Name: _________________________________________________ Period _______________
My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
a
Simple paraphrase of the
issue/problem and
theme/solution:
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
b
Here is the issue/problem:
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
a
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
b
My lady love does not
compare to the colors I see
around me. Her lips are not
as red as sea coral and her
body is not as white as snow.
Sonnet 130
I have seen roses damask’d, red and white, c
But no such roses see I in her cheeks; d
And in some perfumes is there more delight c
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. d
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know e
That music hath a far more pleasing sound; f
I grant I never saw a goddess go; e
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: f
In fact, my lady love does not
have red cheeks like the
roses or even smell very
good when compared to
some perfumes.
Even though I enjoy hearing
her talk, her voice is not very
musical. She does not walk
like a goddess walks.
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare g
As any she belied with false compare. g
*dun = brownish gray
Here is the “turn:”
Theme/Solution: In reality,
though, my lady is actually
greater than all of the people
and items I just mentioned
above. My lady love is
greater than these because
she is so far above them that
they cannot compare to her.
Other false poets have tried
to say that their ladies are
more beautiful than roses,
but I believe them to be liars.
I just tell the truth.
Some scholars believe that this sonnet is a parody of the typical Petrarchan version of love.
Shakespeare claims to be the honest lover in his description of his lady love. Shakespeare
plays around with the concept of the beautiful maiden and the love for the maiden in the
format of the sonnet, but explains his own “truth” in the final couplet above.