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. Sonnet 21 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. So is it not with me as with that Muse, 02. Stirred by a painted beauty to his verse, 03. Who heaven itself for ornament doth use, 04. And every fair with his fair doth rehearse, 05. Making a couplement of proud compare 06. With Sun and Moon, with earth and sea's rich gems: 07. With April's first born flowers and all things rare, 08. That heaven's air in this huge rondure hems, 09. O let me true in love but truly write, 10. And then believe me, my love is as fair, 11. As any mother's child, though not so bright 12. As those gold candles fixed in heaven's air: 13. Let them say more that like of hear-say well, 14. I will not praise that purpose not to sell. |
. Sonnet 21 . (paraphrased) 01. It is not so, with me, as it is with that poet, who is 02. Motivated by only a show of beauty to compose, and, 03. Who uses everything in heaven to decorate his poetry, 04. And who speaks, superficially, of every fair thing he knows of, in comparison with his fair subject, 05. Making similes of overblown comparison, 06. With the Sun and Moon, with the gems of earth and sea, 07. With April's first and loveliest flowers, and anything and everything that's rare, 08. That he can think of, or see, in the whole wide world; 09. - Oh, let me, my Muse, since I'm true in my love, just write honestly - 10. And then you, my addressee, can believe me, that my love, and you that I love, are as beautiful 11. As any mother's child, seen through her eyes, although perhaps not really so brilliant 12. As all the stars in the sky. 13. Let other poets go on and on with cliche, if they like it, but 14. I won't write to that end, in that way, not in order to gain patronage by selling out. |
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Sonnet 21 Gloss
L1: So is it not = It is not so. (Note, to the right.) L1: Muse = poet (Note, to the right.) L2: stirred = motivated, inspired. L2: painted = made up. In both senses, with reference to a false appearance, and also to something that's just made up, not sincere. L3: heaven itself = everything in heaven. Reference to a poet indiscriminately using just "anything" and "everything" for simile in his poetry. L3: ornament = decoration, adornment, furnishing. Reference to a poet "decorating" his verse to make it look and sound better. L4: every fair with his fair = every attractive thing (he can think of) with his addressee, the "fair" object of his poetry. L4: rehearse - Generally, 'speak.' (Note, to the right.) L5: proud = puffed up, overblown. L5: compare = comparison. L5: couplement = simile, (in expressions); analogy, (in ideas.) L6: gems = gems or jewels. Diamonds, rubies, pearls, etc. L7: first born = earliest; and also 'most attractive.' (Double meaning.) L7: rare - Rareness implies value. L8: heaven's air = the sky. L8: rondure = the 'circle' or sphere of the earth. Mainly, the 'circle' within the horizon, "everything in sight." The insincere poet uses "everything in sight" for simile. L8: hems = borders, surrounds. Can be understood as "frames," like the frame around a picture. L9: O let me - The Poet calls upon his own Muse in line 9. L9: but = only, just. L10: believe me = you can believe me. L10: love - Refers to both the emotion, and the addressee. (Double meaning.) L11: mother's child - (Note, to the right.) L11: not so bright = not really as brilliant. (Note, to the right.) L12: gold candles = stars. "Gold" refers to treasure, or eternal value, more than color, so it can be understood as 'eternal stars.' L13: say more = go on and on (in the same superficial way.) L13: hear-say = second hand (praise.) Reference to the kind of praise that's common, already been heard. "Cliche," in other words. 14: that purpose = in that way, to that end result. Like that. (Note, to the right.) L14: not to sell = not to seek patronage. (Note, to the right.) |
Sonnet 21 Notes
Sonnet 21 is by William Shakespeare, probably to Edward de Vere. However, it might be to a different patron. The Sonnet hints slightly of being a "rival poet" kind, faintly associated with the more overt "rival poet" Sonnets that appear later in the printed series. However, the criticisms of other poetry may be only general in this Sonnet, with the other poet a "type" rather than any individual. ------- L1: So is it not = It is not so. This beginning leads on to the ideas of "painting," and honesty versus insincerity. It immediately raises the issue, "what is so, and what is not so?" L1: Muse = Poet A poet is a Muse's servant, conceptually, so the Muse gets the credit, according to the style of speech in Shakespeare's time. It's similar to Shakespeare's acting company being referred to as, "the Lord Chamberlain, his servants." Expressions have changed since those days. If the old way of referring to things were still in use, Microsoft could be called, "Bill Gates, his company," for example. The Muse is cited in line 1 because the Muse is the "boss" or "lord" of the poet who does the actual writing. It's basically feudal language which persisted into the Renaissance. L4: rehearse - Generally, 'speak.' Dialogue is spoken when it's rehearsed. The word implies insincerity, in the sense that dialogue is learned by rote, and is not spontaneous. "Rehearse" can further be taken as "recite" or "repeat" statements already used by others. Lack of originality, and spontaneity, is the point. L11: mother's child Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the perception of beauty is a consequence of emotion. The Poet knew his business well, when it comes to human perception. All the gold on earth, and all the stars in the sky, are as nothing, when it comes to a mother's love for her child. Emotionally, this implicit reference to mother's love is about as strong a statement as one can make. L11: not so bright = not really as brilliant. The Poet proves his truth, of his emotion, by admitting the objective truth. It is a powerful technique, that makes the sentiment intensely personal. Line 11 turns from common statements of superficial praise, to a statement of love. It's like saying, "well, maybe you're not really the most beautiful thing on earth - but you are to me!" In any human terms, being loved is far better than being compared to a star or a pearl. Would you rather be loved, or just compared to a pearl? 14: that purpose = in that way, to that end result. Like that. The phrase has a double meaning, in that the Poet doesn't praise common, superficial poetry of the kind described, and also he won't offer praise in that way, himself. The Poet did use similes of the kind he criticizes here, and he undoubtedly knew that, but in this Sonnet, he's saying he goes beyond that, when it really counts. Some poems are more important than others. The implication is, that while this Sonnet is not as complex and profound as some of the others, it was important to Shakespeare. L14: not to sell = not to seek patronage. Secondarily, the phrase can be understood as "not to deceive," since "deceive" is an archaic meaning of "sell." The Poet disavows that he will be superficial, or use cliche, to deceive or mislead about what he really means. It's a pledge of honesty. There is the idea of not being a "sell-out," as modern slang has it, referring to somebody who will give up his principles for money. Although Shakespeare did seek patronage, he wasn't a sell-out. He said so here, and he meant it. It serves as a caution to the patron, that if he's looking for some poet just to flatter him with a lot of cliche, he should look for somebody other than Shakespeare. |
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