We studied 3 sonnets by William Shakespeare this semester.
To understand Shakespeare's sonnets requires several close readings
as the imageries used are quite challenging especially for ESL learners.
I would like you to share with me your understanding of these 3 sonnets.
Which of these sonnets closely portray your idea of love?
Nur Atiqah binti Nordin
ReplyDelete156627
Comparison between Sonnet 116, 130 and sonnet 2.
In these 3 sonnets, shakespeare potrays 3 different themes and each theme has it own story and message.
In sonnet 2, the central idea is about family issue as well as the persona is worry about his next generation. So in this sonnet shakespeare explains the way to ensure that you will still “live” forever is by having children. Your children will somehow continue your generation and legacy. No one is immortal in this life. Sooner or later we will die and that is a normal process of a normal human being. Imageries available in the sonnets are for example the proud livery which shows the proud and joy feeling of a person. Other than that, deep sunken eyes shows the image of old and aging process. Younger days are really precious for us but we should not forget that one fine day we will have to face the process of getting old and at the end we have to face death.
As for sonnet 116 and sonnet 130, the main issue is quiet similar. It is about marriage and relationship.
Sonnet 130 talks about how the persona is describing his partner. It is not about praising her all the way. But he is referring to her weaknesss. But at the end of the day, he still love her as what she is. It is not about loving her for her strength only but the feeling of accepting your partner as what she is. No one is perfect. In sonnet 116, Shakespeare potrays the issue of love. Love is not about loving a person for an hour only. True love takes forever until the day we die. It takes a lot of effort to make a relationship a success and both sides have to work on it. Mutual trust and understanding are the key elements in relationship. It is about accepting and be there for each other in good and bad times. In line 9 of this sonnet, the imagery of rosey lips and cheeks symbolize nice physical appearances. It shows that we should not only accept our partner in a good times only.
i like sonnet 130 compare to other 2 sonnets because i think the issue is very close to me personally. It is about love-hate relationship. In every relationship, it will come to a certain time when we feel annoyed, irritated and we hate other person. But at the same time at the end of the day, we still love them very much no matter what had happened.
ReplyDeleteSonnet 116 is about love in its most ideal form. It is praising the glories of lovers who have come to each other freely, and enter into a relationship based on trust and understanding. The first four lines reveal the poet's pleasure in love that is constant and strong, and will not "alter when it alteration finds." The following lines proclaim that true love is indeed an "ever-fix'd mark" which will survive any crisis. In lines 7-8, the poet claims that we may be able to measure love to some degree, but this does not mean we fully understand it. Love's actual worth cannot be known – it remains a mystery. The remaining lines of the third quatrain (9-12), reaffirm the perfect nature of love that is unshakeable throughout time and remains so "ev'n to the edge of doom", or death.
ReplyDeleteThe whole point of Sonnet 2 is to talk the young man it's addressing into having a kid. Shakespeare starts out by trying to scare this young man a little bit, to make him think about what it will be like to be old. He warns him that even though he is handsome now, his good looks just won't last. He'll get wrinkles, his eyes will sink into his head, and his blood will turn cold. One of the image is 'Deep Sunken Eyes'is stand for the opposite of everything that is beautiful about the young man.
In Sonnet 130, Shakespeare is comparing his mistress appearance to other things, and she narrates how things won't turn up beautiful but the love for her is still there. He goes through a whole laundry list, giving us details about the flaws of her body, her smell, even the sound of her voice. Then, at the end, he changes his tune and tells us about his real and complete love for her.
Abyan 'Aisyah Azami
ReplyDelete158366 (TESL 4)
Morning Madam! I managed to find some imageries from all the 3 sonnets. In Sonnet 2, the poet uses nature as imageries (winters, field, weed). 'Forty winters' signifies 40 years. The poet uses 'winter' to signify old age. The idea of this Sonnet 2 is there's no such thing as eternal beauty. Time will eventually destruct a person's beauty. The poet says the way for a person to preserve beauty is by giving birth to a child, and the child will then inherit the beauty from the parents. ('This fair child of mine Shall sum my count and make my old excuse,')
In Sonnet 116, the poet uses imageries like 'Star', which signifies how love can be a guide for couples. The uses of 'Time' ('Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks') signifies how even as time goes, true love should not fade. That is the main idea in Sonnet 116. True love should be strong in whatever conditions. True love does not alter, true love cannot be removed or shaken, and as time goes, true love will not fade. In the last two lines of the sonnet, the poet says that if what he says in the poem is not true, then he feels that no one has ever experienced true love before.
In Sonnet 130, the poet uses nature again as the imageries (sun, coral, snow, roses) to make comparisons with his mistress. However, he says that his mistress is the total opposite of the nature. (My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red;) The poet uses the beautiful imageries to compare all the things that his mistress doesn't have. The main idea in this sonnet is love doesn't always have to beautiful and stereotypical. The poet sees the ugly aspects in his mistress but he can still love her very much. ('And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare, As any she belied with false compare.) In a way, the poet is making fun of the typical love sentences that always comparing love only to the beautiful things.
