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. Sonnet 8 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly, 02. Sweets with sweets war not, joy delights in joy: 03. Why lov'st thou that which thou receivest not gladly, 04. Or else receivest with pleasure thine annoy? 05. If the true concord of well-tuned sounds, 06. By unions married do offend thine ear, 07. They do but sweetly chide thee, who confounds 08. In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear: 09. Mark how one string sweet husband to another, 10. Strikes each in each by mutual ordering; 11. Resembling sire, and child, and happy mother, 12. Who all in one, one pleasing note do sing: 13. Whose speechless song being many, seeming one, 14. Sings this to thee thou single wilt prove none. |
. Sonnet 8 . (paraphrased) 01. Muse to me, why are you melancholy at these attempts to inspire you? 02. Darlings shouldn't conflict with darlings, joy should take delight in joy; 03. Why do you love the inspiration that you are, but do not gladly receive inspiration? 04. Or do you perversely take pleasure in something that annoys you? 05. If the true harmony of well-tuned instruments, 06. Combined in an ensemble, offends your ear, 07. It's intended only to sweetly correct you, who are defeating hope, 08. By playing solo, instead of bearing the part you should play in combination; 09. Notice how, in an ensemble, one instrument becomes a friendly companion to another, 10. Each affecting the other by mutual arrangement, 11. (Resembling sire and child and happy mother) 12. Who, all together, produce a harmonious unity, and 13. Whose ineffable "song," of several voices, together, 14. Tells you this: "as a soloist you will end up silent." |
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Sonnet 8 Gloss
L1: Music - (Note, to the right.) L1: music - There is again reference to "Muse." Here, the Poet is now attempting to "Muse" - inspire - the addressee. L1: sadly = in a melancholy way. The question is asked, why is the addressee melancholy at hearing the Sonnets, the songs, intended to inspire him? The addressee is being teased. L2: sweets - (Note, to the right.) L5: true concord = proper harmony. There's a pun with "chord." L5: sounds = instruments. (Note, to the right.) L6: unions = orchestras; ensembles; musical groups. L6: married = combined. L7: chide = correct; admonish; adjure. L7: confounds = defeats hope. L8: parts = roles. A role in a family is likened to a part in a musical group. L9: string = musical instrument. Use of synecdoche. L9: sweet = friendly. L9: husband = companion; accompaniment. L10: strikes = influences (broadly speaking.) (Note, to the right.) Not a physical blow. L10: ordering = arrangement. Additionally, a reference to things being in proper order, as in a good family. L12: note = harmony. L13: speechless = wordless. (Note, to the right.) L14: prove = end up as. It's a reference to outcome. |
Sonnet 8 Notes
For understanding this Sonnet, it's helpful to keep in mind that a sonnet is, itself, a "song." The word "sonnet" is from Old French 'sonet': "a song." ------- L1: Music Used particularly according to its root meaning of "Muse." The Poet "hears" the addressee as his "Muse," his inspiration to write poetry. It's a high compliment to the addressee, that he's like a supernatural inspiration. L2: sweets Refers to pleasantries, in the broad sense. Can be read as "darlings," or more generally as "friends." "Sweets" can also be read as "flowers." L5: sounds = instruments. Use of synecdoche, in relation to musical instruments. Then, "sounds" can be read as "sonnets," also. The "well-tuned sounds" can be understood as the coordinated Sonnets written to encourage the addressee to marry and have children. This group of Sonnets is being likened to a musical ensemble, playing a "song" to inspire the addressee. L10: strikes = influences (broadly speaking.) Not a physical blow. The word "strikes" is used the same way a form of "strike" is found in words like "thunderstruck" and "moonstruck," and in the phrase, "how does that strike you?" It means "influences" or "affects." L13: speechless = wordless. It implies that the imaginary musical ensemble is instrumental, lacking a vocalist. This is a very ironic usage, since the immediate "ensemble" is the group of Sonnets, which are all in words. "Speechless" can also be understood as "ineffable." The use of "speechless" might be viewed as a subtle hint of these seventeen Sonnets, in the first group of Sonnets as originally printed, being sent to the addressee, instead of being read to him. Unfortunately, there is apparently no way to be sure whether the Sonnets were spoken aloud to the addressee, or not. |
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