Kira Lim

Ms. Gardner
English 10, 4th period
7 September 2017

Sonnet 35 Analysis

In Sonnet 35 by William Shakespeare, the poet is fighting against love and hate for the
thief: the poet loves the hurtful thief but nonetheless has been supporting the thief at the
same time. Shakespeare's use of alluring imagery, sweet euphony, and bitter
consonance displays the struggle with their self between their love for a person. The
poet’s use of beautiful yet dangerous imagery show the imperfections of beautiful
things. The poet uses roses as an example, writing, “Roses have thorns”, which
suggests that even something as pretty as flower can be hurtful. The settling euphony in
the line “And ‘gainst myself a lawful plea commence,” flows satisfyingly as it suggests
that things are becoming tied together and resolved. This line tells us that the poet has
been arguing for the thief which is going against their self. The poet realizes that they
are hurting their self by protecting the one they love and this realization is their
resolution. The use of resentful consonance in the last line of the sonnet-”To that sweet
thief which sourly robs from me”- leaves us with the bitter sound of hard consonants
being spat out of the poet’s mouth. This line shows us how the poet knows the
wrongdoing of the thief and is hurt by it. The poet is spiteful about the situation they
were put in and therefore sourly utters the last line. The poet wants to forgive the person
they love by making excuses for them. This ultimately backfires and hurts the poet
instead. The thief has stolen the love of the poet and doesn't return the love. The poet
knows their mistake and has to choose between love and hate for them.