In my personal opinion, I feel that Sonnet 130 closely portrays my idea of love. I think that love doesn't have to be all perfect. Humans are not perfect. Sometimes we have smelly breath, sometimes our hair can look as if it's electrocuted. However, for me, that's the beauty of life. For me, love is about accepting someone despite their flaws. He may be a beast, he may say the wrong things but I can still love him because his flaws make him special and well, normal. :) I don't need all the beautiful words to describe my loved one because he's really not that beautiful! And neither am I. So why should I become a hypocrite and ignore the fact that he has flaws, and try very hard to only focus on his strengths, when I could try to love his flaws, since they're a part of him? But this is merely my opinion, Madam Ju. :)
In Sonnet 2: Shakespeare talks about how to truly live forever and leave a legacy, one must have children. while in sonnet 116, he talks about love being constant and unwavering even through hardships,distant and time. In sonnet 130, love is portrayed in that when you love someone, their faults and lacking seem insignificant. they become incomparable to others no matter what.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, sonnet 116 and 130, both combined, best portrays my idea of love. As found in sonnet 116,
'Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove'
I feel that to 'love' is a choice and thus, when one loves, one loves. Regardless of the situation. As in all relationships, there will be ups and downs, so to 'love' someone is to say, "when we fight, we fight. But i will still love you."
Also, love is not an expression of liking the exterior (and shallow things) about someone, but it is the substance. in sonnet 130, the poet laughs at how society views how the right female should look like in his references of rosy cheeks/ walking on the ground/red lips/shiny eyes... etc. I feel that the poet got this right when he said that no matter how our love ones look like, we will still love them. Everyone is unique in beauty, and there should be no measure on which is the best.
Comparison of Sonnet 130, 2 and 116
ReplyDeleteThe similarity that exists between the three Sonnets by William Shakespare namely Sonnet 2, 116 and 130 is that the main idea around the poem is love. The topic of love is touched in this poem although the people being addressed in each poem is different and the tone and manner of expression is very distinguished in each poem.
In Sonnet 2, Shakespare presents the idea of love in a very sweet manner that involves love for family. The idea of keeping a legacy and tradition in the family is presented in this poem where Shakespare tells a man in the poem that in order to beat the process of aging and dying and possbliy losing the legacy of himself, he must have a son. Imageries used in the poem initially mostly indicated old age. For example, line 2 of the poem "And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field" is an image of the man's forehead and a sign of how is is sunken in. He also uses visual imagery in this poem to indicate the old age of the man. In line 3, Shakespare comapares the old man to clothes or garments by using the words "proud livery". Upon reading this poem for the first time, I could not understand what the poem was about especially considering the imageries in this poem do not directly indicate what is meant. After reading the poem several times I started to understand the idea and concept of the poem that Shakespare.
In Sonnet 116, Shakespare talks about true love. He talks about love in its most ideal form and praises it. He talks about how love is constant and strong and true love will not fail. The imageries presented in this poem is not as straightforward as the other poems in my opinion. It took a lot of analysing and reading for me to realise that the imagery "ever- fixed mark" in the poem describes a lighthouse that is used in the poem to represent guidance, Just like a lighthouse is used as a guidance when ships and boats get lost, love is shown as a guidance to an individual when they are lost and need to find their way. Similarly, stars are used as an imagery in this poem to show guidance.
Sonnet 130 I would say is my favourite poem and it is the poem that most colsely resembles and portrays my idea of love. In this poem, the the persona talks about how his mistress or lover is far from perfect. He talks about how she isn't physically what everyone would call perfect. He also talks about how his lover does not smell as beautiful as most couples in love would claim their partners do. However, despite her imperfections, the persona loves and accepts his lover. This is the idea and concept of love I accept the most as it is very realistic and the love that is seen here to me is true love as knowing a persons imperfections and loving them despite the imperfections.
all these 3 sonnets have the same basic theme which is about love.
ReplyDeleteSonnet 2, The poet's lover is clearly handsome, and much desired man. But the poet stresses his beauty will not last, and that it is selfish and foolish for his friend not to prepare for the loss of his youth. The only way he can truly prepare is to have a son who can carry on his name and all his wonderful qualities, including his unsurpassed beauty.
Sonnet 116, in this poem, the poet describe love in most ideal form. He was praising lovers who enter relationship based on understanding and trust between them. The poet describe that type of love is the true love. He said that the true love never dies and fade through time. Only death separate love between the lovers.
Sonnet 130, in this poem, the poet portrayed his love towards his mistress although his mistress do not have the qualities to be define as beautiful. He always compared his mistress with the objects that already have beautiful characteristics for example in line 2 "Coral is far more red than her lips". in this line, the poet said that his mistress lips is not attractive as the coral. He also describe his love as a rare type of love because he still love his mistress although his mistress is not attractive.
The sonnet that closely portrayed my idea of love is the Sonnet 116 because this sonnet is about true love. The true love in this poem is describe as immortal because it never dies through time. The true love is based on trust and understanding in a relationship.
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ReplyDeleteSonnet 130 is a unique love where the write hates and criticize the appearance of his lover but then he loved her. He compares his lover smell and lips .
