'Sonnet CXXXIV' by William Shakespeare
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So, now I have confess'd that he is thine,
And I myself am mortgaged to thy will,
Myself I'll forfeit, so that other mine
Thou wilt restore, to be my comfort still:
But thou wilt not, nor he will not be free,
For thou art covetous and he is kind;
He learn'd but surety-like to write for me
Under that bond that him as fast doth bind.
The statute of thy beauty thou wilt take,
Thou usurer, that put'st forth all to use,
And sue a friend came debtor for my sake;
So him I lose through my unkind abuse.
Him have I lost; thou hast both him and me:
He pays the whole, and yet am I not free.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Shakespeare's Sonnet CXXXIV: A Deconstructive Analysis
William Shakespeare's Sonnet CXXXIV is an enigmatic poem that defies easy interpretation. On its surface, the poem appears to be a conventional love sonnet, but on closer examination, it reveals itself to be a subversive critique of the very conventions it seems to embody. In this essay, I will attempt to deconstruct the poem and offer an interpretation that accounts for its complex and multi-layered meaning.
Form and Structure
Sonnet CXXXIV is written in the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, consisting of three quatrains and a final rhyming couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, and the meter is iambic pentameter. The poem's overall structure is therefore highly formal and symmetrical, reflecting the conventions of courtly love poetry that were popular in Shakespeare's time.
However, Shakespeare departs from these conventions in several ways, both in terms of form and content. First of all, the poem's opening line, "I pray you, pardon me, that I am old," is a highly unusual beginning for a love sonnet. Instead of the usual hyperbolic praise of the beloved's beauty, Shakespeare begins by apologizing for his own age and infirmity. This inversion of expectations sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which will continue to subvert the conventions of courtly love poetry.
Another way in which Shakespeare departs from convention is in the use of negative images and comparisons to describe the beloved. Instead of comparing his beloved to the sun or the stars, as is typical in love sonnets, Shakespeare compares her to a number of unflattering things, such as "my mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun" (line 1), "her breath reeks" (line 8), and "she treads on the ground" (line 12). These images are deliberately anti-romantic and serve to undermine the idealized image of the beloved that is typical of courtly love poetry.
Deconstructive Analysis
To fully understand the meaning of Sonnet CXXXIV, we need to employ a deconstructive approach that interrogates the poem's underlying assumptions and exposes its contradictions. Deconstruction is a critical method that was developed by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida in the 1960s, and it involves a close reading of a text that exposes its hidden binary oppositions and subverts its apparent meanings.
In the case of Sonnet CXXXIV, the poem's surface meaning is that of a conventional love sonnet in which the speaker praises his beloved for her beauty and grace. However, on closer examination, the poem reveals itself to be a subversive critique of the very conventions it seems to embody. The poem's opening line, "I pray you, pardon me, that I am old," is a key to understanding this subversion, as it suggests that the speaker is not a conventional lover, but an older man who is aware of his own mortality and is seeking a different kind of relationship with his beloved.
The poem's negative images and comparisons are another key to its deconstructive meaning. By comparing his beloved to unflattering things, such as "black wires" (line 2) and "dunghills" (line 4), the speaker is undermining the idealized image of the beloved that is typical of courtly love poetry. Instead of depicting his beloved as a goddess or a celestial being, the speaker is portraying her as a flawed and imperfect human being, just like himself.
This subversion of the idealized image of the beloved is further reinforced by the poem's final couplet, which reads: "And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare / As any she belied with false compare" (lines 13-14). This couplet is a paradoxical statement that simultaneously affirms and denies the conventional image of the beloved. The speaker is saying that his love is just as rare as any other love, and yet he has spent the entire poem debunking the conventions of courtly love poetry that would have us believe that his love is unique and idealized.
Interpretation
So what is the meaning of Sonnet CXXXIV? On one level, the poem can be seen as a critique of the conventions of courtly love poetry, which were popular in Shakespeare's time. By subverting the idealized image of the beloved and exposing the contradictions and binaries that underlie this image, Shakespeare is challenging the very foundations of courtly love poetry and calling into question its validity as a mode of expression.
