Sonnet 29 Flashcards
‘When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,’
‘In disgrace’ is a time of humiliation and rejection. This also has a religious element to it.
‘In disgrace with fortune’ shows he is not fortunate. Shakespeare has created a poem which will appeal to anyone who has had a frustration or disappointment, such as a job loss or failure in education.
‘In disgrace…with men’s eyes’ gives a sense of society watching him and his awareness of social pressure. Being aware of ‘eyes’ suggests he feels everyone is looking at him which shows some anxiety and paranoia.
‘I all alone beweep my outcast state,’
‘I’ by itself shows isolation and ‘all alone’ further highlights this. The use of the intensifier ‘all’ shows how extreme their emotional state is.
‘Outcast’ shows they are rejected by society, a pariah.
‘Beweep’ he is in deep grief to such an extent that he weeps.
‘State’ refers to his condition. This links to other parts of the sonnet where Shakespeare uses repetition of this word.
‘And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,’
he feels he ‘troubles’ heaven which shows he feels unworthy and is bothering heaven with his burdens. This shows a deep self hatred.
‘Deaf heaven’. This is stressed. He is so hopeless that even god can’t hear him which shows he feels rejected by god. This suggests a separation from god and a loss of faith. The hope of the promised relief the afterlife will bring no longer comforts him.
‘Bootless cries’ shows he is unable to help himself. Even his prayers are incompetent.
‘And look upon myself and curse my fate,’
‘Look upon myself’ shows he is reflecting on his situation. He is thinking about his life and is feeling self hatred and a discontentment with his condition.
‘Curse my fate’ he feels his life is so terrible he is cursing it. ‘Curse’ was a very strong word at this point in time and is very negative due to its religious connotation.
‘Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,’
He is comparing himself to others and would rather someone else’s life.
He is not ‘rich in hope’ and so wishes he was someone who has a future. This suggests he feels his future is bleak and doesn’t see his situation improving.
‘Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,’
Shakespeare again expresses his self hatred. He wishes he looked more like other people rather than himself. He is imagining himself looking like his attractive male peers and this shows he is so unhappy with himself he is fantasising about a life different than his.
He feels lonely and that other people seem to have friends but he doesn’t. He wishes he could have closer friends to gain emotional support from and trust to confide in.
‘Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,’
‘Art’ skill
‘Scope’ capability, range of knowledge, and ability, power.
He feels he has no abilities and that he is stupid, worthless and ignorant. So he wishes he could be like people who are more capable, intelligent and educated.
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Here he shows signs of what is considered to be depression. He hates everything he used to enjoy and is unable to feel pleasure.
A pleasurable distraction could offer some relief from his troubles, however his negative feelings go too deep.
‘Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,’
‘Yet’ is the moment of the Volta. This has a note of hope and suggests there is a turning point, an end to the darkness.
‘Almost’ is the second note of hope and suggests there is a possibility he can be okay.
‘These thoughts’ links to the previous sad reflections to what is about to come. It also shows he has been obsessively immersed in his thoughts.
‘Haply I think on thee, and then my state,’
This is a significant change in contrast with his previous attitude.
‘State’ linked rhymes shows a juxtaposition of previous misery with deep joy and happiness.
‘I think on thee’ shows when he thinks of his loved one he escapes from his horrible thoughts.
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
Use of imagery - this is a simile comparing the writer to a bird.
‘Break of day’ symbolises hope. This could also symbolise resurrection.
Birds symbolise freedom.
‘Arising’ shows he is getting up from his low point, suggests the end of his depressive episode.
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
The gloomy earth full of pain has been left behind.
He leaves his ‘fallen’ state. This has a religious connotation to it.
His previous loss of ‘heaven’ is restored. Suggests a newfound faith in god, or that he has found peace without god but with a human.
‘For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings’
Suggests he feels love is true wealth and financial ruin doesn’t matter if one has true love.
‘Sweet love’ is a deep and tender emotion. The intensifier shows how the love is pleasurable.
‘That then I scorn to change my state with kings.’
This is the ultimate expression of change as during the whole sonnet he expresses a deep need to be someone else with more popularity, wealth, beauty and skill.
He is saying he wouldn’t give up his love for a whole kingdom. This emphasises just how much love he has for this person
