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. Sonnet 51 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. Thus can my love excuse the slow offence, 02. Of my dull bearer, when from thee I speed, 03. From where thou art, why should I haste me thence, 04. Till I return of posting is no need. 05. O what excuse will my poor beast then find, 06. When swift extremity can seem but slow, 07. Then should I spur though mounted on the wind, 08. In winged speed no motion shall I know, 09. Then can no horse with my desire keep pace, 10. Therefore desire (of perfect's love being made) 11. Shall neigh no dull flesh in his fiery race, 12. But love, for love, thus shall excuse my jade, 13. Since from thee going, he went willful slow, 14. Towards thee I'll run, and give him leave to go. |
. Sonnet 51 . (paraphrased) 01. So I, in my love for you, can forgive the offense of slowness 02. By my plodding horse, when he nevertheless takes me too speedily away from you: 03. From the place where you are, why should I hurry away? 04. Until the time I return, there's no need to travel posthaste. 05. Oh, but what excuse will my poor horse have then, when I return, 06. When the most extreme swiftness will seem too slow? 07. Then, I would spur even if my horse flew like the wind, and 08. Even with the speed of a bird on the wing, I'd feel that I was standing still; 09. Then, no horse could keep up with my desire to be with you, 10. Therefore, desire itself (made from perfect love) 11. Shall be my "horse" - there'd be no slow flesh-and-blood horse in my desire's fiery speed! - 12. But my love, out of sympathy for love, shall thereby excuse my worn-out horse: 13. Since, when going away from you, he went slowly as if he were full of desire for you, like I am, 14. Coming back to you, I'll do the running myself, and turn my horse loose (since he's earned his freedom, by apparently loving you, too.) |
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Sonnet 51 Gloss
L1: Thus = so. Sonnet 51 begins with a word of continuation because it was written to follow Sonnet 50. L1: my love - (Note, to the right.) L1: excuse = forgive. L1: slow offense = offense of being slow. Also, the offense occurs slowly, thus it's literally a "slow offense." L2: dull = slow. Plodding. L2: bearer = horse. L2: speed = go too fast. Even plodding seems much too fast as the Poet leaves. L3: thence = away. L4: posting = traveling posthaste. L5: excuse = forgiveness. L6: swift extremity = swiftness in the extreme. L8: winged speed = the speed of a bird on the wing. L10: desire - (Note, to the right.) L10: perfect's love - (Note, to the right.) L11: Shall neigh = shall be my horse. Horses neigh. Therefore, to neigh is to be a horse. L11: race = speed. L12: excuse - Double meaning. 'Forgive.' 'Release from duty.' L12: jade = worn-out horse. L13: willful = willfully. (Note, to the right.) L14: run = do the running, myself. L14: leave to go = freedom. (Note, to the right.) |
Sonnet 51 Notes
L1: my love The phrase has a double meaning. 'My feeling of love.' This is the primary meaning. 'You, my love.' This proceeds from the implicit need for pardon from the addressee for leaving. L10: desire In Sonnet 45 the Poet spoke of his desire being fire, one of the quick elements. That same concept leads to "fiery" in line 11 of this Sonnet. L10: perfect's love The state of being Perfect is personified. It's a well known idea, as in the sarcastic expression "Mister Perfect." (The allusion to Perfect, personified, in this Sonnet is not sarcastic, however.) The characteristics of Perfect would be perfect. Love, that Perfect has, would be perfect, also. So, what it all boils down to, is that "perfect's love" is an impishly roundabout way of saying "perfect love." The brilliant Poet added an 's' to "perfect" in a way that changed the point of view, but did not change the meaning one iota. (That's not an easy thing to do, and an average writer would never notice it could be done.) L13: willful = willfully. The Poet is projecting, ascribing his own mood to the horse. The word usage is highly ironic, or perhaps it would be better described as profound, since "will," as the Poet used the term, is "desire." "Willful" can thus be understood as "desireful." So, the Poet is saying in the Sonnet that he will excuse his "desireful" horse. The Poet is casting the horse as having the same desire to be close to the addressee that he has. L14: leave to go = freedom. The idea in the final line is a facetious one, that the horse has earned his freedom, by seeming to want to stay close to the addressee as much as the Poet does. If the horse loves the addressee, the same as the Poet does, the Poet will let the horse go, in appreciation and sympathy. The ultimate excuse the Poet finds for the horse, is love. |
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