'Sonnet XC' by William Shakespeare
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Then hate me when thou wilt; if ever, now;
Now, while the world is bent my deeds to cross,
Join with the spite of fortune, make me bow,
And do not drop in for an after-loss:
Ah, do not, when my heart hath 'scoped this sorrow,
Come in the rearward of a conquer'd woe;
Give not a windy night a rainy morrow,
To linger out a purposed overthrow.
If thou wilt leave me, do not leave me last,
When other petty griefs have done their spite
But in the onset come; so shall I taste
At first the very worst of fortune's might,
And other strains of woe, which now seem woe,
Compared with loss of thee will not seem so.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sonnet XC by William Shakespeare: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
When it comes to poetry, William Shakespeare is a master that needs no introduction. His works have inspired generations of poets, and his sonnets have become a staple in the world of literature. Sonnet XC is no exception. In this 14-line poem, Shakespeare explores the theme of envy and how it can corrode even the strongest of relationships. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve deeper into Sonnet XC and explore its meaning, structure, and literary devices.
Overview
Sonnet XC begins with a rhetorical question: "Then hate me when thou wilt; if ever, now." The speaker is essentially saying that if the person he is addressing ever wants to hate him, now is the time to do it. The reason for this is revealed in the following lines: "Now, while the world is bent my deeds to cross, join with the spite of fortune, make me bow." The speaker is acknowledging that he is experiencing a lot of opposition and bad luck, and is asking the person to join in on this negativity and make him suffer even more.
The second quatrain of the sonnet further elaborates on the speaker's plight. He says: "And do not drop in for an after-loss: / Ah! do not, when my heart hath 'scaped this sorrow, / Come in the rearward of a conquered woe." Here, the speaker is essentially saying that he doesn't want this person to come to him after he has already gone through the worst of his troubles. It is almost as if the speaker is predicting that this person will try to come back into his life once he has overcome his problems, and he doesn't want that to happen.
The third quatrain of the sonnet takes a turn, as the speaker seems to become more introspective. He says: "Give not a windy night a rainy morrow, / To linger out a purposed overthrow." Here, the speaker is asking the person not to prolong his suffering. He doesn't want them to make his life more difficult than it already is. The final couplet of the sonnet brings everything together, as the speaker says: "If thou wilt leave me, do not leave me last, / When other petty griefs have done their spite, / But in the onset come; so shall I taste / At first the very worst of fortune's might." Essentially, the speaker is saying that if this person is going to leave him, they should do it now, while everything is still going wrong. He doesn't want to be left with even more problems after everything else has settled down.
Structure
Sonnet XC follows the typical structure of a Shakespearean sonnet. It consists of three quatrains and a final couplet, with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The meter of the sonnet is iambic pentameter, meaning that each line contains ten syllables, with the stress falling on every other syllable. The sonnet is written in the first person, with the speaker addressing someone else.
At first glance, the structure of Sonnet XC may seem simple and straightforward. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that Shakespeare has carefully crafted each line to convey a specific meaning. For example, the use of enjambment in the first two lines of the sonnet creates a sense of urgency and desperation, which sets the tone for the rest of the poem.
Literary Devices
One of the most striking literary devices used in Sonnet XC is the repetition of the word "now." This repetition serves to emphasize the urgency of the speaker's situation. The repeated use of the word "now" creates a sense of immediacy, and it is clear that the speaker is asking for something to be done immediately.
Another literary device used in the sonnet is the metaphor of the "rearward of a conquered woe." This metaphor serves to convey the idea that the speaker doesn't want this person to come back into his life once he has already overcome his troubles. The use of the word "rearward" creates a sense of distance, and the idea of a "conquered woe" suggests that the speaker has already overcome his problems.
The use of personification is also evident in the sonnet. In the line "join with the spite of fortune, make me bow," the speaker is personifying fortune, suggesting that it is actively working against him. This personification serves to create a sense of conflict and opposition, which is a recurring theme in the sonnet.
Interpretation
Sonnet XC is a poem about envy and how it can corrode even the strongest of relationships. The speaker is essentially saying that he is going through a difficult time, and he doesn't want anyone to make it worse. He is asking the person he is addressing to leave him alone, and not to try to come back into his life once he has already overcome his problems.
The theme of envy is evident throughout the sonnet. The speaker is envious of this person's ability to be happy while he is suffering. He is essentially saying that if this person wants to hate him, they should do it now, while he is at his lowest point. The speaker is jealous of this person's ability to move on from their problems, while he is still struggling.
