Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

William Shakespeare1564-1616

Sonnet 29

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

What Is The Poet Saying?

• First Two Quatrains– Function as self-reflection– “When in disgrace with fortune and men’s

eyesI all alone beweep my

outcast state”(1-2)

• Considers himself to be isolated– Bad luck– Lonely

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

What Is The Poet Saying?

• “And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries” (3)

– “bootless cries”• Futile prayers

– “deaf Heaven”• Heaven does not hear or respond to his

prayers

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

What Is The Poet Saying?

• “And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,

Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope”

(4-7)

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

What Is The Poet Saying?

• Curses his bad luck (that he is who he is)

• Wishes to be someone else– “with friends possessed”

• demonstrates the poet’s loneliness• demonstrates the poet’s desire for

companionship

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

What Is The Poet Saying?

• “With what I most enjoy contented least—“ (8)

– What he most enjoys is most absent in his life

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Third Quatrain

• Volta• Change in perspective

– “Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at Heaven’s gate.”

(9-12)

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Third Quatrain

• As the poet begins to hate himself, he thinks about his friend

• His mood and perspective immediately changes

– Imagery• Lark• Daybreak• Hymns• Heaven’s gate

– All positive, uplifting images

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Couplet

• “For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings That

then I scorn to change my state with kings.”

(13-14)– Once he thinks of his friend, he considers

himself to be extremely wealthy• In fact, once he begins to think of his

friend, he would not trade places with a king

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Poetic Devices

• Shakespearean Sonnet

– Rhyme Scheme

• abab cdcd efef gg

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Poetic Devices

• Shakespearean Sonnet

• Meter

˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄• When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes

• Iambic Pentameter

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Poetic Devices

• Imagery – First two quatrains

• Negative imagery– Centers around loneliness

– Third quatrain• Positive imagery

– Lark – Singing– Hymns – Heaven

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Poetic Devices

• Simile – “Wishing me like to one more rich in hope”

(5)• Comparing himself to someone with better

fortune

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Poetic Devices

• Alliteration

– “Yet in these thoughts…” (9)

Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

Poetic Devices

• Tone

– First two quatrains

• Loneliness

– Third quatrain

• Happiness