Sonnet 130 William Shakespeare Essay Examples

Questions on Sonnet poems

While reading sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare the first thing that catches reader’s eye is the way the author describes his love. Unlike all the other romantic sonnets of that time when great authors compared the beauty of their women with nature, Shakespeare’s sonnet sounds more sincere, as he describes the real beauty of his women. Thus, he claims “My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; / Coral is far more red than her lips' red” (1-2). This way the author says that his mistress is not ideal and her beauty is imperfect, as he adds:
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks,

And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks (5-8)
The comparison, made by the author sounds negative and his love for his mistress is rather questioned.
It should be also noted that the last two lines of the sonnet are completely different from the previous ones. It is the crunch point, the turn of the sonnet when the author reveals his true feelings for his woman. Thus, he says: “And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare / As any she belied with false compare” (13-14). What is significant in these lines is the fact that for the first time Shakespeare calls his woman not a mistress but love. Yes, his woman is not perfect and not a goddess, but he doesn’t need false comparison to express his true feelings for her.

Sonnet 18 by Francesco Petrarcha

First of all, it should be pointed out that practically all Petrarcha’s poems are dedicated to love and desire to be loved. And Sonnet 18 is not an exception. Through the whole sonnet the author tries to express his feelings for his love and to praise her beauty but fails to do it. Thus, he writes: “Full oft I oped my lips to chant thy name: / Then in mid utterance the lay was lost” (9-10). The author desperately tries to find the right words in order to glorify the rare beauty of his woman and to express his feelings for her but again fails to do it. Therefore, he exclaims: “But ah, the pen, the hand, the vein I boast, / At once were vanquish'd by the mighty theme!” (13-14). The author’s embarrassment may be explained by the following: it is impossible to find the right words for those whom you really love. But at the same time it cannot be said that Petrarcha defeated in finding the appropriate words to express his love because as one may know love does not parade itself.
Sonnet 13 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Works cited

Shakespeare, William. My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun (Sonnet 130). Web. 17 Jan. 2015. http: // www.poets.org /.
Francesco, Petrarcha. Sonnet 18. Web. 17 Jan. 2015. http: // www.genius.com/.
Elizabeth Barrett, Browning. And wilt thou have me fashion into speech (Sonnet 13). Web. 17 Jan. 2015. http: // www.readbookonline.net/.