Poem: My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like The Sun
— By William Shakespeare

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.

Summary:

It is an anti-metaphorical sonnet. It uses the language of irony to satirize. In the first quatrain, the speaker states that his mistress’ eyes are not like the sun. Her lips are less reddish than coral. Her breasts are dun-colored, not white like snow and her hair is like black wires on her head. In the second quatrain, the speaker says that her cheeks are not as soft as roses. Her breath does not smell the fragrance of the perfume. In the third quatrain, the speaker declares that the speech of his mistress is less sweet than music. When she walks she does not look like a goddess. In the concluding couplet, the speaker asserts that his mistress is as extraordinary (rare) as any of the beloveds described with false comparisons.

Position and Attitude:

The position of the poet is subjective and his attitude is satirical. Elizabethan poets generally idealize their beloveds in their poems. But the poet here mocks the conventional romantic attitude towards women. In this poem, the poet does not idealize his beloved. He rather points out the negative qualities of his beloved. The eyes of his beloved are less beautiful than the sun. Her lips are less reddish than coral. Her breasts are dun, not white like snow. Her cheeks are not as soft as roses. Thus, his attitude towards his beloved is realistic. He loves her just for what she is. He loves her not for a romantic notion of beauty. There is no doubt that the poet here expresses his own view of the lady. Therefore, his position is certainly subjective.

Rhyme Scheme:

The rhyme scheme is the ordered pattern of rhymes at the end of the lines of a poem or verse. A rhyme scheme is used in poetry. It helps us to read a poem with rhythm. It is maybe common or uncommon. It establishes the poem. Every poem is written in a particular rhyme scheme. It is the combination of a number of stanzas. Every poem has some lines.

The rhyme scheme is easily identified, usually by the accent or sound of the last word of each line of every poem. “My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like The Sun” rhyme scheme is given in the poem. It is a Shakespearean sonnet that is divided into 3 quatrains (stanzas of four lines) and a final couplet.

Now I am going to the rhyme scheme mentioned below with an explanation:

• sun – A
• red – B
• dun – A
• head – B

• white – C
• cheeks – D
• delight – C
• reeks – D

• know – E
• sound – F
• go – E
• ground – F

• rare – G
• compare – G

Here the last word of the 1st line is “sun” and the last word of the 3rd line is “dun”. We can see both words have the same sound. So we can mark it “A”. Then the last word of the 2nd line is “red” and the last word of the 4th line is “head”. Both words have the same sound. So we can mark it “B”. Then in the second stanza, the last word of the 5th line is “white” and the last word of the 7th line is “delight”. Both words have the same sound. So we can mark it “C”. Then the last word of the 6th and 8th line is “cheeks” and “reeks”. Here also both words have the same sound. So we can mark it “D”. And then in the 3rd stanza, the last word of the 9th and 11th word is “know” and “go”. Both words have the same sound. So we can mark it “E”. After that, the last word of the 10th and 12th line is “sound” and “ground”. Both words have the same sound. So we can mark it “F”. Thereafter in the couplet, the last word of the 13th and 14th line is “rare” and “compare”. So we can mark it “G”.

After figuring out the rhyme scheme of the last syllable of each line of this poem, The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

The three quatrains of the poem establish an idea that the speaker’s mistress is less beautiful than the different objects of nature. But the closing couplet presents a surprising ending as the speaker declares that his mistress is as extraordinary as any beloved described with false comparisons.

Generic Form:

The poem is a Shakespearean sonnet. It is a 14th-line poem that rhymes in a particular pattern. This sonnet is divided into three quatrains (stanzas of four lines) and a final couplet. It is written in iambic pentameter. The three quatrains of the poem establish an idea that the speaker’s mistress is less beautiful than the different objects of nature. But the closing couplet presents a surprising ending as the speaker declares that his mistress is as extraordinary as any beloved described with false comparisons. Finally, the poem’s rhyme scheme matches the rhyme scheme of the Shakespearean sonnet: abab cdcd efef gg. Thus, it is a Shakespearean sonnet.

Tone:

The tone of the poem is satirical as well as philosophical. The entire poem is an excellent satire of the Elizabethan love lyrics. In the contemporary love lyrics, other poets use unnecessary metaphors with exaggeration to address their beloveds. They try to prove that their beloveds are more beautiful than nature and its beauty. But in the poem, the poet does not use exaggerated metaphors.

Central Theme:

Love for inner beauty is the central theme of the poem. The poet loves his beloved though she is not beautiful. The poet says that his mistress is not like a goddess. She is not exceptionally beautiful. Indeed, she has nothing exceptional, or extraordinary. Her hairs are like wires. Her breath is not as sweet as any perfume’s smell. Music has a more pleasant sound than her voice. However, the poet says that despite her all negative sides and shortcomings, he loves her very much. Here the poet shows that he loves his beloved for her inner beauty, not for her outward beauty.

Figures Of Speech:

The poem is full of figures of speech. The poet has used similes, metaphors, and images. The very first line of the poem starts with a simile – “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun”. However, the noteworthy matter is here the simile is used to show the dissimilarity, not the similarity. This technique continues in the second line where the poet uses the simile of “coral” to compare the lips of his mistress. After the similes in the first two lines, the poet uses metaphors of show, wires, and roses to compare the breasts, hairs, and cheeks of his mistress. He also uses the metaphor of a “goddess” in line 11. The poet also uses many images like roses, wires, coral, and even some sensuous images like music.

Does the poet really love his mistress?

The closing couplet of the poem proves that the speaker really loves his mistress. The speaker is realistic and true to his love. He does not use any false comparison to address his mistress. He states that his beloved is not comparable to the sun. Her lips are less reddish than coral. Her breasts are not white like snow but dun-colored. Her speech is not sweeter than music. Her cheeks are not as soft as roses. Her breath does not appear like a goddess. But in the concluding couplet, the speaker declares that her mistress is as extraordinary (rare) as any beloved described with false comparison. Here the speaker hints that though his beloved is not physically beautiful, she possesses inner beauty. To the speaker, inner beauty is more important than outer beauty. Thus, it is clear that the poet really loves his mistress.