying that no one can love her more than him. In his turn Shakespeare makes a sarcastic comment about Petrarchan style sonnets. Shakespeare declares that he is not falsely comparing his mistress like all the other poet’s comparisons of their mistresses. The turn shows that a person does not need to be perfect to be loved.
Without Shakespeare’s use of metaphors and similes, the poem would not have the same meaning. Shakespeare uses metaphors to compare his mistress to many beautiful things in the world. He writes, “If snow be white, when then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.” Much of Shakespeare’s sonnet is the comparison of his mistress to the world.
Shakespeare’s content fits into the normal organization of a sonnet well. Shakespeare uses the organization to his advantage when planning how to present his information. In the first quatrain of his sonnet, he is comparing the physical appearance of his mistress to earthly objects with the normal “a/b” rhyme scheme. In the second quatrain, he moves on compare his mistress’s more personal qualities such as her breath, her speech, and her gait in the standard “a/b” rhyme scheme. “I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground,” Shakespeare comments. His comparisons of her are increasingly harsh until the last stanza when he says “And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.” His love of her is greater than anything else; her looks and personal issues do not matter to him.
Careful word choice contributes to Shakespeare’s well crafted sonnet. In line eight, Shakespeare uses the word reeks to describe his mistress’ breath. This choice is much stronger than smells or stinks. The word reeks is associated with putrid and garbage. This strong word choice shows that even though her breath is putrid he still loves her. In line ten, Shakespeare claims that “music hath a far more pleasing sound.” With a word like music, a reader associates lyrical beauty with music. Since the mistress has a voice less lyrical than music, a screeching sound is associated with her voice. Shakespeare makes his comparisons very extreme.
Shakespeare’s appropriate use of language allows for a new form of poetry to be explored. His sarcastic style is a change from the normal Petrarchan style of sonnet writing.
-Do we need citations?
-How do we write “Sonnet 130”
-how do we write a/b rhyme scheme
-help me write an end!!!!!!