Of William Shakespeare’s one hundred fifty-four sonnets, his one hundred thirtieth sonnet is one of the most intriguing to examine. Reading this poem, one can’t help but realize that he was obviously a very deep, passionate and learned man; he was very open with how he felt and was able to express it in a way that was very exact and easy to comprehend. In his sonnets, which were more like entries in his diary, he talked a lot about his love life. He spends the entire Sonnet 130 pointing out the faults and shortcomings of his lover, and how he thinks any other man would be simply repulsed by this woman. We see how he conforms to the traditional structure of poetry writing yet also breaks away from traditional form by describing the object of his affections in a way never seen before. We also see that while on its surface Sonnet 130 looks like an unorthodox love poem, we will come to notice that it is also a criticism of poetry writing of the period.
Traditionally, Shakespearean sonnets are written in fourteen lines, consisting of three quatrains and a couplet, and Sonnet 130 is no exception. What sets this poem apart from the rest and makes it so intriguing is the fact that Shakespeare is not ju
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She is able to arouse his heart with what she says and not simply with the sound of her voice. Ultimately, as so beautifully demonstrated in Sonnet 130, true love is when one can overlook another’s flaws and love them for who they are and that I believe, is the key to life and happiness; total and consuming love. Sonnet 130 takes the love poem to a deeper, more intimate level where looks are no longer important; it is inner beauty that touches the soul. He denies all the exaggerated comparisons, usually expected in a sonnet, like cheek to roses, breath to perfume, voice to music and finally woman to a goddess who does not touch the earth. As the saying goes, “Beauty is only skin deep”. They only discussed the short-lived qualities of a woman, which fade as the years go by. Reading Sonnet 130, one could conclude that other poets were never in love with the women they were portraying, because they never described the true mortal characteristics of the female, as Shakespeare did. It is not the appearance that makes a man or woman love, but the way in which they express their love. It is the woman’s ability to grasp his interest, beyond the limitations of beauty, which enchants him so. When she walked you would not call her graceful, but still he cherished her clumsy strides. He states that his lover’s eyes “are nothing like the sun”, he has seen coral that is redder than her lips, and that “black wires grow on her head”. st writing possibly the greatest love poem ever, but he is doing it while simultaneously mocking the floweriness of traditional Elizabethan love poetry. She couldn’t sing to save her life, yet he loved to hear her voice. This is Shakespeare’s own little moral to the tale; one should not judge a book by its cover.
Clearly, Shakespeare is offering more in this poem that merely playing upon the traditional use of a blazon, which looks to describe parts of a woman’s body in grand terms.
Approximate Word count =
952
Approximate Pages =
4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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