“If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head”. Usually people will compare their loved ones appearance to something that is positive or nice to say. Here is totally different where the love is there even it’s describe differently.
Among all the sonnets , sonnet 116 closely portraits my idea of love.
The whole sonnet portraits the real form and meaning of love and it closely related to my idea of love that I have in me. Since the beginning of sonnet , love inner most truth that is one should not change himself or change your lover or in any way . Here you make the love in a fix and unnatural way. You can’t fix and alter the love you having but lay your heart in front and let it grow in the midst of love. That’s called true love. You no need any measurement tools to measure it or any other tools to fix it up. Everything happens there would be in its own way. If it’s wounded it will be healed by its own and there is nothing you can do.
All the lines in this sonnet giving the truths in love. Love not happen with the height and color you see in other person which mentioned in line 8. Next,time is the most precious thing you should treasure and value as the day goes. You won’t know when love strikes you and its does not have specific dates of doing so.. hehe.. if it s true love it will last until the last seconds of your life. As I said , if it happened and you felt it deep and among all if it’s true , it will right there surrounds you each and every day.
Lastly , I would like to share that I had really hard time writing all these as it always easily kept in our hearts but I realize its not that easy to put it into words.
All these sonnets have its own inner meanings in a very special way.
ReplyDeleteSonnet 2 is about ageing. Moments when you are young and when you are old. The first lines itself has some kind of images underlined behind.
Followed by the “proud living” in line 3 where it means the young clothes the young ones would wear. After his description and images of a young person in the four beginning lines, he started to give the images if the young turn old. What would be the appearance of the young man? Where will be the beauty go? The writer gave a lot of images that represent an old man. For example “deep-sunken eyes”
Line 9 onwards the poet went to a different direction that is having babies as mentioned in “How much more praise deserved thy beauty's use,If thou couldst answer 'This fair child of mine” where the writer insist the young ones to have baby so that the generation of a young person would be continued. It’s where the baby can bring your beauties and young age to the next level. If you have a baby, it like you are born again, it’s a new made of you.
Shakespeare brings out the images that might appear when you old and suggest that a new born child of you can preserve your beauty and continue the beauty you have.
In my view it’s a beautiful yet a different form of love. I can say this type of love you can see in our parent’s life. I can’t experience what it like to have a baby but then I can fully understand what it meant and what it fulfilling.
Recently, when I was talking to my mother, she said that having three kids in her life and seeing them gradually growing up until where I am now and my other siblings was the most amazing thing in her entire life.
This whole sonnet is about aging and how if you are old , what would you see .. what would be THE ANOTHER YOU.. so the answer is your babies… hahx… it’s very beautiful and amazing how God had put it in work.
Sonnet 116 is about the fresh and young love . How it started? How it feel ? what is it ?
All these questions answered by this sonnet.
Line by line Shakespeare got all the things lined up that would appear in a love life.
“Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.”
One of my favorite line where love is not you can calculated with some mathematical formula where you know the question and answer. If its there nothing would change your perception of your lover , you will only will love him with one most precious thin you having that is your heart, nothing more and that is called true love. No alteration need to change the love you have to the person.
Followed by line 8 where money became useless when it comes to love. Simply money the most powerful source has lost its power in the presence of love.
Lines 9 to 12 answers if you asked love “when you will appear ?” it one of the most important element in love.
It basically telling love is not preplanned or arranged. In these lines image of time used in contrast to love. Love is timeless. You can’t say you love the person now and hate him the next minute but there are cases people talking about love-hate relationship where it’s a kind of love too.
The image of time here signifies a lot of meaning about love.
If you ask me, I would say love exists no matter what time is it, no matter how old you are, it will just happen as it in its own way.
I don’t think so if we had forgotten our first love. No we are not and it will be always there. I can say even you are together or not ,love always will be present till the last day. That is true love. It’s not a matter where you are loved back or not , whether you are a couple now or not , whether you married to the person you loved or not, it just simply you how you inhale the love of your life , if it’s true I am sure you won’t let if off till your last breath.
Hi, Madam JU :)
ReplyDelete(BOHESHWARI, 158654)
Sonnet 2
Based on my understanding of this poem, I think that basically it is about the persona in the poem asking the young man to have a kid. About starting a family and having something that is close to him and his heart that will continue his legacy in this world. The persona is trying hard in the first few lines to put in the effect of aging into the young men’s head. The persona ended the poem in a very convincing way that probably would have the man really putting into his mind in having a baby. The persona says that at the end of the dying stage where his blood feels cold, the closest thing to feel to be alive again is to have a son of your own and feeling warm somewhat and fell alive once again.
Sonnet 130
In this sonnet, the persona is talking about the imperfections of the persona’s lover. It is not the typical kind of poem where the lover is praised in a lot of different ways. It is in a way comparing her flaws to everything else which is perfect. The persona compares her lips, cheeks, hair and so on to things around him which are better than her in all ways possible. Despite of all the description of her flaws, at the end of the poem he still says that he loves her. It is a poem that shows us that the persona still loves his lover despite all the imperfections she has.
