“My mistress’ eyes” by William Shakespeare shows the poignant ability of comparison used within poetry. The speaker continually compares his mistress to various objects, mocking the perfection often told within romantic poetry. The comparisons are used to show images of classic romantic poetry, by flipping them upside down. This reverse emphasis lends a different form of imagery. The focus on comparison leads one to understand that the woman being described is not perfection, but just another normal female. The sonnet, despite seeming to be implying his mistress is not perfect, is not intended to be taken poorly. Instead, a parody of the classical romantic style is shown, ending with the speaker still insisting that despite imperfection, his Mistress is still entirely loved. …show more content…
Shakespeare seems to be attempting to insult his mistress, by reversing often said comparisons. Saying things such as, “Coral is far more red than her lips’ red” (Shakespeare 827), Shakespeare incites powerful points on the imperfection of the Mistress. These comparisons compound, leading the reader to assume that the individual being compared to is old, and not in her prime. However, the comparisons take a reverse ending, with a final comparison to the speaker’s own love. The speaker states, “And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare, as any she belied with false compare.” (Shakespeare 828). This final comparison implies that the speaker is still in love with his despite her shortcomings. His love is only as rare, as something that occurs far too often. Thus, despite claiming that there are many of things better than his lover, the speaker still sticks to the undying devotion two in love
Shakespeare’s comparison to the sea is appropriate for this situation because when first looking at this quote, it invokes an idea of true love. However, when further looking into this quote, the comparison shows more of an extreme love. Just like the sea, it can have choppy and dangerous aspects that can cause a person to drown. This figurative language has two meanings that demonstrate the multiple aspects of love. Shakespeare continues to express his idea of love through figurative language.
The mistress, the subject of the sonnet, is not a fully established or developed character like Hamlet or Juliet, this character gives a chance to poke and makes fun of cliché love poems. The speaker’s descriptions about his mistress are negative and vague, this is seen in line one where the speaker says his mistress eyes cannot compare with the sun. This comparison is an example of an exaggerated simile so that the reader can see how absurd this types of comparisons are. The speaker uses the word “reeks” in line eight to illustrate a clear image of how non-perfect this woman is. He also uses the words “grant” and “goddess” to create a hyperbole.
While the speaker compares his mistress to several beautiful things which are never in favor of the mistress, the speaker shows how the sonnet makes a complete mockery of Petrarchan conventions. The speaker constantly compares his mistress to beautiful and valuable objects. The speaker notes that “[He has] seen roses damasked, red and white”, to show how he has seen a variety of different color changes in roses; However, he acts surprised by the fact that he has never been able to see that marvelous color change in his mistress’s cheeks which show how . In the first few lines of the poem, the speaker points out what his mistress’s physical appearance is lacking. The speaker thinks his “mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun.” Instead of making
In his poem Shakespeare mocks cliches and writes the complete opposite of a stereotypical love poem. He describes the worst features she has but at the end he says how all other love is fake and his love is real because it's real love. This poem shows that people will still love you even if you don't fit into the category of having a perfect face and perfect body. Like Bruno Mars, Shakespeare exaggerates his comparisons to criticise the typical cliches. He uses "coral is far more red than the sun." Shakespeare does this to compare all the things that his mistress, that use is not. Typical love poetry does the opposite and compares her to all the things that make her beautiful, like Bruno Mar's song "Just The Way You Are." But in the rhyming couplets he says he loves her despite the thing is she is not. In the end of Bruno Mars's song he says he loves her because of all the things she is. Realistically after a while there would be something about her physical appearance that he dislike. Shakespeare's poem is
“Sonnet 130: My Mistress Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun” composed by Shakespeare, is one of my favorite poems because of the way diction is creatively used to convey a message. Instead of using elaborate poetic syntax, he recurred to utilizing the same format in a more realistic context to deliver a bare interpretation of true love’s essence. As time has passed, language has evolved along with culture and gained different connotations. If this poem was to be read using today’s modern understanding of the language, this sonnet would probably cause a different response than the one from its time period.
