Sonnet 130

By William Shakespeare
 Content
• In this sonnet, Shakespeare ridicules the courtly love
tradition where a lover idealises and idolises his
loved one. He emphasizes the strength of his love
for an imperfect, but very real woman. At first he
seems to feel nothing positive towards his love, but
in the final couplet his sincere love for her is
evident. The strange comparisons give the poem
impact and the concluding couplet creates a surprise
effect.
FORM AND STRUCTURE
• Shakespearean/English sonnet
• 3 Quatrains
• 1 Rhyming couplet
• Rhyme scheme: abab; cdcd; efef;
• A parody, of the conventional love sonnet. The
Romantic Poets would praise love and beauty.
Shakespeare embraces irony by mocking these details.
Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare
1. My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
2. Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
3. If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
4. If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
5. I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
6. But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
7. And in some perfumes is there more delight
8. Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
9. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
10. That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
11. I grant I never saw a goddess go;
12. My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
13. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
14. As any she belied with false compare.
Eyes and lips are Nothing – Negative
traditionally comparison not like the
compared and are sun (radiant)
features of female
beauty

1. My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;

She has very ordinary
eyes. They lack lustre.
Simile: ‘like’ he
Not as bright as the
compares her eyes to
sun.
the sun,
 Simile- more than red.
A red, pinkish
colour

2. Coral is far more red than her lips' red;

Her lips are quite pale compared
to coral.
 Strong compliment,
usually as white as
snow. A dull grey/brown colour

3. If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

To have a snow white complexion was considered to
be an attribute in Shakespeare’s time.
 Thread like
4. If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
Not a pretty picture.

Metaphor: Her hair is compared to black wires

as it is not soft and flowing but hard and spiky.
This is a very abrupt and off-putting
description.
 Pinkish in colour
5. I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,

6. But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

She does not have blushed cheeks which were
considered to be attractive with a pale complexion.
This is also an image of good health.
 Simile: Some perfumes are far more fragrant than the
smell of her breath. This is particularly shocking and
offensive.

7. And in some perfumes is there more delight

8. Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

 He is under no allusions
He would love to
9. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
hear her speak, but
he prefers to listen to
music instead. It
sounds better than
Music is more gentle/ pleasing to her voice.
hear than the sound of her voice.
10. That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
He admits that he had never seen a goddess

11. I grant I never saw a goddess go;

She is not very graceful, she doesn’t float/grind when she
walks. TREADS- the harshness and clumsiness which
emphasizes that she is a very real person.

12.My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:

IRONIC: He denies that she possesses any heavenly qualities, yet he
swears by heaven that the woman he loves is as rare as any woman
whom she has been compared and who has been described by means
of false comparisons.
13. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
Either his love for her or he refers to her as
‘my love’.

14. As any she belied with false compare.

The entire poem is a false comparison of her beauty. Example, he
should say that here eyes are like the sun. Shakespeare embraces
her flaws.
TONE: Mocking and serious

Mood: Mocking and humorous.

Theme: Real love doesn’t need

false tributes, any woman can
be beautiful.