Brenna Smudde
Pd.5
Sonnet 29
Author: William Shakespeare
Overview:
Man cursing his fate because he is an outcast. He feels that no one
is listening to him or caring about him. Then he thinks about his
love and becomes happy and grateful of what he has. The poem
finished with him saying he wouldn’t change anything about his
life.
Text from Sonnet 29
Explanation/Analysis
(speaking as the author)
When, in disgrace with fortune and
men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my
bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my
fate
Wishing me like to one more rich in
hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends
possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's
scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
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;
For thy sweet love remember'd such
wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state
with kings.
When I feel unlucky and unpopular, I
cry alone about the fact that I am an
outcast.
I cry out, but even heaven cannot hear
me, so I look at my unhappy state and
curse my fate.
I wish I was like the men with more
hope or with better looks or with lots
of friends around them. I want that
man’s skill and that man knowledge.
Also I can no longer enjoy the things I
used to find enjoyable.
Although with these thoughts of
hating myself, by chance I think of
you (my love) and then my feelings,
change like the coming of day/
sunrise, I then feel free and happy.
Remembering your (my love’s) love
brings me such great things/feelings
Then I do not want to change my
place with the other men even if they
are kings.
Brenna Smudde
Pd.5
Literary Devices:
Personification: “deaf heaven,” Heaven is not actually deaf, but the speaker says
that heaven is because he feels no one, even in heaven, is hearing him.
Repetition: “like him” and “mans” in lines 6 and 7, This emphasizes that he wants
to me like the other men other than remaining like himself
Alliteration: “think, thee, then” in line 11
Symbolism: “the lark at break of day arising” Symbolizes the change of mood in
the poem.
Rhyme: follows pattern: abab cdcd ebeb ff, ex. “state, fate, gate” and “brings,
kings”
The use of rhyme is very common in sonnets.
Tone:
The tone of this sonnet is melancholy and upset. This melancholy, upset tone
shows how bad the speaker feels. Towards then end of the poem the speaker’s
mood changes and so does the tone. The town shifts from melancholy and upset
to happy and gracious.
Theme:
The theme of this sonnet is the feeling of love can overpower the feelings of selfhate. The poem conveys this theme well because it starts with the speaker talking
about how much he dislikes his life. The speaker sites many examples of why this
is how he feels. Then the speaker talks about how he by change thinks about his
love and it lifts his spirits.