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. Sonnet 23 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. As an unperfect actor on the stage, 02. Who with his fear is put besides his part, 03. Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage, 04. Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart; 05. So I for fear of trust, forget to say, 06. The perfect ceremony of love's right, 07. And in mine own love's strength seem to decay, 08. Ore-charged with burden of mine own love's might: 09. O let my books be then the eloquence, 10. And dumb presagers of my speaking breast, 11. Who plead for love, and look for recompense, 12. More than that tongue that more hath more expressed. 13. O learn to read what silent love hath writ, 14. To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit. |
. Sonnet 23 . (paraphrased) 01. Like an inadequately rehearsed actor on stage, 02. Who forgets his lines because of stage fright, 03. Or like an untamed 'thing' filled with too much passion, 04. Whose overflowing strength diminishes his own expressions of sentiment, 05. So I, worried about being believed, (that I don't see you as just a sex object,) neglect to say 06. The proper words, to which our "ceremony of love" (marriage) gives you a right, 07. And because of the intensity of my love, I lose my composure, 08. Commanded too much by the weight of my passionate love's compulsion. 09. O then let my writings be the eloquent speech, that I should speak in person, 10. And the soundless messengers, of the love that "speaks" from my heart, 11. Who plead my case of "love," and seek forgiveness, 12. Overcoming what I say in person, that has sometimes been more outspoken and better expressed. 13. O do please "learn by heart" to understand what unspoken love has written; 14. To "hear" with eyes, that understand, goes hand in hand with love's accomplished wisdom. |
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Sonnet 23 Gloss
L1: As = like. L1: unperfect = unpolished; not thoroughly practiced, not adequately rehearsed. L2: fear = stage fright. L2: besides = apart from. (Note, to the right.) L2: part = the lines written for the actor to say. L3: fierce = untamed. L3: thing - Can be read as a euphemism, for penis. L3: replete = filled. L3: rage = passion. L4: strength's abundance = "overflowing" physical power. L4: weakens = diminishes, fights against. L4: heart = compassion, sentiment. (Note, to the right, on lines 3 & 4.) L5: fear = anxiety, apprehension, worry. L5: trust = credence. "For fear of trust" = for fear I won't be believed. L5: forget = fail to recall exactly how. Secondarily, 'neglect.' L5: say = speak. As opposed to writing. The Poet means exactly "say," in spoken words. L6: perfect = proper, "by the book." L6: ceremony = recitation. (Note, to the right.) L6: right = entitlement. (Note, to the right.) L7: strength = intensity. L7: decay = decompose. (Note, to the right.) L8: Ore = over. (Note, to the right.) L8: Ore-charged = overwhelmed. (Note, to the right.) L8: burden = weight, amount. (Note, to the right.) L8: might = compulsion. (Note, to the right.) L9: books = writings. This is a change from the earlier idea, of speaking. L9: eloquence = expressive speech. The Poet writes better than he talks, when it comes to love, is the implication. L10: dumb = soundless. Written words do not directly speak. L10: presagers = heralds, in the sense of messengers. The word has reference to messengers or "criers" (of love.) L10: speaking breast = his own voice, speaking from the heart. L11: plead - Used in a quasi-legal sense. The addressee is "judge and jury" for the Poet to plead his love. L11: recompense = compensation, return, restitution. (Note, to the right.) L12: More than = overcoming. Overlooking. L12: that tongue = his own tongue, his own speech. His talking. L12: that more hath more expressed = that has expressed more, and better. That has been more outspoken, and better expressed. L12: that more - (Note, to the right.) L13: learn - Since love is the subject, the implication is "learn by heart." L13: read - Either literal, or 'comprehend,' 'understand.' L13: silent = unspoken. 14: hear = understand, 'take in.' L14: belongs = goes along with. The best equivalent is "goes hand in hand with," since love is the subject. L14: fine = accomplished. L14: wit = wisdom, astuteness. |
Sonnet 23 Notes
