William Shakespeare
1564-1616
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
eyes
I 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
Geschke/British Literature
Shakespeare's Sonnet 29