Sonnet 116
From my opinion, I think that in this Sonnet, Shakespeare is trying to bring us to the ideal form of love. The persona is trying to tell that in all kind of circumstances, love will still be constant and it never changes. If it changes, it is not true love. He said love is an ever fixed mark. The persona is telling that love doesn’t change with time and it is still strong till the edge of doom. In the final line, the persona is telling that if his view of love that he says that is constant is wrong, then he must take back all his writing on love. The persona says that if he takes back his words about love being constant, then the persona is telling that no man has really loved in the ideal way of how love should be seen.
My idea of love =)
In my opinion, I think my idea of love revolves around sonnet 116 and sonnet 130 which is that love is about also loving the imperfection of someone and also love being constant and not changing come what. I think that all human being are imperfect in some way. Not one person is perfect in everything. Therefore I think that we fall in love, we should also fall in love with their imperfections because that is what make them up. That is them. If somebody wants someone perfect in this world to love, then perhaps they will end up being single all the way. Based on sonnet 130, I think that love is not love if it alters with time. Perhaps it was only mere attraction or infatuation or something else. Love is only love when a couple stays together till death does them apart.
Nur Aimidayana Mohamad (158842)
ReplyDeleteHye ;)
In sonnet 116, the persona talks about the power of love and love is the greatest thing that happens in human being. At the beginning of first stanza, marriage described in this poem is not a formal contract; rather, it is a "marriage of true minds," a phrase that suggests a deep understanding between two equals, rather than a mere legal bond. The poem also describes love as a guiding north star to every lost ship which refers to people who are lost in their life, “it is the star to every wandering bark”. Love is also do not be measured by physical beauty, “love’s not Time’s fool, through rosy lips and cheeks and love is also does not alter with hours and weeks.
Sonnet 116 claims that, real love will continue to live on until "the edge of doom". Times cannot change love!
On the other hand, in sonnet 130 the persona is describing his mistress characteristic. Usually people will compare their loves one with something beautiful and to something good but in this poem its opposite. The persona describing his mistress’s hair like a wire, black and not golden-“it hair’s be wires, black wires, grow on her head”. The mistress voice been describes as a loud music- “I hat music hath a far more pleasing sound”. The persona also describes his mistress breast, lips, eyes, cheeks, breath and the way she walks. But in the end, he thinks that his love is rare and he loves her.
However, for Sonnet 2 the persona raises issue about physical beauty. He starts out by trying to scare this young man, he makes him think about what it will be like to be old. His good looks won’t last, he’ll get wrinkles, and his eyes will sink into his head-“To say, within thine own deep-sunken eyes,” but there is a way how to make the beauty last longer by having kids, the kids will inherit his beauty.
I think sonnet 130 closely portrays my idea of love; it is because in my opinion, physical beauty would last and I’m not falling in love with someone who is handsome and perfect but “cute” it’s ok. I believe in chemistry because everyone in this world has his/her own advantages and disadvantages. For example, he may not be the handsome man in the world but he is nice guy and really care about our feelings. That’s what I think
The similarity of these three poems is the idea of love and relationships. But the way Shakespeare portrays the idea of love and relationship in these three poems is different.
ReplyDeleteSonnet 2 is talking about the necessity of procreation. The poet is talking about a family relation where to him, he will grow older. All the beauty and handsomeness will be destroyed once he is old and had the wrinkle on his face. So he hopes for the son to inherit all the good trait of him so that the traits will not be wasted and gone just like that.
Sonnet 116 is talking about the idea of love and marriage. The poet portrays the idea of marriage as a holy and mutual deep feeling of love that enables two lovers to tie a strong bonding or relationship. But he then realized that in life nothing remain unchanged. The idea of ideal love is just a myth and he now knows that love will be fade.
In Sonnet 130, he talks about the love relationship with his mistress. The poet is trying to describe his mistress in a negative way. He compares her with all the perfect beauties to make she looks very dull and ugly. But the last line tells us that no matter how bad or unattractive his mistress is, he still love her for she is herself. Though it is weird, but he really loves her.
The imagery used in Sonnet 130 are the lips, the cheeks and the breast. This is the color imagery. He compares his mistress’s lips to red carol, her breast to the white of snow and her cheeks to the red blossom roses. There is also the smell imagery when he compare her breath with the smell of perfume. The last imagery is the sound imagery when he compare her voice with the music.
One of the imagery in Sonnet 2 are deep-sunken eyes, it is a visual imagery. It gives the image of an old man, old age that has their eyes sunken. It also to remind us that death is normal, everything will change, and nothing will last forever.
In Sonnet 116, there is no obvious imagery. The words used more to figurative languages and symbolism.
I prefer Sonnet 130 compare to the other two sonnets because the way Shakespeare wrote the poem to describe his mistress is unique. We, in real life tend to always talk oppositely when we want to talk about someone that we love. But that does not mean that we do not love them. It is a way to express our love.
Helo,
ReplyDeleteMadam Ju
Moganavarshini(157391)
SONNET 2
In my opinion,Sonnet 2 about a young man that is addressing into having a kid.It starts out by trying telling this young man and to make him think about what it will be like to be old.The poet warns him that even though he is handsome now, his good looks just won't last. He'll get wrinkles, his eyes will sink into his head, and his blood will turn cold.