Sonnet 23 is by William Shakespeare, and it's written to his wife. He saw her, but didn't express his love for her in person as well as he wishes he had, so he now tries to make up for that with a Sonnet to her. 'Thing', and its associated words, suggests the visit turned out to be primarily sexual, leaving the Poet worried he was not expressive enough of love in talking to her. It's a long way from London to Stratford, with visits too few and far between. It might be advisable for scholars to review the argument that a mark on an official document is necessarily a sign of illiteracy. Maybe so, but maybe not. It's generally taken that Mrs. Shakespeare couldn't read, because she signed with a mark. However, this Sonnet is written to her. Alternatively, the Sonnet can be interpreted as expressing regret that she can't read, and by writing the Sonnet, the Poet is writing "lines" for himself to read to her on his next visit. That was Shakespeare's occupation, after all, the writing of lines to be spoken aloud. This Sonnet may be a "speech" for himself as a "player" the next time his wife is his "audience." The interpretation of it being a "player" Sonnet does not imply any insincerity, by the way. He wrote speeches for players very seriously, as his job, to make money and feed himself and his family. ------- L2: besides = apart from. There is implicit wordplay with "part," i.e., the idea of the player being "apart from his part." There is also further implicit wordplay, with "depart." A player who is "apart from his part" has "departed" from it. The idea in line 2 is of an actor who forgets his lines, because of stage fright. The more general concept is that of ability being undermined by emotion. L3 & L4 The point of lines 3 and 4 is that strong emotion "fights against" eloquent expressions of sentiment. L6: ceremony = recitation. Ceremonies involve reciting words that have been written down, and memorized. In immediate meaning, the Poet does not mean, literally, reciting words that have been written down. But, read on. The well known "ceremony of love" is the wedding ceremony, of course. That's part of what identifies this Sonnet as being to Mrs. Shakespeare. L6: right = entitlement. There is a pun between "right" and "rite," and both meanings are intended to be understood. A wedding ceremony is a rite that confers certain rights on both husband and wife. L7: decay = decompose. The implication of "decompose" is literal, i.e. the intensity of the Poet's love makes it difficult for him to compose exactly what he wants to say. His love affects his "composure." So, his ability to express himself is "de-composed." L8: Ore = over. "Ore" is the original spelling. It suggests the old meaning of "ore" = gold, and hints of the Poet's love being too "golden" for him to express. L8: Ore-charged = overwhelmed. The term can also be read "overly-commanded." The idea implies that the Poet's love is so great that the "commands" or "orders" of his love are more than he can carry out, when it comes to expressing that love adequately. L8: burden = weight, amount. In addition, the word "burden" has an old definition of "childbirth." For example, see Comedy of Errors Act 1 scene 1: ~ Aegeon: ... A mean woman was delivered Of such a burden, male twins, both alike. ~ Also from Comedy of Errors, Act 5 scene 1: ~ Abbess: ... if thou be'st the man That hadst a wife once call'd Aemilia, That bore thee at a burden two fair sons ... ~~~ A poem is, figuratively, a "child" of a poet's inventiveness. Composing a poem is therefore like bearing a child. Here, the Poet implies that the "child" (poem,) that truly expresses his love, is beyond his ability to give birth to (compose) - extemporaneously! The subtle parent-child implication also hints of the addressee being the Poet's wife, however, he used the "child" notion quite freely. L8: might = compulsion. Compulsion caused by overwhelming power. For an example of this meaning, see Antony and Cleopatra Act 3 scene 12: ~ Euphronius: ... Cleopatra does confess thy greatness, Submits her to thy might ... ~~~ L11: recompense = compensation, return, restitution. It's the general notion of "making up for." The Poet hopes his writing will make up for his lack of spoken eloquence. "Forgiveness" would be another way of saying it. The Poet has seen his wife, and spoken to her, but fears that what he said at the time wasn't good enough. He hopes that what he writes will do better than he did in person. The only "recompense" he seeks, is for her to overlook, or forgive, that he isn't as eloquent as he wants to be, in person. L12: that more The phrase puns with "that moor," and thereby constitutes an insult from him to his own tongue. It isn't literal meaning, of his tongue being black, but Shakespeare well knew the 'more-moor' pun. Especially see Othello, and then his various other writings. The complicated phrasing of line 12 is probably to incorporate the pun. |
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