ANALYSIS OF SONNET 130 - W. SHAKESPEARE

MY MISTRESS' EYES

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

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.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.

Right from the start, the intelligent reader can understand the sonnet “My Mistress' eyes” comes from the collection of 154 Shakespeare’s sonnets because the title is bonded to the first line of the sonnet itself. Reading the text, the reader is able to understand that it belongs to the sequence of the “dark lady”, indeed the poem is addressed to her. Analyzing the title the intelligent reader can notice the word “eyes” which is a metonymy linked to the beauty of the mistress and frequently used in the courtly code. The word “ my mistress” makes the reader think about a lady who has an intimate relationship with the speaking voice, therefore he is totally subdue by her. Besides, the alliterative sound in “m” ties the passionate,close and intimate relationship between the speaking voice and addressee, seeming to be an invocation towards the speaker’s lady.
Analyzing the layout, the intelligent reader can see that the sonnet is arranged into 3 quatrains in alternate rhyme and a rhyming couplet, following the typical structure of Elizabethan sonnet. The rhyme scheme is: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
In the first quatrain the speaking voice compares the beauty of nature with the physical appearance of his mistress, exalting the supremacy of nature on her. The speaking voice seems to prefer the characteristics of nature. The poet exploits the semantic field of nature “sun, coral and snow” and the semantic field of human being’s body “eyes, lips, breasts, hairs and head”. the reader may be curious to find out why the speaking voice is connoting his “mistress” with negative aspects. Indeed the mistress is presented as an imperfect lady and her beauty is not magnified.
In the second quatrain the poet goes on illustrating the lady’s appearance with other negative qualities. The mistress is not perfect and she seems to be nothing in respect of the beauty of “roses damasked” and the “perfumes” of nature. Again the poet exploits the semantic field of human being’s aspects “cheeks, breath and reek”. In the third quatrain there is the turning point; finally the speaking voice praises her mistress. Even if music has a “more pleasing sound” he loves hearing “her speak” and her walking is compared to “a goddess go”. In the rhyming couplet, the speaking voice says that he truly loves her mistress with all her defects in the same way all the poets celebrate their ladies with “false compare”. The poet wants to convey the message that even if your lover is not perfect, you will love him/her as if he/she is the best person in the world. Indeed love is not totally depended on the physical appearance but it is linked to other aspects like “speaking, walking…” which can attract the beloved.