Pretenious Shakespeare

William Shakespeare’s “My Mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” is one of the most famous, and well-known sonnets in the world. It consists of 14 lines. Its couplet occurs in the final two lines. It has a volta, which is the turning point from problem to solution, in line 13. One of the sonnets five major themes, is of a male speaker talking about his lover, in an idolized way. But in Shakespeare’s sonnet, the speaker does not idolize his lover. Instead, he puts her down, to mock men who compare their lovers to pretty, glamorous things in an excessive way. As though they have no other way to speak of their lovers, if not through their looks. It is misogynistic. There is no other way to put it. Shakespeare too seems to find these loud, boisterous proclamations of ‘love’ ridiculous. So, he mocks them in his sonnet to show such proclamations are not needed to express how passionately one loves their lady. In the beginning of the sonnet, the speaker says his “mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” (line 1). The sun is a bright ball of energy that gives light to Earth. To say his lover’s eyes are unlike the sun, implies they are dull and lackluster. They are nothing special. He then goes on to say he has seen roses of red and white, “but no such roses see I in her cheeks” (line 6). Her cheeks lack color; they are never flushed. Again, there is a dullness to her. He then goes on to say that her breath reeks, unlike perfumes. That while he loves to hear her speak, “music hath a far more pleasing sound” (line 10). In the final two lines, he claims his love is rare “as any she belied with false compare” (line 14). While Shakespeare mocks men who use flattery to speak of their lovers, he is not so much better himself. This point is driven by Catherine Tate’s classroom performance. Her character claims Shakespeare is repetitious and extremely dull. Her teacher fights back and argues she is “not worthy to mention his name”, and that Shakespeare is a genius, and she is not. Catherine’s character is insolent, but it does not warrant the harmful things said to her by her teacher. But I like how she fights back. I think the lover of the speaker in Shakespeare’s sonnet would too. Catherine’s lack of respect for Shakespeare, ultimately transforms the sonnet’s meaning. Shakespeare goes from a man seemingly fighting back against misogyny to being rather pretentious. It is as though he believes himself to be superior to other men because he sees his lover not for her looks, but for who she is inside. Because his love is not superficial. There were better ways to approach this notion than coming for her appearance. It can be argued the teacher in the BBC video represents Shakespeare. He is the authoritative character, the one with the power. He, too, presents himself in a pretentious way. He does not joke around nor laugh at Catherine’s jokes. And when her character critiques Shakespeare, he takes major offense and verbally attacks her. This feels very reminiscent of Shakespeare and sheds light on his pretentiousness. Now, the sonnet is not as romantic as it seems.

Bella Cortez

Shakespearean Sonnets Taught By Dr Who, Interpreted By An Annoying English Student

Shakespearean sonnets are taught to many different students around the world, I from first hand experience know that they have been teaching us about Shakespeare’s work since middle school. Many students are not the biggest fans of Shakespeare’s work, but we all know it and I can confidently say that even if you are not a fan of literature you would be able to recognize what a Shakespearean sonnet looks like in the Elizabethan teaching of English Literature.

The poem “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun,” sonnet 130 written by Shakespeare, we are introduced to a mistress which Shakespeare describe in an unorthodox fashion, he explains that “if snow bobwhite, why then her breast are dun,” “And in some perfumes is more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.” Instead of painting his mistress in a light that depicts her beauty and that make the reader think about her in an angelic way, he does the complete opposite and writes al about her flaws. And although Shakespeare decides to do the unconventional and write about his mistress’ flaws, we interpret it as a way to say that her mistress is REAL, that she is human and not perfect like a doll or in this case the sun.

In the poem Shakespeare chooses unconventional, he chooses not to write a poem that us received as your “normal” poem talking about the beauty of a woman. We also find unconventionality in the Catherine Tates’s classroom performance. In the video, Catherine Tete plays a student who is not well behaved, and does not depict the characteristics of a model student. Catherine has her character mock the teacher and say he reminds her of “Dr Who” or saying “I don’t think you’re qualified to teach is english” because the teacher is Scottish. However when the teacher has finally had enough of Catherine he threatens to fail he, she then surprises everyone by reciting “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” a sonnet by William Shakespeare, as mentioned previously. She surprises even the teacher as nobody would expect this from a baldly behaved student with such a reputation, however is happened and she did it correctly, she know what a Shakespearean sonnet is by heart.

This is unconventional and I think in a way helps emphasize the unconventionality that Shakespeare goes for in his poem. Just like how it doesn’t seem normal for Shakespeare to write about loving a mistress who, according to the sonnet, is imperfect is so many harsh ways, writing about her in a way that makes her seem so awful, it doesn’t seem normal for such an awful and uncumbersome student would have the ability to recite a poem by Shakespeare. I also think that there is a better emphasis created on the sonnet by the fact that such an unorthodox student would recite such an unorthodox sonnet by heart, in my eyes this enhances the horribleness of the mistress and brings a stronger pull on the words that are written by Shakespeare.