The persona tells him that there's a way out, a chance to cheat old age and death.It will be by having a son and leaving a copy of himself through the baby.
There are a few imagery that is used in the poem such as the Siege.The poet compares the siege which means the wait-and-see attack, he is indirectly telling the young man about his appearance that is going to destroy by the end of the day.
SONNET 116
I think that this poem is all about true love that always perseveres, despite any obstacles that may arise. The persona define love by what it doesn’t do, claiming that it stays constant, even though people and circumstances may change. Love never dies, even when someone tries to destroy it. Rather than being something that comes and goes, love is eternal and unchanging.Some of the imagery that is being used is the North Star, which never moves in the sky and guides lost ships home.The poem tells us that love is just like the North Star which will not change and keep us moving on.
SONNET 130
Basically this poem is all about the poet description about his mistress(his love) by comparing her to a number of other natural beauties such as her lips that is compared to coral and her eyes that is compared to the beauty of the sun.There are a few imagery used in this poem such as her lips,her cheeks, her eyes and the mistress body movements.
My opinion on love:
I think that i prefer the Sonnet 116 compared to the two other sonnet.It was very true indeed that LOVE is something that cant be changed.Sometimes we can see people that fight and argue a lot but eventually they will get back together.For example,when we fight with our siblings we will be back together also in the end of the day simply because of the LOVE that we had for each other.At last love will always be there.So i like the sonnet 116.
Abdul Khalid Bin Mohamad 159220
ReplyDeleteThe three poem that are sonnet 2, sonnet 116 and sonnet 130 have one similarity that is the poet talks about love in the three poems.
In Sonnet 2, Shakespeare stresses that family is important.He advises the fair youth that when he is old and looks withered and terrible he can, at least, point to his son and say that he has passed on his beauty to him. However, if he does not breed, he will have to live with the shame of simply looking old and withered.In short, a child would compensate for the ravages of ageing. The poem suggests that you can live your life through your child if necessary.
sonnet 116 talks about true love, true love should not be shaken by the seas storm and the true-minded people should not be married.Love also will last through times no matter how long it takes, true lovers will always stays together and forever.Nothing will come in between of a true lover.according to Shakespeare,love is eternal..
sonnet 130 is about the mistress that being describe as the lady in dark.Sonnet 130 is a pleasure to read for its simplicity and frankness of expression.it uses many symbols to express his love to the mistress although its in very opposite way if we compare it to other men comparing his love to for example "If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun, If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.Although its being describe in a very different way, but that is how the poet tell that he loves her.
i prefer sonnet 116 because to me, true love is eternal and will never vanish true times and being destroy by seas storms. if the couple rally loves each other, they will face the challenges together and always stay together through hard time and happy times.
Sonnet 130 is the poet's pragmatic tribute to his uncomely mistress, commonly referred to as the dark lady because of her dun complexion. He describes his lover reastically. Despite of the comparison that he made, he always love his lover whatever she is.
ReplyDeleteSonnet 116 is about love in its most ideal form. It is praising the glories of lovers who have come to each other freely, and enter into a relationship based on trust and understanding. The first four lines reveal the poet's pleasure in love that is constant and strong. The following lines proclaim that true love is indeed an ever fived mark which will survive any crisis. In lines 7-8, the poet claims that we may be able to measure love to some degree, but this does not mean we fully understand it. Love's actual worth cannot be known – it remains a mystery.
The remaining lines of the third quatrain (9-12), reaffirm the perfect nature of love that is unshakeable throughout time and remains so or death. In the final couplet, the poet declares that, if he is mistaken about the constant, unmovable nature of perfect love, then he must take back all his writings on love, truth, and faith. Love should be constant no matter what happen and does not change!
Sonnet 2 is about the poet is clearly handsome, and much desired. But the poet stresses his beauty will not last. The only way he can truly prepare is to have a son who can carry on his name and all his wonderful qualities, including his unsurpassed beauty.
From the sonnet, we can see that when forty winters have passed, you will have aged and become wrinkly. Your youthful looks, so admired as they are now, will be gone. Then if anyone asks you where your beauty lies, where the worth of your youthful, lusty days is evident, you could say: “Within mine own deep sunken eyes.”But that would be shameful and not praiseworthy if you didn’t have a child to show off and say this is evidence of my beauty and the reason for my aging. The child’s beauty is proof of mine: “Proving his beauty by succession thine.”The child would be youthful and beautiful when you are old and would remind you of being young and warm blooded when you are cold.
From that entire of three sonnets, I more prefer and love Sonnet 130 because we should love our lover whatever he/she is. Nobody is perfect in this world. I think we should accept her/his no matter what and even our lover is not pretty or handsome like the other people.
siti noor amila salleh
ReplyDelete158453
Hi madam
The comparison between Sonnet 2, Sonnet 130 and sonnet 116
Sonnet 2
As I look at the first line forty winters actually it gives a hint that this poem actually resembles old person who stresses to his lover that beauty will not last, and that it is selfish and foolish for anyone not to prepare for the loss of beauty and youth by having a child to carry on unsurpassed beauty.
