Sonnet 130
William Shakespeare
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
Sonnet 130 And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare /As any she belied with false compare.
3 quatrains
(lines of 4)
Structure
Shakespearean Sonnet Concluding couplet
(2 lines) expressing the
theme.
Summary:
• The speaker describes the eyes of the woman he
loves, noting that they are not like the sun.
• He then compares the colour of her lips to that of
coral, a reddish-pink, concluding that her lips are
much less red.
• Next he compares her breasts to the whiteness of
snow. His lover's skin, in contrast, is a dull gray.
• He suggests that his lover's hair is like black wires.
• He has seen roses that blend together pink and
white hues, but that his lover's cheeks lack such
colours: they are not rosy pink.
Summary …continued
• Some perfumes smell better than her
breath which ‘reeks’
• He loves to listen to her talk, but he
understands that music sounds better.
• Though he has never seen a goddess
move, he says his lover moves like an
ordinary person, simply walking on the
ground.
• Yet he swears, the woman he loves is as
unique, as special, and as beautiful, as
any woman whose beauty has been
falsely compared by other poets.
Tone
• Lighthearted , blunt (realistic) and satirical
gently making fun of typical romantic
poetry.
• Shifts in the last 2 lines.
• Admiring and genuine in the concluding
couplet. The speaker recognises the
shortcomings of his mistress, but unlike
other poets, loves her for exactly who she
is.
Theme
The main idea in Sonnet 130 is to
challenge those poets who describe
their lovers in a hyperbolic, cliched
way.
This was a tradition of Romantic
poets of the time.
Shakespeare affirms that he sees his
mistress in realistic terms, yet he
loves her as much as those compared
in a false, exaggerated way.
Questions
1. Structure: 3 quatrains - describes his mistress in realistic terms.
Concluding couplet – affirms his love for her and addresses the
theme. (challenging Romantic poets)
Tone- first 12 lines = blunt. Tone in couplet: admiration.
2. No – he is being realistic about her. Yes – cynical of Romantic poets.
Questions
3. He is criticising Romantic poets who wrote cliched, exaggerated verse
about their mistresses. He does this to expose the unrealistic nature of this.
4. She is heavy-footed possibly because she is large in stature/ providing a
contrast.
5. Pace slows down with the commas – suggesting she walks slowly.
6. He is showing how he disagrees with Romantic poets. He loves his mistress
as much as any female described in exaggerated terms.
7. Eyes and lips are visual images, breath/ perfumes links to olfactory images
(smell) Speak/ tread refers to hearing/ auditory senses. He is challenging
Romantic love poetry of the time that is exaggerated and unrealistic.
Questions
8. Tone first 12 lines blunt and satirical , last 2 appreciative, loving
9. An affirmation or oath. Shows his conviction, strong feeling.
