Go to the Sonnets INTRO page
|
|
|
Go to the LIST of Sonnets page
Go to the Sonnets INTRO page |
|
. Sonnet 78 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. So oft have I invok'd thee for my Muse, 02. And found such fair assistance in my verse, 03. As every Alien pen hath got my use, 04. And under thee their poesy disperse. 05. Thine eyes, that taught the dumb on high to sing, 06. And heavy ignorance aloft to flee, 07. Have added feathers to the learned's wing, 08. And given grace a double Majesty. 09. Yet be most proud of that which I compile, 10. Whose influence is thine, and borne of thee, 11. In others' works thou dost but mend the style, 12. And Arts with thy sweet graces graced be. 13. But thou art all my art, and dost advance 14. As high as learning, my rude ignorance. |
. Sonnet 78 . (paraphrased) 01. I have called upon you, so very often, as my Muse, 02. And, by doing so, I've found such favorable inspiration in writing my verse, 03. It's now as if every outsider's pen has "joined my church" (in "worshipping" you as their Muse,) 04. And they're dispensing their poetry under your benevolence. 05. Your enlightenment, that taught the inarticulate to "sing" like angels, 06. And that caused dull unenlightenment, in high places, to be gone, 07. Has helped even scholars to "fly higher," 08. And has given nobility, itself, a greatly enhanced dignity. 09. Yet, I pray you will be most pleased by what I compose, 10. Since its destiny is yours, and it was born of you; 11. While in the writings of others you only correct the presentation, 12. And the arts are already blessed by your friendly favors, 13. But you are everything to my own art, and you've elevated 14. As high as erudition, my untrained lack of knowledge. |
|
Sonnet 78 Gloss
L1: invok'd = called upon. L2: fair = favorable. L2: assistance = inspiration. L3: Alien = territorial outsider; "foreigner." The word is capitalized and italicized in the original, for a reason not clear. It refers to anyone outside the already-established relationship between the addressee and the Poet. L3: got my use = gotten my religion; joined my church. (Note, to the right.) L4: under thee = under your benefaction (or 'beneficence' or 'benevolence.') The Muse/addressee is cast as a "religious power" that does good works. L4: disperse = dispense. Like the "clergy" of the Muse/addressee's "church" bestowing religious favors. L5: eyes - (Note, to the right.) L5: dumb = inarticulate. L5: on high to sing = to sing like angels. Reference to "angelic" poetry. L6: heavy = dull. L6: ignorance = unenlightenment. L6: aloft = in high places. This is a social class reference, referring to the upper classes. L6: flee = be gone. (Note, to the right.) L08: double Majesty = greatly enhanced dignity. The phrase has an undertone of the Poet serving two monarchs, both the Queen and his addressee Muse, thus "doubling" the Majesty he serves. (The undertone has no disrespect to the Queen.) L10: influence = destiny. (Note, to the right.) L10: borne - (Note, to the right.) L11: mend = correct; repair. L11: style = poetic form; poetic presentation; manner of doing poetry. L12: Arts = the fine arts; the aesthetic arts. L12: sweet = friendly; loving. Desirable. L12: graces = favors. L12: graced = blessed. L13: advance = elevate. L14: learning = wisdom; erudition. (Note, to the right.) L14: rude = untrained. L14: ignorance = lack of understanding; lack of enlightenment. |
Sonnet 78 Notes
Sonnet 78 is patently a stylized patronage Sonnet, well executed. The patron is obviously of the nobility, by which I mean the patron is definitely not of the mere "gentleman" or gentlewoman" class, however wealthy; the Sonnet language rules that out. Most likely the Sonnet is from William Shakespeare to Edward de Vere. ------- L3: got my use = gotten my religion; joined my church. The word "use" in this sense is a religious term, approximately synonymous with "liturgy" or "ritual," referring to the practices of a church or a denomination of a church. For example, the Sarum Use was a basis for the Book of Common Prayer. The word "use" in such application is often replaced by the word "rite" these days. The Poet is saying, in line 3, that it's as if other poets have "gotten his religion" of "worshipping" the addressee as their Muse. L5: eyes Mentioned in particular because in those days the eyes were thought to be a source of light, thus it would be the eyes which would provide enlightenment. In this use, "eyes" can be equated to "enlightenment." L6: flee = be gone. "Flee" is the correct word, as originally printed. Modern editors seem always to change it to "fly," which is wrong. The idea in line 6 is that the addressee has caused "heavy ignorance" among the upper classes to flee, to be gone. The "dumb" in line 5 means the uneducated, inarticulate lower classes, and the "ignorance" of line 6 is among the upper classes, those who are already socially "aloft." In lines 5 and 6 the Poet is citing the range of the addressee's influence in society, from the lower classes to the upper. Overall, the Poet says the addressee's "religious" influence, so to speak, has enlightened all classes, both lower and upper. L10: influence = destiny. The word is used in an astrological sense, where an "influence" is exerted toward a certain "destiny." This meaning is revealed by contrast with "born," to give, overall, an "alpha to omega" concept, from birth to end, from nativity to destiny. L10: borne So spelled in the original. The primary meaning is taken as "born," but it includes an intended pun with "borne," for additional depth of meaning. The added meaning of "borne" is like saying, "I bear (have) this gift from you, because of you." L14: learning = wisdom; erudition. 'Erudition' is probably the best equivalent, in advance of "rude," since the word 'erudition' is based on a Latin root meaning "rude." One has to suspect the Poet knew that. |
| Go to: the LIST of Sonnets page -|- or -|- the Sonnets INTRO page | Back to: Sonnet 77 -|- or -|- Ahead to: Sonnet 79 |
|
Go to the |
The Shakespeare Sonnets, courtesy of:
|
See ALL the Sonnets on one long page. |