Sonnet 130
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 damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
this poem is an expression of love. In order to express your love, you have to talk about it, define it, examine it. In telling his mistress that he loves her, he wants to show that real love is deeper and goes beyond looks.all those imageries that he used in this poem showed to understand better what the speaker is talking about.
Sonnet 116
,
The imageries that I have found in this poem, concrete imageries are the marriage of true mind, Time, rosy lips and cheeks, showed that love is unchanging and perfect ,it keeps forever. Love cannot be shaken by adversity nor changed by time. True love is constant. And Time is symbolised as an enemy of Love. As time passes, Love is still stronger, of course true love cannot be fooled by Time.
So..there are differences between these three Sonnet, in term of describing the term ‘LOVE’. Which of these sonnets closely portray your idea of love? I think it is Sonnet 116.
As I have gone through this poem, Basically it is all about the eternity love, love will not changes as time passes. I hope my love towards the people and my beloved family will last forever.In return, I will get more love..
Krishnananthini- 158283
ReplyDeleteHi madam Ju,
Sonnet 2:
Based on my understanding, sonnet 2 is about beauty that does not last. Here Shakespeare is stressing on the importance of having a child. As one’s beauty can be preserved through their child. As her beauty has been passed on to the next generation, it will not be gone.
Imageries & Symbols:
-Forty winters- forty years
-Deep trenches – wrinkles
-Siege- wait-and-see attack.
- the way time wears away a person's face to the way an army attacks a castle
-Proud livery- fancy clothes that are beautiful and showy.
-good looks are like a beautiful costume that is admired ("gazed on") by everyone around him
-Treasure - young man's beauty "the treasure of thy lusty days," and from that point on he comes back to the idea of beauty being like money, something you can save, add up, and pass on.
-Deep sunken eyes – opposite of everything that is beautiful about the young man, and to paint a scary picture of what he will become.
-Sum my count-beauty becomes a lot like money, and turns into the kind of thing you can save up and pass along to your kids
- the beauty is deposited to the child. So it will not be gone.
-Rebirth -be born again by having a baby. When you look at your child, you see yourself, only young and healthy and beautiful again.
-Blood- warm blood ( youth) and cold blood (aged).
Sonnet 116:
Sonnet 116 is written based on themes of love, loyalty and mortality. Shakespeare has beautifully claimed that love stays constant, even though people and circumstances may change. Love never dies, even when someone tries to destroy it. Rather than being something that comes and goes, love is eternal and unchanging. And in the end Shakespeare asserts that, if he is proved wrong on these thoughts on love, then he can’t recant all that he has written and no man has ever truly loved.
Imageries/symbols:
-Marriage -faithfulness, forgiveness, and equality in any loving relationship.
-Navigation-comparison of love to a star – specifically the North Star, which doesn’t ever change position in the night sky.
-Time, age or death- Love is the one thing that can resist the power of death.
Sonnet 130:
Another sonnet of Shakespeare which is so realistic. He truly accepts his lover for the way she is. All the exaggeration of beauty is nothing to him. The persona loves her for the beauty she has. She need not to be compared with a sun, rose, snow or even music. Yet, he affirms that his love is rare, and his lover shall not be misinterpreted with all the ridiculous comparisons.
“And yet by heaven I think my love as rare,
As any she belied with false compare”
Imageries & Symbols:
Mistress, Eyes, Lips, Hair, Breast, Cheeks, Breath, Voice and the way she moves.
My idea on love:
I would relate myself to sonnet 116. Shakespeare has made a declaration of his thoughts on love. And I truly agree with every line of the poem . Love cannot be shaken by adversity nor changed by time. True love is constant: “it is an ever-fixed mark”. Love is strong enough to endure temptation. Love cannot be measured. Love is eternal. Love is not about physical beauty, its about two hearts which becomes one in unison and the base is nothing but love. And to me: Love is true when its constant.
LOVE IS NOT AT THE MERCY OF TIME!
tq.
In my perspective, Sonnet 116 define the idea of love more compared to the other two sonnets written by William Shakespeare. From the sonnet itself you could the idea the poet tried to portrayed that is true love will not change and it always prevail.
ReplyDeleteIn the first quatrain, the persona says that love is the marriage of true mind. Love is forever unchanging and it does not admit any impediments. The persona stressed here that for him love is immortal and perfect. The persona love will not change even if he found some alteration and flaw in his lover. The textual evident could be found in “Admit impediments. Love is not love, Which alters when it alteration finds”.
In the 2nd quatrain, the persona embarks more on his true love. For him true love is an ever fixed mark which will survive any crisis that befall upon him. The persona use the imageries “It is the star to every wandering bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken” meaning that the love or the star is the guidance to all the sailing ship regardless of challenges occurring the love will always guide its way. The persona claims that love can be measure to some degree but true love is much more worth and love actual worth could not be known and it forever remain a mystery.
In the last quatrain, the persona expresses that love will prevail against the bending sickle of time. “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom”. Love is timeless, everlasting, and resilient. True love faces and overcomes any problem and does so forever
In Sonnet 116, we could see that the persona is trying to represent the theme of love by using the imageries and metaphor. It is simple and reasonably clear. Readers could make out from the sonnet that the persona realizes the power of the true love can be cause if he’s not, he would take back all those that he have written.
