Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare An unconventional love poem about the “Dark Lady” Shakespeare wrote over 20 poems about the Dark Lady who remains a mysterious figure. We try and build up a picture of her from the poem. Images of the authors are courtesy of The University of Texas at Austin. http://marrasouk.com

But in his unconventional love poem Shakespeare In a conventional love poem the writer would exaggerate how beautiful his mistress is: My mistress' eyes are more fantastic than the sun; But in his unconventional love poem Shakespeare underplays how beautiful his mistress is: What effect does this line have on the reader? “My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;” Does it make us wonder what her eyes are like? My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; He has turned around the convention of exaggerated praise http://marrasouk.com

He carries on with the unconventional approach in the next lines desirable feature Her lips aren't red Pink-orange colour Coral is far more red than her lips' red Something of a cliche The conventional Grey brown colour If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun Is he saying she is not beautiful or is he saying she is beautiful in a different way? Can we answer this or do we need to read on? http://marrasouk.com

In the next lines he moves on to describe other physical features If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. So she is not conventionally beautiful Gold wires were used in head-dress and compared to golden hair Blondes were more highly rated mixed I have seen roses damask'd, red and white Is he disparaging his mistress or do these lines enhance the idea of unconventional beauty? But she doesn’t have this complexion But no such roses see I in her cheeks; http://marrasouk.com

The author moves from how she looks to how she smells And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. Smells- the word didn’t have a negative meaning in Shakespeare’s time He’s not saying the smell of her breath is unpleasant - just that perfume smells sweeter In conventional love poems you would say her breath was sweeter than perfume But Shakespeare takes an unconventional approach http://marrasouk.com

The next feature is the sound of her voice I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; He’s not being critical of her voice: all he’s saying is that music has a more pleasing sound In the conventional love poem the writer would say that her voice was sweeter than music http://marrasouk.com

The poet describes how his mistress walks I admit to you I’ve never seen a goddess walk I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground: My mistress walks like anyone else, on the ground, rather than floating through the air In a conventional love poem she would be described as a goddess He’s stressing his mistress is no goddess. http://marrasouk.com

So does the poet think that his mistress is beautiful or what? The last 2 lines tell us Direct statement, telling us what he thinks exceptional And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare. For emphasis The poet thinks she’s beautiful but doesn’t want to describe her in a cliched way. She is as beautiful as any woman who is praised with false comparisons http://marrasouk.com

A sonnet has 14 lines rhyme scheme The first 12 lines are ABAB 3 quatrains Groups of 4 lines 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. With a closing couplet And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare. Sums things up http://marrasouk.com