Sonnet 130: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun

 My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;

Coral is far more red than her lips' red;

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

And in some perfumes is there more delight

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound;

I grant I never saw a goddess go;

My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.

   And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

   As any she belied with false compare.

Introduction : 

"My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun" is one of Shakespeare's most famous sonnets from his collection published in 1609. It belongs to the group of sonnets focused on the poet's mistress, an unknown figure in Shakespeare's life who was clearly his lover and muse. In this poem, the speaker takes an unconventional approach by rejecting the typical comparisons made between a woman's beauty and nature.

     Instead of waxing lyrical about his mistress' roses-and-sunshine perfection, he admits from the very first line that her beauty is nothing like those idealized tropes. This striking departure from convention makes the poem refreshingly honest and relatable even today. Through extended metaphors, wordplay, and a jovial tone, Shakespeare composes an original love poem that strips away exaggeration to celebrate the more relatable, human-scale beauty of his mistress.

Summary of Poem : 

The poem opens by stating that the speaker's mistress' eyes are "nothing like the sun," immediately upending the classic comparison of a woman's beauty to the radiance of the sun. He admits her lips are less red than coral, her breasts dun-colored, and her hair like wires. However, he claims some perfection is desired too much, and by "rebuking" these hyperbolic comparisons he implies his love is more realistic and meaningful. In the final quatrain, he states that despite her atypical, flawed beauty by society's standards, she is as rare and valuable to him as any idealized beauty could ever be.

Structure and Rhyme Scheme : 

The poem follows the classic English sonnet structure of three quatrains (4 line stanzas) followed by a concluding rhyming couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, adhering to the typical Shakespearean sonnet format. This tight, melodic structure with the final couplet serving as a poignant conclusion was a vehicle Shakespeare and other poets used frequently to ruminate on love and beauty.

Poetic Devices : 

Metaphor/Simile: 

The extended metaphor of comparing his mistress' beauty to nature is established through metaphors like "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun" and similes like "red and white roses on her cheek" and "black wires grow on her head."

Imagery: 

Vivid visual imagery like "coral is far more red" and "dun white breasts" creates clear pictures in the reader's mind of his mistress' appearance.

Wordplay:

There are examples of clever wordplay like describing her breath as "reeks" instead of a more typical "sweet-smelling," and stating perfection is "desired too much."

Tone: 

The tone is playful and subversive, poking fun at the excessive idealization seen in classic love poetry.

Symbols :

The Sun and Nature: These classic symbols of idealized beauty and perfection are rejected in favor of a more realistic view of feminine beauty.

Coral and Wires: By comparing his mistress to these earthy, everyday objects instead of precious gemstones etc., Shakespeare demystifies feminine beauty.

Conclusion : 

In this cheeky yet deeply affectionate poem, Shakespeare embraces imperfection in both his mistress and in his own poetic philosophy. By rejecting the unrealistic idealizations that were standard poetic conventions for discussing beauty, he celebrates the meaningful human beauty that exists in the flawed and relatable reality we all inhabit. This poem's insightful grasp of true beauty's messy authenticity gives it a remarkably modern resonance despite being over 400 years old. Shakespeare reminds us that while we chase after imagined perfection, the genuine treasures of our world can be the beauties right in front of our eyes.