In the sonnet, the speaker tends to focus on the negative aspects of women when describing the youth’s beauty. For example, the speaker says, “A woman’s face with nature’s own hand painted”
Thesis- People are not as they may seem. We see this with the speakers in “To His Coy Mistress,” and, “My Last Duchess,” with different motivations, but similar intentions they both see women as objects but in different ways. They illustrate contrasting viewpoint with their description of the women in their lives - the speaker in the “Coy Mistress” appears to desire and maybe even glorify his mistress, but the Duke appears contemptuous of his Duchess, and talks about her in a vilify way. The word choices and poetic rhetorical devices of the speakers reveal their attitudes toward women.
Another Demonstration of tone, taking an addition to author's purpose, is portrayed in “My mistress’ eyes” by William Shakespeare in which he was mocking the point of view of other poets that over exaggerated the beauty of a woman. This poem reflects the essence of being ironically loving through tone, where Shakespeare decides to correctly compare his mistress. “And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare, As any she belied with false compare.” Taking into account the way he decides to use his tone of indifference, as if he were really talking truths about his lover, that the harsh things he says about her don’t matter. He relies on the reality of his Mistress’ misfortune and unappealing characteristics to define his affection accurately.
William Shakespeare expressed through his sonnet, “My Mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” that the lover was anything but stereotypical. Throughout the sonnet the speaker continues to compare his lover to a number of other beauties. This lover is never in favor. Poems tended to make highly idealizing comparisons between nature and the poets’ lover that were, if taken literally, completely ridiculous. He is somewhat making fun of these terms as well as implying that the lady is nothing more than a regular human being.
People perceive “Sonnet 130”, by William Shakespeare, in many different ways. There are not many options but the two that are there are very controversial. Some can say that he is just talking crap to his girl by pointing out all of her flaws. Others say that he has a heart and is pointing all of these things out to show that she does not have to be perfect. He wants her flaws and nothing fake.
Looks Can Be Deceiving The man in this poem “ Sonnet 130 “ by Shakespeare seems as if he is a unleashing himself off strong with judging his mistress but looks can be deceiving. The way he portray’s his mistress in this poem is almost completely not wrong. He points out a lot of faults in her, (Line 8) “ Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks “ although may sound wrong and mean, but towards the end of the poem is quite almost feels not romantic, but proud to admit that he is bonded to someone who is different for once and not someone who is orderly in a sense. He proves that everything isn’t wrong with her “ I love to hear her speak, yet well I know, music hath a far more pleasing sound “ (Line 9-10)
“My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun” In William Shakespeare’s “My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun” he emphasizes physical beauty is insincere and is not as essential as a person’s emotional, intellectual, and spiritual qualities. The mistress’ love compares her physical appearance and characteristics to the beauty of nature; perceptibly the mistress’ is not appealing. Shakespeare’s description of love is an atrocity to the typical women every man lusts for. He does not place his mistress above others but portrays her for her true beauty that only he knows.
The couplet of this sonnet renews the speaker's wish for their love, urging her to "love well" which he must soon leave. But after the third quatrain, the speaker applauds his lover for having courage and adoration to remain faithful to him. The rhyme couplet suggests the unconditional love between the speaker and his
The title of the poem “My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun” suggests that the speaker is not in love with his ‘mistress’. However, this is not the case. Shakespeare uses figurative language by using criticizing hyperboles to mock the traditional love sonnet. Thus, showing not only that the ideal woman is not always a ‘goddess’, but mocking the way others write about love. Shakespeare proves that love can be written about and accomplished without the artificial and exuberant. The speaker’s tone is ironic, sarcastic, and comical turning the traditional conceit around using satire. The traditional iambic pentameter rhyming scheme of the sonnet makes the diction fall into place as relaxed, truthful, and with elegance in the easy flowing verse. In turn, making this sonnet one of parody and real love.
In fact, this must be so for the same principle applies in Sonnet 130. After an entire sonnet of lines in which the poet denigrates his mistress, he still finally refers to her as is his love despite it all, simply because she is unique in and of herself and the other half of