“My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun
By: William Shakespeare
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lip's red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun,
If hair 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;
In some perfumes there is more delight
Than the breath with which my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know,
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. “
Shakespeare
is well known for his sonnets. His sonnets were the first of his creations to
get him to be recognized as a notable author. This is what is known as a
“Shakespearean” sonnet. This sonnet
discusses how things in nature that are positively spectacular, really can’t
compare to the beauty of his mistress.
He says this, though, in a more negative tone than positive. He says
that he loves to hear her speak but music is much more pleasing to hear
instead. He puts a negative spin on his compliments that really makes the
reader think about things, and really think about the underlying meanings to his
sonnet. ….
