SONNET 130
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SONNET 130
What conventions of beauty are turned upside down? Does the speaker challenge or except the standard of women's beauty that have praised by other poet's what is the theme and underlying tone of the sonnet. Translate the poem note the beginning of couplet. Explain the impact of this couplet on the preceding twelve lines of the couplets. Yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare. As any she belied with false compare.
SONNET 130
PARAPHRASE
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
My mistress's eyes are not at all like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
Coral is much more red than her lips;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If snow is white, then her breasts are certainly not white as snow;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
If hairs can be compared to wires, hers are black and not golden.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
I have seen roses colored a combination of red and white (thus pink),
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
But I do not see such colors in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
And some perfumes give more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
Than the breath of my mistress.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
I love to hear her speak, but I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
That music has a more pleasing sound than her voice;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
I also never saw a goddess walk;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
But I know that my mistress walks only on the ground.
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
And yet I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
As any woman who has had poetic untruths told about her beauty with false comparisons.