Sonnet 130

Question 1

Summary of this poem

Answer 1

An inverted love poem. Implies that the woman is very beautiful indeed, but suggests it is important for this poet to view the woman he loves realisticly

Question 2

Context of this poem

Answer 2

Shakespeare wrote this to challenge the prevailing assumption in this culture that love was primarily based on physical attraction and gently mocks the thoughtless mechanical application of traditional sonnet imagery which had become predictable.

Question 3

Technique in line 4

Answer 3

Comparison of “hairs and wires”, expressed in the language of argument in that ‘wires’ are hardly an attractive aspect of the natural world anyway to compare with ‘hairs’ - WS is simply ridiculing the whole notion of making unrealistic comparisons supposedly to praise a woman’s physical features.

Question 4

Technique in lines 7 and 8

Answer 4

Sixth comparison being dismissed by WS as totally unrealistic (breath and perfume) the most controversial compares the delight of perfumes with the smell of a loved ones breath and the verb choice reeks has associations with a disgusting smell seems cruel, allowing for WS’s primary purpose being to ridicule exaggerate language.

Question 5

Technique in line 3

Answer 5

Third comparison between ‘breasts and snow’ in terms of colour to be rejected by WS, his loved ones breasts are dull not ‘white’ like ‘snow’.
Language in this line is an argument being used by the poet.

Question 6

Structure and tone of this poem

Answer 6

Shakespearean sonnet consisting of 14 lines in three quatrains and a final couplet.
Regular rhyme scheme.
Iambic pentameter rhythm.
This structure regularly assisted the poet in delivering his argument in a net, controlled and memorable way.

Question 7

What does the title of this poem mean?

Answer 7

The speakers love for his mistress is real and valuable, even though she doesn’t fit conventional beauty standards.

Question 8

Themes

Answer 8

Love
Beauty
Realism