Another theme that is evident in the sonnet is the idea of conflict and opposition. The speaker is experiencing a lot of opposition and bad luck, and he feels as if the world is working against him. This sense of conflict is evident in the phrase "the spite of fortune," which suggests that the world is actively working against the speaker.
Overall, Sonnet XC is a powerful poem that explores the themes of envy, conflict, and opposition. Through his use of literary devices and careful craftsmanship, Shakespeare is able to convey the speaker's desperation and urgency, as well as his jealousy and envy. The sonnet serves as a reminder that even the strongest of relationships can be corroded by envy and conflict, and that it is important to be mindful of these emotions.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sonnet XC by William Shakespeare is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time. It is a sonnet that is full of emotion, passion, and depth. In this article, we will take a closer look at this sonnet and analyze its meaning, structure, and literary devices used by Shakespeare.
The sonnet begins with the line, "Then hate me when thou wilt; if ever, now." This line sets the tone for the entire sonnet. It is a plea from the speaker to his lover to hate him if she ever will, but to do it now. This line is a paradox because the speaker is asking his lover to hate him, but at the same time, he is asking her to do it now, which shows that he does not really want her to hate him.
The second line of the sonnet, "Now, while the world is bent my deeds to cross," is a continuation of the first line. The speaker is saying that the world is against him, and his lover should hate him now because it is the perfect time to do so. The world is trying to stop him from doing what he wants to do, and he is asking his lover to join in.
The third line of the sonnet, "Join with the spite of fortune, make me bow," is a request from the speaker to his lover to join forces with the world and make him bow down. The speaker is saying that he is ready to face the consequences of his actions, and his lover should be a part of it.
The fourth line of the sonnet, "And do not drop in for an after-loss," is a warning from the speaker to his lover not to come back to him after he has suffered the consequences of his actions. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should not come back to him later when he is down and out.
The fifth line of the sonnet, "Ah, do not, when my heart hath 'scoped this sorrow," is a plea from the speaker to his lover not to come back to him when his heart has healed from the pain of the consequences of his actions. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should not come back to him when he is feeling better.
The sixth line of the sonnet, "Come in the rearward of a conquered woe," is a request from the speaker to his lover to come back to him after he has conquered his sorrow. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should come back to him after he has overcome his problems.
The seventh line of the sonnet, "Give not a windy night a rainy morrow," is a warning from the speaker to his lover not to make things worse for him. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should not make things worse for him by coming back to him when he is feeling better.
The eighth line of the sonnet, "To linger out a purposed overthrow," is a plea from the speaker to his lover not to prolong his suffering. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should not make things worse for him by coming back to him when he is feeling better.
The ninth line of the sonnet, "If thou wilt leave me, do not leave me last," is a request from the speaker to his lover not to be the last one to leave him. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should not be the last one to leave him because it will be too painful for him.
The tenth line of the sonnet, "When other petty griefs have done their spite," is a plea from the speaker to his lover to leave him when other petty griefs have done their damage. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should leave him when other problems have been resolved.
The eleventh line of the sonnet, "But in the onset come; so shall I taste," is a request from the speaker to his lover to leave him at the beginning of his problems. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should leave him at the beginning of his problems so that he can taste the bitterness of his actions.
The twelfth line of the sonnet, "At first the very worst of fortune's might," is a plea from the speaker to his lover to leave him when he is at his lowest point. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should leave him when he is at his lowest point so that he can experience the worst of his actions.
The thirteenth line of the sonnet, "And other strains of woe, which now seem woe," is a plea from the speaker to his lover to leave him when other problems seem like nothing compared to his current situation. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should leave him when other problems seem like nothing compared to his current situation.
The final line of the sonnet, "Compared with loss of thee, will not seem so," is a plea from the speaker to his lover to leave him because compared to losing her, everything else will seem like nothing. The speaker is saying that if his lover hates him now, she should leave him because losing her will be the worst thing that could happen to him.
In conclusion, Sonnet XC by William Shakespeare is a powerful piece of poetry that is full of emotion and depth. The sonnet is a plea from the speaker to his lover to hate him now and not to come back to him later. The sonnet is a paradox because the speaker is asking his lover to hate him, but at the same time, he is asking her not to. The sonnet is full of literary devices such as paradox, repetition, and imagery. Overall, Sonnet XC is a classic piece of poetry that will continue to be studied and analyzed for generations to come.
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