Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130: Anti-Pertrarchian?
The Renaissance rose from the Middle Ages in the Sixteenth Century. It was a golden age of music, philosophy, architecture, art, and perhaps most importantly, literature. Many topics were written about and reflected on. Among these topics were romance and chivalry. Italian poet and scholar Petrach testifies to the popular use of courtship and love in his sonnets. In fact, these types of sonnets have been named Petrarchian. They tend to have a narrative tone and revolve around the theme of courtly love. Petrach’s “She Used To Let Her Golden Hair Fly Free” is a perfect example of this concept. It uses metaphor, and compares the woman in question to objects of perfection. William Shakespeare was another renowned poet and playwright of Elizabethan times. He wrote Sonnet 130, which has been recognized as “Anti-Petrarchian” on numerous occasions. In Sonnet 130, Shakespeare uses displeasing descri . . .
It’s satirical tone rejects Patrarch’s form and content. Again, the different intention that Shakespeare has while using the same devices that are usually found in Petrarchian sonnets make it appear to be more of a parody above anything else. It was popular to think that physical beauty or attraction was necessary for love to exist. “He uses many references to objects of perfection, such as roses or perfumes. However, they are used to illustrate that his lover is not beautiful, which counters Petrach’s use of such reference. For example, Petrarch illustrates, “Her eyes were brighter than the radiant west. Perhaps it expresses an even deeper and genuine love than Patrarchian sonnets because, despite Shakespeare’s lover’s plain appearance, he continues to love and admire her. Shakespeare also uses similes, but he does so to dismiss popular opinion. Despite this, the effects of these comparisons are very different. Therefore, Patrarch establishes this by implying that his lover is perfect. Though the speaker celebrates his mistress as the opposite of the ladies idealized in most Renaissance love poetry, it still embraces the same values. Despite the obvious satirical tone, Shakespeare proclaims his undying love for his mistress, embracing the same theme in Petrach’s sonnets-total and consuming love. In the afterlife, his admiration for her will continue to flourish. He uses many references to objects of perfection, such as roses or perfumes. ption of his mistress in order to contradict the Renaissance’s concept of the ideal woman, which is commonly used in Petrarchian sonnets, and testifies that physical attraction does not necessarily have to be present in order for there to be love.
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