Sonnet 130 Figurative Language

In the first quatrain of “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun…”, the speaker is already showing that this is not an ordinary love poem. He says, “my mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” (line 1). This metaphor depicts that the woman does not have bright eyes. Most poets would use a cliché to describe a woman’s eyes as bright or like sapphires, but the speaker is saying there is nothing special about her eyes. Next, the speaker describes the woman’s lips. The color coral is slightly orange, but he believes coral is more red than her lips. Also, most poets would describe their subjects to have bright, shiny red lips (2). In these two lines, the speaker compares his mistress to things found in nature, and many people associate beauty with nature. However, that is not the case with this poem. He describes her as the complete opposite. In line 3, the woman’s skin is described as gray which makes it seem like her skin is dull. In Shakespeare's time, pale skin was more desirable, and since she does not have a pale complexion, it would make her less attractive. The speaker then compares her hair to wire in this line: “If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head” (4). A beautiful woman is usually described as having silky locks. That is the opposite in this poem. This comparison depicts the woman to have hair that lacks

Many men compare try to make their mistress feel special like they are no other by comparing them to false comparisons. The speaker was not afraid to be blunt about his mistress instead of how other men use false comparison and fill their mistress head up. William Shakespeare gives the speaker a blunt tone in Sonnet 130 to convey that he was not bragging on his wife saying she is all this and that. He said things that others compare their mistress to. That is what make his love for his mistress unconditional and very special.

     During the Renaissance, it was common for poets to employ Petrarchan conceit to praise their lovers. Applying this type of metaphor, an author makes elaborate comparisons of his beloved to one or more very dissimilar things. Such hyperbole was often used to idolize a mistress while lamenting her cruelty. Shakespeare, in Sonnet 18, conforms somewhat to this custom of love poetry, but later breaks out of the mold entirely, writing his clearly anti-Petrarchan work, Sonnet 130.

In “Sonnet II,” by Millay, the speaker describes how time has gone on and she still misses her former boyfriend. Similar to that, in “Sonnet 73,” by Shakespeare, the speaker describes how time has gone on, taking his youth away. Overall, through the use of gloomy imagery and a dreary tone, Shakespeare and Millay present time’s negative effects on a person, within their dismal sonnets.

It is a sonnet that is a parody compared to his usual loved ones. Shakespeare makes no endeavor at deification of the dark lady; in fact, he shuns it outright, as we optically discern in lines 11-12: "I grant I never saw a goddess go; / My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground." Here the poet limpidly verbalizes that his mistress is not a goddess. She is withal not as comely as things found in nature, another typical source of inspiration for the average sonneteer: “My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; / Coral is far more red than her lips' red" (1-2). Yet the narrator dotes her nonetheless, and in the closing couplet verbally expresses that in fact she is just as extraordinary ("recherché") as any woman described with such hyperbolized or mendacious comparisons. It is indeed this blunt but charming sincerity that has made sonnet 130 one of the most famous in the sequence. Some things that he compared her to did not sound pleasant, such as when he says her breath ‘reeks’. When we think of someone’s breath reeking, most peopl think of onions or

In particular, published in 1609, Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 is considered a more “modern” take on romantic poetry during his time. Unlike the Petrarchan love sonnets that were previously the standard form of romantic poetry for over 300 years, Shakespeare strove to challenge the status quo. "However, many Neoclassical critics were willing to attribute Shakespeare’s violation of classical rules to ignorance" (Lauder). Shakespeare’s work is a product of the cultural shifts during the Renaissance movement. Enlightened by society’s drift from restrictive views on religion, artists like Shakespeare were no longer anchored to the “classical rules.” This free rein allowed writers to be inquisitive about society, questioning how humankind fits into the greater aspect of the world. It is is even speculated that the muse for his sonnets was not actually a female mistress but a man. This is often an argument proposed to explain the seemingly mysterious atmosphere surrounding Shakespeare’s sonnets. Specifically, Sonnet 130’s mood is depicted as playful to showcase the raw complexities governing humanity in an entertaining fashion—something once unheard of in the English Tudor period. Ultimately, this same “ignorance” would only pave the way for future playwrights and poets.

In the satirical sonnet My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun, English poet William Shakespeare pokes fun at the unrealistic standards of beauty that, unfortunately, many still use to judge women. Through most of the poem, Shakespeare uses metaphors and comparisons to illustrate his mistress. The poem begins with Shakespeare comparing his mistress’ eyes to the sun. "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun," he says, suggesting they are not bright or unique, contrary to what society would consider ideal (Shakespeare, 1). Then, Shakespeare claims that coral is “far more red than her lips”, again, opposite to the beautiful red plump lips that one would imagine (Shakespeare, 2).

In Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 46” the speaker reveals his view between physical love and emotional love. The poem dramatizes the conflict between the love of appearance versus the love of the inward of a person. The struggle becomes evident in the first line, “mine eye and heart are at mental war” the eye representing lust and infatuation while the heart is without physical lust and is true love. The personification helps illustrate Shakespeare’s offbeat view between the eye and heart, and how to perceive the person whom he loves. Shakespeare further uses the eye calling it “the defendant” pushing the poem to illustrate a traditional courtroom showcasing fully the opposing forces.

John Donne fulfills his reputation as one of the greatest English poets by utilizing figurative devices throughout all of his literary masterpieces. With the talent of capturing images and communicating his messages through figurative language, one poetic piece in particular is proof of his talent. In his acclaimed Holy Sonnet 10, he focuses on his opinion of Death by using figurative language, imagery, and symbolism. Donne immediately commences Holy Sonnet 10 by personifying Death as well as using metaphors to show Death how insignificant it is. In specific, Donne tells Death to “be not proud, though some have called thee / Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so” (1-2).

One of John Donne’s renowned poems, Holy Sonnet 10 takes an unexpected twist when Death meets mortality. Donne’s capability of taking an immortal fact and turning it into something mortal only further displays his talent of poetic writing. In this sonnet, John Donne ties different elements such as figurative language and symbolism to demonstrate that fearing Death is unnecessary because Death does not seem as powerful as it claims to be. At first, the poem takes a surprise as it begins with Donne’s personification and belittling of Death, something most people fear including myself.

William Shakespeare was a poet, playwright, and actor, and is often regarded as one of the best writers to have ever lived. He is considered to be the English national poet. He wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets during the late 16th and early 17th century. During this time period, England had an absolute patriarchal society, where males dominated all aspects of life. Women had very few rights and were treated very poorly. However, Shakespeare liked to write plays that challenged traditional thinking and norms. In this paper, I will explore the gender norms/expectations for women during Shakespeare’s time and how he conformed or didn’t conform to these norms in two different plays, Romeo and Juliet and the Merchant of Venice.

The title of the poem “My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun” suggests that the speaker is not in love with his ‘mistress’. However, this is not the case. Shakespeare uses figurative language by using criticizing hyperboles to mock the traditional love sonnet. Thus, showing not only that the ideal woman is not always a ‘goddess’, but mocking the way others write about love. Shakespeare proves that love can be written about and accomplished without the artificial and exuberant. The speaker’s tone is ironic, sarcastic, and comical turning the traditional conceit around using satire. The traditional iambic pentameter rhyming scheme of the sonnet makes the diction fall into place as relaxed, truthful, and with elegance in the easy flowing verse. In turn, making this sonnet one of parody and real love.

“Sonnet 130” written by William Shakespeare, is one of his most well known poems and can be analyzed and broken apart in great depth. The poem is written in fourteen lines which makes it a sonnet. Like all of Shakespeare’s sonnets the meter is iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme for “Sonnet 130” is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. An overlaying theme for “Sonnet 130” is, “True love is based on how beautiful you find someone on the inside.” Shakespeare proves to have a great view on true love in this sonnet. He cares more about what’s on the inside rather than what’s on the outside. “Sonnet 130’s” theme can be proven by Shakespeare's use of poetic and literary devices, the tone and mood of the sonnet, and the motif of true love.

In Sonnet 94, Shakespeare shows a separation between those who have, but do not flaunt and those who have and use to satisfy others. Society’s preferred standards where flawed during the 17th century. They played a part in how people were criticized. Shakespeare has a strong approval for those who convey themselves in a humble manner, but deeply opposed the individuals who do not; all in all, those who are differentiated should not be bad-mouthed because of their actions, but helped to become better.

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (Line 1). “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” (Line 1). These are both two of the famous lines from William Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 and 130. William Shakespeare was an intelligent English playwright, poet, and dramatist during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. He is known as one of the greatest playwrights of all time. Sonnet 18 and 130 are two of Shakespeare’s most famous poems. Sonnet 18 is a love poem about how he compares the woman’s love to a summer’s day. Sonnet 130 has a different approach. It is still a comparison, but it seems to be a more spiteful one. These sonnets are both share similar subjects, imagery, theme, and rhyme scheme; however they are more so different in forms and purpose.