MaddieLabott

Mrs.Gardner
English10H6th
12September2016
SonnetAnalysis
InSonnet153,loveisunstoppable:theonlythingthatcanconquerloveisloveitself.William
Shakespeareusesthecommonthemeofanundyinglovethroughouthissonnettohyperbolizethepower
thatthepoetcanseeinhismistresseyes.First,thetorchoflovewasnotcompletelysteepedbythe
coldvalleyfountain,butitwastransformedbythepowerofloveintoaboilingbathofwaterthat
becameaplaceofhealing.So,whenthetorchsupposedlywasputout,theforceoflovewasstrongerand
itmagicallyturnedthewatermedicinal.Firecannotliterallygrowaseethingbath,thereforethisisalso
anexampleofpersonification.Cupidthenusedthemistresseyestocreatenewfire.Themistresseyes
playahugeroleinthissonnet,representingtheconstantoutletoflove:infireform.WhenCupidteststhe
torchonthepoetschest,thepoetbecomessickwithlove.Thislove,fromCupid'storch,hadfire
originatingfromhismistresseyes.Thepoetthoughtthattheboilingbathcouldcurehislovesickheart,
butinallreality,theonlythingthatcould,isthelovefromthemistresseyesitself.Shakespeareusedthis
chainofconnectedlovetoexpressthepoet'strueandsincereloveforhismistress.Thepoetmayfeelthat
hisloveisundying,howeverwithtimeandexperience,hemayjustseethatloveoftenfadesandnewlove
maybeinhisfuture.