False Comparisons

False Comparisons

The first thought to come to mind when I hear the words “love poem” is lies. It’s almost as if the author of a love poem will say anything to swoon the object of his affection. The only writer to go against this idea of over dramatic ness is William Shakespeare in his poem “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.”

The theme of this poem is honesty. Instead of comparing her features to things unachievable, he just tells the truth. “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.” (Line 1) This is just one of the many truths that Shakespeare says when many authors like to tell their lovers the opposite. They tell her she smells like the most beautiful perfume and that their smile is brighter that the brightest star in the sky. Shakespeare knows that no ones eyes are as bright as the sun; he doesn’t tell her that her eyes are bad he just lets her know that they aren’t as good as the sun.

Shakespeare uses a lot of imagery to describe his lover’s appearance. “If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.” (Line 4) From this line we as readers don’t get the image of beautiful, voluptuous and full hair. Instead we envision nasty ratty hair that probably hasn’t been washed in days and it lays limp on her head.

In the majority of the lines Shakespeare used a compare and contrast method. “If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun.” (Line 3) He could have used any other off white word, such as stucco or mother of pearl but he uses dun. Just the sound of the word sounds dull and unpleasing.

“I grant I never saw a goddess go/ My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.” (Line 11-12) there is this idea that when goddesses walk it looks as if they are floating above the ground. They are so graceful and peaceful when they walk, but not Shakespeare’s lover. The word tread leaves not a single impression of grace. One could even imagine that she when she walks she just slides her feet across the ground, not even fully picking them up. Or he might even be saying that she doesn’t walk like a woman at all. Some women sway their hips to and fro when they walk. Women do not tread, men tread.

“And in some perfumes is there more delight/ Than the breath that from my mistress reeks.” (Line 7-8) This compare and contrast is probably the harshest of the comparisons in the poem. It’s pretty obvious that no ones breath smells as nice as perfume, but to say that her breath reeks is a very serious statement. Even the word “reek” in itself is a hard word ending in such a strong consonant. This description of her breath makes her that woman who when she opens her mouth the bad breath reaches you from across the room.

Then some of his metaphors are more pleasing. “I love to hear her speak, yet well I know/ That music hath a far more pleasing sound.” (Line 9-10) Music is full of pleasing sounds like harps and flutes and the singers have perfect tones and keys. He hears none of these things when she speaks and yet he loves to hear her talk anyway.

It is pretty obvious from the poem that Shakespeare’s lover does not portray a single trait of what was considered to be beautiful. It was the idea back then