For Sonnet 2, the persona there tried to convey to the readers that he is not ready to lose his youthful yet. But somehow, he realized that beauty will not last forever and in order to preserve his beauty or legend is to have a son that can carry his name and all of his exquisite qualities. That way, his beauty will forever remain because the son is the one that will carry his legacy or his unsurpassed beauty.
In the third line, “Thy youth's proud livery, so gazed on now” shows that the persona is proudly wearing his own youthfulness as he is wearing his uniform. This shown that the persona really does not ready to give up his youth yet.
In Sonnet 130, the persona is comparing his love one to a number of natural beauties in which showed that his love one is totally the opposite of all his comparison.
At first, we could pick up that the persona tone in this sonnet sounds kind of cynical and sarcastic. In another way, we could also see as if the persona is making fun of his mistress.
The persona used lots of imageries and metaphor in the sonnet. For example; “If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun”. The word “dun” refer to the color dull brownish gray.
In the second quatrain, the speaker says he has seen roses separated by color (“damasked”) into red and white, but he sees no such roses in his mistress’s cheeks; and he says the breath that “reeks” from his mistress is less delightful than perfume. he totally showed that his mistress is completely lacking of all the qualities that a beauty shall possessed. However, the persona also declared that he thinks his love is rare and valuable. “As any she belied with false compare” that is, any love in which false comparisons were invoked to describe the loved one’s beauty.
Overall, we could assumed that the persona love his mistress the way she is even though she does not possessed all the qualities a man would want for his lover. Shakespeare uses the metaphor to describe the mistress beauty although is obvious that she is lacking from all aspects. The metaphor he used also served as a comparison to the mistress.
Siew Woon Teng - 159262
ReplyDeleteSonnet 2
From the imageries, we see the poem is about the beauty of the person. Of how the beauty would be lost further if nothing is done to preserve it. Once a person dies, beauty is lost. it is impermanent. The imagery "tatter'd weed" explains to us that the garment, is so worn. It is something that is seen so beautiful now may look like a tattered garment that is probably worthless later. Beauty can be saved through procreating. To continue preserving the beauty of the person is through continuing his or legacy by reproducing. When a son is managed to be produced, he will carry all the speakers positive qualities and not forgetting the beauty and handsomeness of the lovers lives. This reproduction is made new and then you are able to see your own blood that is warm running through your son when you are dead - "to be new made when thou art old, and see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold". The image "Thy warm blood" shows youth, of blood running through the veins in comparison to "When thou feel'st it cold" shows death.
Sonnet 130
In Sonnet 130, there are lots of imageries used as the speaker or persona is explaining about his mistress. He uses imageries like "nothing like the sun" comparing her eyes that is not bright like the sun. He also continues to contrast the colour of her lips, saying it is not as red as coral. Then he complains of her breasts looking a dull brownish grey which is nothing compared to the white of the snow. Her hairs are like wire, the persona expresses that it is "black wires, grow on her head" instead of golden hair. Again the persona complains that he doesn't see the colour of red and white, in her cheeks. The persona uses the sense of olfactory to moan about her breath and how instead of it being just a smell, the mouth "reeks" of bad breath. Then again the persona expresses using the sense of auditory to again grumble about her voice being unmelodious that "music hath a far more pleasing sound". The sound of tread also gives the readers the sense of auditory sounds of heavy walking.
From all of this we can see how the poet uses these imageries to explain the 'beauty' of his mistress but in a way that is a parody, which is very different from the way most people gush about their mistresses. But he still loves her and that his "love is rare" though she is represented by ridiculous comparisons, "she belied with false compare".
To be continued... (sorry there is not enough space)
continuation..
DeleteSiew Woon Teng - 159262
In Sonnet 116, it is about love. Love that is pure and that is in the absolute form. And when it reaches a point where two souls are to join in vows, I, the persona will not declare why they shouldn't be joined in matrimony and I would not "admit impediments". "Love is not love" when is changes due to circumstances. "Or bends with the remover to remove" explains that love is not love if it bends from its firm stand when a lover is unfaithful. A lighthouse signifies a fixed mark that is never shaken even if it sees storms. "Tempests" here explains the degree of a storm, of it being so horrible, full of gusting winds and heavy downpour, showing and signifying that love can surpass the challenges just like a lighthouse that stands stock-still even in hurricanes. The "star" shows that love is bright and love can guide the way for some, for someone that is lost even. Love cannot be counted, its value is uncountable but the altitude can be measured. Time however, is not going to wait for love forever, it is "not Time's fool". Love does not change through time, it does not change with hours and weeks, but rather it endures until the very last day of life. It succumbs everything it "bears it out even to the edge of doom". However, the poet says that if he is wrong in his idea of love "and upon me proved", then he will admit that no man has truly ever loved. The poet feels that love is constant and unmovable but if it is so that what he says is not true, he take them all back and that if it is not so, no man then has ever really loved.