Another thing that what was worth mentioning when comparing the video and Shakespeare’s sonnet would be the turning point, the volta, that is present in both the poem and the video. Because the poem is a Shakespearean sonnet then it is structure with 12 lines that allow for a narrative build ups and two final couplets that are a turning point in the poem. And just like in the poem, the video is structured in a very similar format with the most of the initial part of the video building a narrative of the dislike that the Catherine’s character has for reading and for Shakespeare, however in the last few lines of the videos she recite the poem and surprises everyone, bring a turning point to the video, a last clap-back and her professor is you will. The video is essentially structured as a sonnet.

Guadalupe Lemus

Tate’s Recitation Touches Up Shakespeare

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

The Effects of Shakespearean Sonnets Even After his Death

William Shakspere even after his death with his work still has an effect on society today. In his poem, “ My Mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” we can see the theme of love and passion that the author has for his unidentified beloved. It also describes the different traits the lover has that the author is attracted towards. In the comedy skit we see Catherine Tate’s character as an annoying student that doesn’t like the fact that her new English teacher isn’t actually English, he’s actually Scottish. Catherine Tate’s character is of English descent and doesn’t think her new English teacher is qualified to teach her class English just because he is of Scottish descent instead. This brings up the topic of class and ethnic background. Which relates to the way Shakespeare wrote his own pieces he would not only write for the high class members he would also write for the middle class members and when she mocked the fact that “No, reading’s for losers”like saying that those who don’t understand poems and can only read are losers unlike her. With both Shakespeare’s sonnet and Catherine Tate’s comedy skit we can see a similarity. The structure of a sonnet is based on a 14 line poem that follows the iambic rhythm as well as an organized rhyme scheme. The similarity between both pieces is that the first couple of lines in Shakespere’s sonnet were utilized to set the theme/mood and then in the last two lines we were able to witness a twist. For example, “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.”(lines 12,13, and 14) within these lines we can see that the shift happened when he stopped describing his lover’s beauty and instead focused on declaring his love as something unique and rare.  In the comedy skit we can see something similar taking place. The skit begins with the introduction of the class’s new English teacher to which one specific student, Catherine Tate’s character, doesn’t agree with because he has a Scottish accent. Like in the sonnet the first couple of minutes are used to set the tone and mood which towards the end will change and in this case the teacher had enough of her attitude and turned her into a doll. 

Sandra Landa-Sanchez

Incarnation of the Poet?

Catherine Tate embodies a pretentious, annoying teenager who is seemingly not fond of authoritarian figures or English. Yet, could she be read as the subject of poetry itself? While there are English fanatics, in this case David Tennant, who aim to simplify and transmit the beauty of poetry, to many poetry is nothing more than a babbling tale of unnecessary (and at times dishonorable) complexeties. Sonneet 130 itself brings up some complex and controversial themes around sex and love. He is obsessed with his lover, but he is seemingly degrading her? (Lines 9-10) The poem is about how he loves her, but it is also making a statement against societial norms? (Lines 5-6, 14). Line 14 specifically seems to be a jab at society and even poetry saying “As any she, belied with false compare”, referencing the oh-so-popular comparisons and symbols that dominate culture.

It is ironic that in this sketch Tate personifies the babbling tale of poetry by talking back, being disrespectful, and simply unbearable yet she recites Sonnet 130 perfectly like any other Shakespeare nerd. I believe this is a fun jab at literature and poetry too, like holding up a mirror to all the english fanatics. Is this what we look like as we go on and on about simple things in the tiresome form of and sonnets and ironic comparisons? This sketch enhances Sonnet 130 because it simplifies it in a fun way. The audience isn’t cracking their brains open trying to understand what in the world Shakespeare is on about, instead we can sit back and enjoy the ruckus while the english teacher gets a taste of his own medicine.

Darah Carrillo Vargas

let me speak.

By: Jocelyn Lemus

Whenever one thinks of a sonnet, they automatically hear “oh! a simple poem.” However one should never push away the difference both a sonnet and a poem carry within the message they are trying to convey. A sonnet is more like a guide with rules to structure a poem and a poem is a way of being more open and free of creative writing. When reading and seeing William Shakespeare’s sonnet “my mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun,” perform by Catherine Tate, I automatically saw a deeper message using the ability of a tone. Tate’s tone became aggressive and frustrating as she was saying in the clip. This is significant because it demonstrates how the sonnet is being brought into the real world. It is not only said, but shown with the expressions the mouth can perceive. Shakespeare does an splendid job when he is trying to embrace the message of the sonnet because he is capable of use words and manipulate the movement of the mouth along with it.

