Name:____________________________
Date:______________________ Period:________
Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral1 is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun2;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd3, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied4 with false compare.
1
- coral = a reddish yellow color
– dun = dull, grayish brown
3
– damask = a type of rose that is pink colored
4
– belied = to make something seem like something it is not
2
Directions
1. Read through the sonnet twice, slowly. Ask yourself what the speaker is trying to say in
the poem!
2. Answer the following Level One Questions:
a. Are the mistress’ eyes bright? ________________
b. Are the mistress’ lips red? _________________
c. What color are the mistress’ breasts? ____________________
d. Golden hair was desirable at that time. What color is the mistress hair?
________________
e. What color are the mistress’ cheeks? __________________
f. How does the mistress’ breath smell? ___________________________________
g. Which is more pleasing: the mistress’ voice or music? _________________
h. Is the mistress rare and valuable? __________________
3. Answer the following Level Two Questions
a. How does the speaker describe his mistress? Is she an extraordinary beauty?
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b. Sonnets have something called a turn. It’s where the author’s tone or meaning or
topic seems to change a little. Where do you think the turn begins? Where in this
sonnet does Shakespeare seem to change gears? (Hint: the turn usually begins the
summation or overall meaning/point of the sonnet.)
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c. What does the speaker say about his mistress after the turn? Why does the poet
think his love is rare?
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Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look
like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her
trying
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday.
Yeah, I know, I know when I compliment
her, she won't believe me
And it's so, it's so sad to think that she
doesn't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look okay?
I say
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
Oh, you know, you know I'd never ask you
to change
If perfect's what you're searching for, then
just stay the same
So don't even bother asking if you look okay
You know I'll say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Directions
1. Read the modern “love poem” by Bruno Mars.
2. Answer the following Questions:
a. What is the speaker saying about his lover in “Just the Way you Are”?
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b. How does the speaker’s way of describing his lover in “Just the Way you Are?”
compare to the speaker in Sonnet 130?
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c. What do you think the speaker in Sonnet 130 is saying about the way we describe
beauty? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
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d. Would you be more flattered to be described in the way that Shakespeare is doing
or in the way that Bruno Mars is doing? Why?
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