In my opinion, Sonnet 116 closely portrays to my idea of love. I do believe that love is pure and unchanging. It can succumb whatever life throws at it. It can stand still like the lighthouse and it doesn't change through time. Love encompasses everything, because it is indeed love that keeps us going, it is love that motivates us. Love is priceless. Love to me even the love from our family members and friends, is love and these are the kinds of love that we need and that we need to give too. To love and to be loved. Also the love that we share with that special someone in the future is precious. The idea of two souls coming as one, just like in the poem is so refined and unchanging. The purity and the sanctity of love lies even in the exchanging of vows.
Although, Sonnet 130 to me also explains love. That love doesn't always have to be scripted and be only about beautiful things. I believe that "beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder" and that is what counts. It shouldn't be about what the society wants. Because in the end it is what makes you happy, after all, beauty is impermanent like in Sonnet 2. And love is still as pure as ever, we don't need physical beauty to measure it.
Thank you!
Sonnet 2 Summary
ReplyDeleteFrom this sonnet I can understand that the major point is about the young man addressing into having a kid. Exposure about aging is given to this young man by Shakespeare through this sonnet. Shakespeare start out by frustrating to alert this young man a little bit, to make him reflect about what it will be like to be old. All those physical qualities that the young man has now will not last long. All those qualities will eventually dim out. After such exposure to the young man, he is given taught of a solution which is to have a son. By that he will leave a copy of himself.
Sonnet 130 Summary
To be very honest this Sonnet 130 can be explained through this phrase; beauty lies in the eyes of beholder. The love figure is described as total opposite from the common where usually, if you were talking about your beloved, you would go out of your way to praise her, to point all the ways that she is the best. But here, though Shakespeare spends this poem comparing his mistress's appearance to other things, and then telling us how she doesn't measure up to them. He compares her with all those things and badly values her beauty. However in the end he goes all out telling that his love for his mistress is pure and true despite her looks.
Sonnet 116 Summary
In this particular sonnet, the poet stress out that true love never despite any obstacles that may arise. Even when someone tries to destroy love , it never dies. No matter how long or shot the time goes, true love doesn’t change. If by chance it changes then the love is not true or doesn’t meet the expectation of true love. All the imageries in this poem is not straightforward. For an example a lighthouse is used as a guidance when ships and boats get lost, while for individuals who are lost and need to find their way, love is shown as a guidance.
My Idea of love would be close to sonnet 116 and 130. It is because personally for me love is a special feeling only to be experienced with the most special person in your life. True love comes only once In our life. Often love and affection is being misplaced ,and due to that only many people fail to differentiate between love and other feelings. Love comes for the inner beauty not for the outer one. No one is perfect in this world but love makes the opposite partners so perfect despite all their weaknesses.
Viloshini a/p Murugesan (158240)
ReplyDeleteHI,
The similarity that exists between the three Sonnets by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 2, 116 and 130 is the theme of the poem which is love.
Sonnet 2
In Sonnet 2, the poet uses nature as imageries (winters, field, weed). 'Forty winters' signifies 40 years. The poet uses 'winter' to signify old age. Sonnet 2 is about ageing. Moments when you are young and when you are old. The whole point of Sonnet 2 is to talk the young man it's addressing into having a kid. He warns him that even though he is handsome now, his good looks just won't last. He'll get wrinkles, his eyes will sink into his head, and his blood will turn cold. The idea of keeping tradition in the family is presented in this poem where Shakespeare tells a man in the poem that in order to beat the process of aging and dying and possibly losing the legacy of himself, he must have a son.
Sonnet 116
In Sonnet 116, the poet uses imageries like 'Star', which signifies how love can be a guide for couples. The uses of 'Time' ('Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks') signifies how even as time goes, true love should not fade. The imagery "ever- fixed mark" in the poem describes a lighthouse that is used in the poem to represent guidance, Just like a lighthouse is used as a guidance for ships and boats, love is shown as a guidance to an individual or to unite 2 souls. The poet makes his point clear from line 1: true love always perseveres, despite any obstacles that may arise. love is eternal and , it remains strong until the lover’s dying day
Sonnet130
In Sonnet 130, the poet uses nature again as the imageries (sun, coral, snow, roses) to make comparisons with his mistress. The persona talks about how his mistress or lover is far from perfect. It is a poem that shows us that the persona still loves his lover despite all the imperfections she has.
I personally prefer sonnet 116 and 130 which describes love remains the same no matter what happens and love is beyond the external beauty. “beauty lies in the eye of the beholder”.
Sonnet 65 is another meditation on the passage of time. Time is personified as a person who can steal beauty, "Time's best jewel," and hide it in his treasure chest. The speaker asks, if nothing in the world—not metal or rock or earth or sea—is immortal, how can beauty, which is so delicate and weak, hope to survive the ages? What is strong enough to hold back Time's "swift foot"? How can the sweet breezes of summer hold out against the ravages of time when even rocks and steel gates weaken over time? How can the best thing in the world, beauty, be hid from the ravages of time? What can hold time back and prevent it from stealing beauty? Nothing can, unless, by a miracle, the speaker's love will still be remembered because of this sonnet's "black ink," or words.
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