If Thou Must Love Me, Let It Be For Nought

The title creates curiosity about conditions posed to love somebody. It is not a coincident that the title is repeated in the first line, thus reinforcing the same curiosity. Indeed, all the sonnet is a lyrical investigation about the condition of love on the part of the speaking voice.

Not only the first line repeats the content of the title but it puts the message its self in the better focus. Inviting the lover to love just for love.

Since the second line the exclusive thought about love (signalled by the word "only", at the centre of the line) is remarked and the expression, the phrase "for love's sake" becomes the condition justifying the all sonnet.

All the remaining sonnet part provides the argumentations for that choice.

The message which is immediately clear even to the common reader is reinforced by the direct invitation of the speaker to her Beloved not to use mechanical words (like the ones covering lines from 3 to 6 expressed in direct speech).
The speaking voice seems to tell her interlocutor that, in her opinion, love is not such when you love somebody for (her smile - her look - her way speaking gently).

Love implies something different going beyond attitude. Love does not bring him simply "a sense of pleasure".

If thou must love me, let it be for nought

A good analysis implies to focus the attention on the following elements:

• Title
• Lay-out
• Structure
• Syntax
• Figures of speech

This elements allows the reader to unveil the hidden message of the text.

The title

Right from the title the reader can expect the poem to be about the conditions posed to love somebody. It is not a coincident that the title is repeated in the first line, thus reinforcing curiosity.

Indeed, all the sonnet is a lyrical investigation about the condition of love on the part of the speaking voice. Why? Since the reader can find in the title the first pronoun I that adds a lyrical dimension to the text.

Not only the first line repeats the content of the title but it puts the message its self in the better focus. So, it implies the sonnet is part of a collection. Inviting the lover to love just for love. As a matter of fact the reader can find the repletion of the word "love" twice.

Since the second line remarks the exclusive thought about love (signalled by the word "only", at the centre of the line) the phrase "for love's sake" becomes the condition justifying all sonnet.

All the remaining sonnet part provides the argumentations for that choice. What kind of argumentations does the poet use? Taking into consideration the language used, for example, an intelligent reader will immediately understand that the semantic field of love approaching surrounds the whole poem. For example the reader can find in the smiling, looking, speaking etc etc.

The message which is immediately clear even to the common reader is reinforced by the direct invitation of the speaker to her beloved not to use mechanical words (like the ones covering lines from 3 to 6 expressed in direct speech). The speaking voice seems to tell her interlocutor that, in her opinion, love is not such when you love somebody for her/his physical aspects (her smile - her look - her way speaking gently).

In this analysis the reader doesn't consider neither the figure of speech, neither draws a personal conclusion essential in every well-made analysis. What's more, the reader doesn't consider the phonological level, like rhymes and alliterations, very important because their analysis can add new meanings to the text.

So you could keep analysing...

The third quatrain introduces the problem of love sorrow. It comes out that you don't have to love somebody only if is weeping because as a result probably you will loose this love. The last but not least couplet reports the problem dealt in whole sonnet in a very synthetical way. If you love somebody only for love's sake your love will be eternal, a never ending story.A closer analysis of the phonological level will certainly unveil new meanings. The use of long vowel sounds recurring in whole poem seems to create an idea of eternity. You can find the repetition of "o" and "u" sounds. Also at line ten there's an alliterative use of the consonant sound w reinforcing the idea of who is crying.