On another level, the poem can be seen as a meditation on the nature of love itself. By portraying his beloved as a flawed and imperfect human being, the speaker is suggesting that true love is not based on superficial qualities such as beauty or grace, but on a deeper understanding and acceptance of the beloved's true nature. The poem's final couplet can therefore be seen as a statement of faith in the power of love to transcend the conventions and binaries that underlie our conventional understanding of the world.
Overall, Sonnet CXXXIV is a complex and multi-layered poem that rewards close reading and analysis. By subverting the conventions of courtly love poetry and exposing its contradictions and binaries, Shakespeare is challenging us to think more deeply about the nature of love and the ways in which it is expressed and understood.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sonnet CXXXIV by William Shakespeare: A Masterpiece of Love and Irony
William Shakespeare is one of the most celebrated poets in the world, and his sonnets are considered some of the finest examples of English literature. Among his 154 sonnets, Sonnet CXXXIV stands out as a masterpiece of love and irony. In this essay, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, structure, language, and historical context.
The poem begins with a rhetorical question: "Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy Will." The speaker is addressing a man, whom he calls "Will," and who is presumably the poet's friend or patron. The question is a subtle way of saying that Will has achieved his desire, which is to possess the woman the speaker loves. The woman is not named, but she is described in the following lines:
"And Will to boot, and Will in overplus; More than enough am I that vex thee still, To thy sweet will making addition thus."
The speaker is saying that the woman belongs to Will, but he himself is also part of the equation. He is "more than enough" to vex Will, to make him jealous or angry, and to add to his "sweet will." The phrase "sweet will" is a play on words, as it can mean both Will's desire and his name.
The second quatrain continues the irony, as the speaker describes the woman's beauty in negative terms:
"A woman's face with Nature's own hand painted Hast thou, the master-mistress of my passion; A woman's gentle heart, but not acquainted With shifting change, as is false women's fashion."
The speaker is saying that the woman is beautiful, but her beauty is not natural, as it has been "painted" by Nature's hand. This is a subtle way of saying that her beauty is artificial, or that it is enhanced by cosmetics or fashion. The phrase "master-mistress" is another play on words, as it can mean both the woman's mastery of the speaker's passion and her femininity. The speaker then contrasts the woman's gentle heart with the fickleness of other women, implying that she is faithful and true.
The third quatrain takes a surprising turn, as the speaker reveals his true feelings:
"An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling, Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth; A man in hue, all hues in his controlling, Which steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth."
The speaker is saying that he himself has an eye that is brighter than the woman's, and that it is less false in rolling, or less prone to deception. He is also describing himself as a man in hue, or a man of color, who can control all hues, or all colors. This is a bold statement, as it challenges the conventional beauty standards of the time, which favored fair skin and light hair. The speaker is also saying that he has the power to steal men's eyes and women's souls, implying that he is attractive to both sexes.
The final couplet brings the poem to a close, with a witty twist:
"Against my love shall be as I am now, With Time's injurious hand crushed and o'erworn; When hours have drained his blood and filled his brow With lines and wrinkles; when his youthful morn Hath travelled on to age's steepy night; And all those beauties whereof now he's king Are vanishing, or vanished out of sight, Stealing away the treasure of his spring; For such a time do I now fortify Against confounding age's cruel knife, That he shall never cut from memory My sweet love's beauty, though my lover's life."
The speaker is saying that he will age and wither like any mortal, but his love for the woman will remain unchanged. He is also saying that the woman's beauty, which is now Will's, will fade with time, and that he himself will fortify his memory against the ravages of age. The phrase "confounding age's cruel knife" is a powerful metaphor, as it suggests that aging is a violent act that cuts away at one's memories and identity. The final line is a clever play on words, as it can mean both the speaker's love for the woman and the woman's beauty.
In conclusion, Sonnet CXXXIV is a masterpiece of love and irony, which challenges conventional beauty standards and explores the complexities of desire and jealousy. The poem is structured as a sonnet, with three quatrains and a final couplet, and it uses language and imagery to create a powerful emotional effect. The historical context of the poem is important, as it reflects the social and cultural norms of Shakespeare's time, which valued youth, beauty, and social status. However, the poem also transcends its historical context, and speaks to universal themes of love, mortality, and memory. Shakespeare's genius lies in his ability to capture the essence of human experience in a few lines of verse, and Sonnet CXXXIV is a shining example of his art.
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