As I was analyzing the sonnet and comparing it to Tate’s mouth movement and emotional tone, I was able to find the emphasis in her words. For example, when she says, “If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun” (line 3). This becomes a vivid and colored line because with the help of Tate’s tone of her voice, she is able to take this phrase and make it hers. Tate was able to enhance the performance of this sonnet because her facial expressions were able to give in the meaning of the sonnet. Not only was that line a vivid one, but also, “My mistress’eyes are nothing like the sun” (line 1). This is also an important because Tate was able to grab this phrase and turn not only into a ray of sunshine, but the entire light alone. Her voice becomes a shape, a loud and strong shade that has no capacity to exist in any dimension.

In the video, one can clearly see Tate’s frustration develop as she recited the sonnet. Her change of tone shifts extremely quickly from how she began to how she ended it. She said it with so much speed, the heavens couldn’t even listen to every word she was saying. Her accent became thicker and her facial expression became more aggressive as if she wanted the English teacher to not just see her, but she through her. Every skin of the sonnet meant something to her, just like it meant something to Shakespeare. Her way of expressing the sonnet became louder and louder making it more possessive and appealing.

Tate was able to grab Shakespeare’s sonnet and make it hers. She made some magic with it using her lips and her tone, only to make it beautiful and persuading.

A Man Does Not Dictate a Woman’s Worth

“My Mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun”, otherwise known as Sonnet 130, is a sonnet that reflects on one specific type of sonnet; the type of sonnet that portrays the love a man has for his “perfect” love and how he compares them to certain “ideals” of beauty. The sonnet is ridiculing that type of sonnet by saying that the worth of a woman is not dictated by the comparisons that are made about her by a man, while also pointing out that these comparisons are unfair in the first place. This idea is enhanced by Catherine Tate’s classroom performance. 

The critical tone is present throughout the entirety of the poem, although it is rather subtle. The poem is made almost entirely of lines that compare the “mistress” to things that represent conventional beauty, but never in a way that favors her. This can be seen in line one, when the speaker says “my mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun”, which implies that they are dull in comparison. This differs from the way most romantic sonnets are written because it is opposing this idea that women live up to these natural phenomenons that represent beauty. This idea of comparing something that does not seem worthy of attention to something “extraordinary” is seen explicitly in the Catherine Tate classroom scene when David Tennant, playing Mr. Logan, compares Tate’s character, Lauren, to Shakespeare. He states that “Shakespeare was a genius…” and that Lauren is “definitely not”. This comparison is blinding, and perfectly reflects the theme of “My Mistress’ eyes”. Just as the reader might think that the “mistress” that is being described in Sonnet 130 is not worth much simply based on the words of the speaker, the viewers of Catherine Tate’s classroom scene might think that her character is not worth much based on the words of Tennants’s character, as well as her actions. Boths of these beliefs, however, are refuted further into each respective piece. 

Although the speaker in Sonnet 130 is saying that the woman he loves is nothing similar to the ideals that represent conventional beauty, that does not mean he loves her any less. This can be seen in the last two lines when he states that despite all of the characteristics of beauty that she may lack, he still loves her. In fact, he says in line fourteen “by heaven, I think my love so rare”. These words easily and quickly counter any idea that the previous readers may have had about this woman by implying that it is not the “perfection” of a woman that makes her worthy of love. Similarly, in the classroom scene, the audience’s idea of who Lauren is intellectually is refuted. As one continues to watch the scene unfold, Lauren’s antics continue, leaving it easy for the viewers to continue with the assumption they had made previously. Although it would be difficult to argue against the idea that Lauren’s actions are irritating and annoying, the belief that she is intelligent is disproven when she recites Sonnet 130, line for line, with no pauses and stutters. In fact, her delivery is flawless. This performance disproves the audience’s, and Mr. Logan’s, idea that she is nothing compared to the “genius” Shakespeare. This holds the same idea that a women has more worth than what is “given” to her by a man that is apparent in Sonnet 130. 

When it comes to the idea that Sonnet 130 is criticizing the conventions of sonnets as they usually are, it is successfully done when the speaker says “and she belied by false compare”. By saying this, the speaker is saying that comparing a woman to something in a completely different category in no way benefits her because the characteristics that are being compared can never, actually be obtained by her. This idea is enhanced in the classroom scene because the whole video points out the flaw with Mr. Logan comparing Lauren to Shakespeare by portraying her as they did. She is a student, with much to learn, so making a comparison to one of the literary geniuses of the world is unfair, because at this point in her life, there is no possible way she could measure up to Shakespeare.

