- Jan 2023
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www.poetryfoundation.org www.poetryfoundation.org
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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 damasked, 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 belied with false compare.
In analyzing the authors work, from the surface it did sound negative. As though he had set unrealistic expectations of what true beauty is, as he compares his mistress eyes to the sun, corals to her lips, the color of her breasts to that of snow, her cheeks to that of red and white roses, etc. However, from the analysis it could be interpreted as him loving his mistress in spite of her flaws; that beauty is not just about one's physical appearance.
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I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
He compares his mistress' cheeks to say that they are not as beautiful as red and white roses. On the surface his tone does give the impression that he is being negative about her features.
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My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
He speaks of beauty; He makes a comparison of his mistress' eyes being nothing like the sun which could be interpreted as him saying that her eyes do not shine like the sun does.
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