Shakespeare’s sonnet “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” unfolds a male narrator describing the woman he loves, but while he is very interested in the female, he realizes that she is far from perfect as he does not dare compare to the beautiful things that could be seen in this world. With this poem, Shakespeare explores the use of the sonnet to display his thoughts of the woman he loves as he describes the woman’s body to different aspects of beauty but no matter if she does not reach the standard of beauty. However, Shakespeare twisted the idea of the sonnet as it was expected that the theme of using a sonnet is allowing a male speaker displaying their love to a female close to them, but in the sonnet, the male narrator express his interest in a different way that disregards the woman but he does not care as he had deep feelings.
Looking into the poem, the male speaker begins, “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” (Line 1), as they describe their female love interest and not being capable of comparing her beauty to the shining sun. The sun is the center of our world to which is something cherished that sheds light to everyone, but the female is not worthy of the brightness she could display. The disregarding of the woman he loves does not stop there as the speaker continues, “I love to hear her speak, yet well I know / That music hath a far more pleasing sound” (Line 9-10), as the speaker describes finding the pleasure in hearing the woman they have feelings for while acknowledging there are more beautiful sounds to listen to, but they stand behind their feelings.
Catherine Tate’s recitation of the sonnet demonstrates a different tone towards the poem Shakespeare expected as Catherine in the setting of a student annoying the new English teacher trying to teach about Shakespeare recites the Sonnet 130. As she continues, she recites the poem in an angry loud tone to her voice which enhances the meaning of the poem as the speaker of the poem who stands forth of what the poem is describing no matter if the love interest is not perfect or their beauty is not shown. The speaker does not care of the imperfectness but still accepts their love for them.
Naraint Catalan Rios
Introduction to Poetry 