The Sonnets and Other Poems (53 page)
Read The Sonnets and Other Poems Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
filled up
occupied, served as subject matter for/repaired, filled in (giving
line
a suggestion of “crack”)
line
i.e. the rival poet’s lines of verse; possible play on the additional sense of “ship,” picking up the nautical imagery at the start of the poem
14
matter
subject matter/substance (with which to fill in a flaw)
1
dear
expensive (with play on the sense of “beloved”)
2
estimate
worth
3
charter … worth
privilege that results from your merit
releasing
freedom/legal dispensation from contractual obligations (
charter
also has the sense of “legal document relating to the transference of property”)
4
bonds
ties/legal agreements
determinate
terminated (legal term relating to the cessation of tenancy)
7
cause of
justification for receiving
wanting
lacking
8
patent
right of ownership
back … swerving
is reverting to you
11
upon misprision growing
coming from a misunderstanding
14
no such matter
nothing of the kind
1
set me light
value me little
2
place … scorn
look scornfully at my worth (or cause others to do so)
4
forsworn
perjured, one who has broken their word
6
Upon thy part
on your side, on your behalf
7
attainted
dishonored/convicted (or, rarely, “accused”)
8
That
so that
10
bending
directing
12
vantage
advantage
double-vantage
doubly benefit
14
bear all wrong
endure all hardship/take responsibility for all wrongdoing/behave wrongfully (toward myself)
1
forsake
abandon
2
comment upon
expand on, give details of
3
halt
limp
6
To … change
in order to make your desire to leave me look justifiable and acceptable
8
I … strange
I will completely suppress my familiarity with you and treat you like a stranger
9
thy walks
the places where you habitually walk
12
haply
perhaps
13
vow debate
commit myself to conflict
1
Then
follows on from Sonnet 89
2
bent
determined
cross
thwart
4
drop … after-loss
fall upon (me) for further injury in the future
5
scaped
escaped
6
Come … woe
a military metaphor—“come along behind an army (
woe
) that I have managed to defeat”
8
linger … overthrow
prolong a planned defeat
11
onset
initial assault
13
strains
varieties
1
glory
exult, take pride
3
new-fangled ill
highly fashionable but ugly
5
humour
mood/temperament
adjunct
corresponding
7
measure
standard (of happiness)
8
better
outdo
10
prouder … cost
more splendid than costly garments/higher than the cost of garments
1
But
continues the argument from Sonnet 91
2
term of life
(my) lifetime
5
worst of wrongs
worst injury (i.e. being entirely abandoned by his lover)
6
in … end
the least slight or hint of a rebuff will kill me
8
humour
mood
10
on … lie
lies at the mercy of your change of mind
11
happy
joyous/fortunate
title
entitlement
13
blessèd-fair
fortunately happy (
fair
also suggests “flawless/pale”)
blot
blemish, stain
14
false
unfaithful
1
So
the argument continues from Sonnet 92
2
love’s face
the appearance of love
3
altered new
newly altered, different
8
wrinkles
grimaces
13
Eve’s apple
the apple that Eve picked in the Garden of Eden, beautiful in appearance, but doomed to bring evil to humankind when eaten (biblical)
14
answer … show
does not correspond to your appearance
2
the … show
the action (sex) that, based on their (attractive) appearances, they seem most likely to do
3
moving
provoking sexual desire in
4
cold
lacking passion, chaste
6
husband … expense
preserve their natural endowments from being wasted (
expense
suggests the emission of semen)
7
lords … faces
the rightful owners of their beauty
8
stewards
domestic managers, administrators
10
to itself
alone
11
base
degrading (perhaps also suggesting “in the lower regions”)
infection
suggestive of venereal disease, as well as moral corruption
12
basest
most common
outbraves
surpasses, outdoes in appearance
13
things
may play on the sense of “genitals”
deeds
actions/sexual exploits
14
Lilies … weeds
this line also appears in
Edward III
(1596), thought by many scholars to contain some material by Shakespeare
2
canker
cankerworm, a parasitic grub that destroys plants
3
spot
stain
name
reputation
4
sweets
sweet things (perhaps suggestive of furled petals)
6
sport
pleasures/ sexual activity
9
mansion
i.e. the young man’s body
13
large privilege
extensive freedom
14
knife
phallic connotations
ill-used
misused sexually
edge
effectiveness/sexual appetite
1
wantonness
wildness/willfulness/lechery
2
gentle
suitable to a gentleman
3
of … less
by high and low classes alike
4
Thou … resort
you turn the faults that attend you into virtues
6
basest
cheapest, humblest
7
errors
sins/inaccuracies
8
truths
virtues/valid things
translated
transformed
10
like … translate
he could change his appearance to that of a lamb
11
gazers
admirers
away
i.e. astray
12
strength … state
power that your qualities and birth give you
13
But … report
repeats the closing couplet of Sonnet 36
5
time removed
period of separation
6
teeming
fertile
big
pregnant
increase
offspring
7
Bearing
carrying/giving birth to
wanton … prime
offspring of lustful spring (an image suggestive of ripened fruit dropping from trees and crops being harvested)
8
their lords’
i.e. spring’s
9
issue
offspring
10
But … fruit
i.e. not much hope at all
unfathered
fatherless
11
wait
attend
2
proud-pied
splendidly multicolored
trim
adornment, finery
4
That
so that
heavy Saturn
the planet and god were associated with melancholy (“heaviness”)
5
nor … nor
neither … nor
lays
songs
6
different flowers
flowers differing
7
summer’s
i.e. cheerful, bright
8
proud
showy
lap
i.e. the earth
11
but
only, merely
figures
sketches
12
after
in imitation of
pattern
model, exemplar
14
As
as if
shadow
image
1
forward
early/presumptuous
chide
rebuke, upbraid
2
thy … smells
i.e. your sweet perfume
3
purple pride
the purple color you are so proud of/purple splendor
4
for complexion
as (artificial) coloring
5
grossly
obviously/crudely
6
condemnèd … hand
blamed for stealing the whiteness of your hand
7
buds of marjoram
these are tightly curled and sweet-smelling
8
on … stand
grew on thorny stems, but the phrase can also mean “in a state of high anxiety” (the roses are fearful because they have committed theft)
9
white
i.e. fearful
11
annexed thy breath
added the crime of stealing your breath for his perfume
12
for
in punishment for
pride … growth
the glory of its prime
13
canker
cankerworm, a parasitic grub that destroys plants
eat
ate
15
But … thee
that had not stolen its scent or color from you
1
Muse
inspiring goddess of poetry, or creative inspiration generally
3
fury
creative energy, poetic frenzy
4
Dark’ning … light
hiding your real power to give prominence to unworthy subjects
5
straight
straightaway
6
gentle numbers
noble verses
idly
worthlessly/foolishly
7
lays
songs
8
argument
subject matter