Shakespeare's Sonnet 29: The Poet's Reflection on Loneliness and the Power of Love

1. William Shakespeare1564-1616 Sonnet 29 Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

2. What Is The Poet Saying? • First Two Quatrains • Function as self-reflection • “When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes I all alone beweep my outcast state” (1-2) • Considers himself to be isolated • Bad luck • Lonely Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

3. What Is The Poet Saying? • “And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries” (3) • “bootless cries” • Futile prayers • “deaf Heaven” • Heaven does not hear or respond to his prayers Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

4. What Is The Poet Saying? • “And look upon myself and curse my fate, Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, Featured like him, like him with friends possessed, Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope” (4-7) Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

5. What Is The Poet Saying? • Curses his bad luck (that he is who he is) • Wishes to be someone else • “with friends possessed” • demonstrates the poet’s loneliness • demonstrates the poet’s desire for companionship Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

6. What Is The Poet Saying? • “With what I most enjoy contented least—“ (8) • What he most enjoys is most absent in his life Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

7. Third Quatrain • Volta • Change in perspective • “Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at Heaven’s gate.” (9-12) Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

8. Third Quatrain • As the poet begins to hate himself, he thinks about his friend • His mood and perspective immediately changes • Imagery • Lark • Daybreak • Hymns • Heaven’s gate • All positive, uplifting images Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

9. Couplet • “For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.” (13-14) • Once he thinks of his friend, he considers himself to be extremely wealthy • In fact, once he begins to think of his friend, he would not trade places with a king Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

10. Poetic Devices • Shakespearean Sonnet • Rhyme Scheme • abab cdcd efef gg Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

11. Poetic Devices • Shakespearean Sonnet • Meter ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ ˘ ΄ • When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes • Iambic Pentameter Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

12. Poetic Devices • Imagery • First two quatrains • Negative imagery • Centers around loneliness • Third quatrain • Positive imagery • Lark • Singing • Hymns • Heaven Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

13. Poetic Devices • Simile • “Wishing me like to one more rich in hope” (5) • Comparing himself to someone with better fortune Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

14. Poetic Devices • Alliteration • “Yet in these thoughts…” (9) Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29

15. Poetic Devices • Tone • First two quatrains • Loneliness • Third quatrain • Happiness Geschke/British Literature Shakespeare's Sonnet 29