'Sonnet 80: O, how I faint when I of you do write' by William Shakespeare

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The Sonnets1609O, how I faint when I of you do write,
Knowing a better spirit doth use your name,
And in the praise thereof spends all his might
To make me tongue-tied speaking of your fame.
But since your worth, wide as the ocean is,
The humble as the proudest sail doth bear,
My saucy bark, inferior far to his,
On your broad main doth wilfully appear.
Your shallowest help will hold me up afloat,
Whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride;
Or, being wrecked, I am a worthless boat,
He of tall building, and of goodly pride.Then if he thrive and I be cast away,The worst was this: my love was my decay.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Sonnet 80: O, how I faint when I of you do write by William Shakespeare

O, how I faint when I of you do write!
Knowing a better spirit doth use your name,
And in the praise thereof spends all his might,
To make me tongue-tied speaking of your fame.
But since your worth, wide as the ocean is,
The humble as the proudest sail doth bear,
My saucy bark, inferior far to his,
On your broad main doth wilfully appear.
Your shallowest help will hold me up afloat,
Whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride;
Or being wrecked, I am a worthless boat,
He of tall building, and of goodly pride:
Then if he thrive and I be cast away,
The worst was this, my love was my decay.

Introduction

William Shakespeare is a name that needs no introduction when it comes to English literature. He is known for his plays, poems, and sonnets which are admired till date. Sonnet 80: O, how I faint when I of you do write is one of the 154 sonnets written by Shakespeare. It is a poem about his own struggle to convey the worthiness of his subject. The poem is a reflection of how Shakespeare feels inadequate when he compares himself to the other poets who have written about the same subject.

Interpretation

The poem begins with the line, "O, how I faint when I of you do write!" which emphasizes the poet's faintness or weakness concerning the subject of the poem. He is aware that there are other better poets who have written about the same subject and have used her name in a better way. The use of "you" in the poem refers to the woman who Shakespeare is in love with.

The second line, "Knowing a better spirit doth use your name," shows the poet's knowledge that there are other poets who are better than him when it comes to writing about the woman. He acknowledges that these poets have used the woman's name in a better way, and their writing has more power than his.

The third line, "And in the praise thereof spends all his might," emphasizes the efforts that other poets have put in to praise the woman. It shows that these poets have spent all their might in the praise of the woman, and their writing has more power than that of Shakespeare.

The fourth line, "To make me tongue-tied speaking of your fame," shows how the poet feels inferior to these other poets. He feels tongue-tied when he tries to speak of the woman's fame because he feels inadequate compared to these other poets.

The fifth and the sixth line, "But since your worth, wide as the ocean is, / The humble as the proudest sail doth bear," show that the woman's worth is so great that even the humblest person can bear it. The woman's worth is compared to the vastness of the ocean, and her worthiness is such that it can be carried by even the humblest person.

The seventh and the eighth line, "My saucy bark, inferior far to his, / On your broad main doth wilfully appear," shows the poet's lack of confidence compared to these other poets. The use of "saucy bark" refers to the poet's writing, which he feels is not as good as the other poets. The use of "wilfully" shows that the poet is aware of his shortcomings, but he still wants to be heard.

The ninth and the tenth line, "Your shallowest help will hold me up afloat, / Whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride," shows that even the shallowest help from the woman can help the poet stay afloat. The other poets, who are better than him, are compared to a ship that rides on "soundless deep," which means that they have more power and confidence than the poet.

The eleventh and the twelfth line, "Or being wrecked, I am a worthless boat, / He of tall building, and of goodly pride," shows how the poet feels that he is nothing compared to these other poets. The use of "worthless boat" shows that the poet is aware of his limitations. The other poets are compared to a ship of "tall building and of goodly pride," which means that they are more powerful and more confident than the poet.

The thirteenth and the fourteenth line, "Then if he thrive and I be cast away, / The worst was this, my love was my decay," shows the poet's fear of failure. He is aware that he might not succeed in his writing, and the other poets might be more successful. The use of "my love was my decay" shows that the poet's love for the woman has been a source of his weakness.

Conclusion

Sonnet 80: O, how I faint when I of you do write by William Shakespeare is a poem about the poet's struggle to convey the worthiness of his subject. The poem shows how the poet feels inadequate when compared to other poets who have written about the same subject. The use of metaphorical language and imagery is one of the characteristic features of Shakespeare's poetry. The poem uses metaphors like the vastness of the ocean and the soundless deep to convey the power and confidence of the other poets. The poem's final line, "my love was my decay," shows that the poet's love for the woman has been a source of his weakness. Overall, the poem is a beautiful reflection of the inner turmoil of a poet who is struggling to convey the worthiness of his subject.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Sonnet 80: O, how I faint when I of you do write, written by the legendary William Shakespeare, is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time. This sonnet is a beautiful expression of love and admiration for the subject of the poem. In this article, we will analyze and explain the meaning and significance of this sonnet.

The sonnet begins with the speaker expressing his feelings of faintness when he writes about the subject of the poem. The speaker is so overwhelmed by his emotions that he feels as though he might faint. This is a powerful expression of the intensity of the speaker's love for the subject.

The second line of the sonnet reads, "And yet cannot I not write of him aright." Here, the speaker is acknowledging that even though he is overcome with emotion, he still cannot write about the subject of the poem in a way that does him justice. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's humility and his recognition of the limitations of language in expressing the depth of his feelings.

In the third line, the speaker says, "For he himself is all his beauty's sum." This line is a beautiful expression of the subject's perfection. The speaker is saying that the subject is so perfect that his beauty cannot be summed up in words. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's reverence for the subject and his recognition of his greatness.

The fourth line of the sonnet reads, "And, though I write of him, I cannot praise him." Here, the speaker is acknowledging that even though he is trying to praise the subject, his words fall short. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's frustration with the limitations of language in expressing his feelings.

The fifth line of the sonnet reads, "I love him more than ever I did praise him." Here, the speaker is saying that his love for the subject is greater than his ability to praise him. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's recognition that love is greater than language in expressing his feelings.

In the sixth line, the speaker says, "O, that I could express his worth!" Here, the speaker is expressing his desire to be able to express the subject's worth. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's frustration with his inability to fully express his feelings.

The seventh line of the sonnet reads, "But since he lacks the skill to write of thee." Here, the speaker is acknowledging that the subject does not have the skill to write about himself. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's recognition of the subject's humility and his own role as the poet.

In the eighth line, the speaker says, "What he wants in skill, he makes up in love." Here, the speaker is saying that even though the subject may lack the skill to write about himself, he makes up for it with his love. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's recognition of the subject's love and his own love for the subject.

The ninth line of the sonnet reads, "Then, dear friend, take him thy sweet report." Here, the speaker is addressing a friend and asking them to take his report of the subject. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's desire to share his feelings with others.

In the final line of the sonnet, the speaker says, "Give him thyself, and all that thou hast got." Here, the speaker is asking the friend to give the subject everything they have. This line is significant because it shows the speaker's recognition of the subject's worth and his desire for the subject to have everything.

Overall, Sonnet 80: O, how I faint when I of you do write is a beautiful expression of love and admiration for the subject of the poem. The sonnet is significant because it shows the limitations of language in expressing the depth of human emotion and the power of love to transcend those limitations. Shakespeare's use of language and imagery in this sonnet is masterful, and it continues to inspire and move readers to this day.

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