In Sonnet 130, the speaker compares his ideal woman to beautiful things in a negative manner, but goes onto say that he still loves her, which portrays the idea that a woman is worth more than what a man says she is worth. In Catherine Tate’s classroom scene, her characters intelect is worth more than Tennant’s character assumes, which is shown through character. Because of this, the classroom scene enhances the idea about the worthiness of a woman that is present in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130. It also embodies the point that is being made in Sonnet 130 about how many of the comparisons that are made in sonnets are unfair.

Sophia Wallace-Boyd

Redundant Poetry

Sofia Garcia

In just fourteen lines a sonnet manages to contradict itself. This form of poetry seems pretty redundant because it just answers itself. It is as redundant as one asking a question and one answers it almost immediately

Some may argue that it is self-awareness, but I don’t see that anywhere especially with the skit. Catherine Tate’s character and David Tennant’s characters are a metaphor for what happens in a sonnet, but not just any sonnet; they represent how Shakespeare mapped out his sonnets. They are ague with each other trying to make a point, but then they wind up contradicting each other.

This skit is just a modern version of how to interpret the layout of Shakespeare’s sonnets. In the skit, the student tries to get the teacher to admit that he is Dr. Who. He denies it throughout the entire skit. She annoys the crap out of him and he pulls out whatever device and flashes her with it. She turns into a figurine which proves that the teacher is indeed Dr.Who.

To put it into context, William Shakespeare compares his mistress’ beauty and the features that make her beautiful to a number of things in his “Sonnet 130: My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun”, and then he finishes the sonnet by saying my mistress cannot not be compared to anything because I think she is too good for those things to be compared to her.

“Belied with False Compare”

By Alex Luna

William Shakespeares “Sonnet 130,” discusses the cliche of comparing one’s significant other to something grandiose, by bringing these notions back to reality and say that no, one’s significant other is no this grand beautiful thing but that doesn’t make them not special. In the video in which Catherine Tate mockingly recites the piece to her teacher (David Tenant), the poem takes on a very comedic tone. The sonnet’s meaning is enhanced when we look at Tate and Tenants’ interaction as a reflection of the poem itself. 

The poem begins with a statement, “my mistress’ eyes are nothing like the suns.” The speaker is saying that there isn’t much uniqueness to their lover’s eyes, certainly, not of that of the suns. The poem continues with comparisons like this and deconstructing them, continuing with “Coral is far more red than her lips red.” Here, the speaker again says that their significant other features are nothing special to marvel at. When considering the video, Tenants’ role as the teacher seems to take on the idea of these grandiose attitudes towards poetry and things. He calls Shakespeare’s work genius and says that Tate is not compared to Shakespeare’s work. Immediately, we see a correlation between the scene and the poem, with that declaration that something is not this concept which is far greater.  Tate’s character than follows up with a complete recitation of the poem, to the shock of Tenants character. 

At the poems volta, identified in lines 13-14, in which the speaker states “And yet by heaven I think my love as rare.” The speaker implies that even though their lover is not this grand goddess, they are still special and unique in the eyes of the speaker because of this love. When Tates character suddenly beings reciting the poem, that in a sense is like the Volta of the poem, where a sudden shift occurs. Sure, Tate’s character most likely wouldn’t be a genius compared to Shakespeare, but this scene corroborates the idea that despite subjects like the lover in the poem aren’t so grandiose, our own idiosyncrasies and uniqueness still stand out and make things more meaningful. Her ability to mockingly recite the piece also reflects the conventions of sonnets, like some exclusive club when really Shakespeare is accessible to everyone. Sonnets throughout history have been confined to these set rules, rules that would be seen as blasphemous if broken by a bit. Shakespeare himself transformed the sonnet form into one we know today. If he himself chose to challenge these rules than Tate’s character has every right to criticize it as well. Sonnets are accessible to everyone, and shouldn’t be constrained to such rules.

The final lines only continue this trend. “As any she belied with false compare.” If you look at Tate herself and Shakespeare, there is no point in comparing, just like there is no point in questioning or comparing Petrarchan Sonnets to Shakespearean sonnets, they are each unique in their own right. One has the ability to challenge and reshape whatever they wish, and in comparing you are just creating a new divide that shouldn’t be there. Just like mistress eyes and the sun, there is no point. Just like calling their lover a Goddess, there is no point. The speaker knows their lover is not a goddess, but they still love her. Because poets of the past made these initial comparisons, significant others got put on a pedestal, so by Tate’s character breaking this sonnet down, we return to the very nature of reality. One in which people, while not perfect, are still unique and beautiful in every way. While one may be grander than the other, there is beauty in the other as well.