My Poetry Page

My mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun

I. About the Poem

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
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.

In Shakespeare's age, girlfriend was compared to the sun and beautiful flower heavily. Shakespeare have managed to take advantage of it to admire her beauty. However, Shakespeare said all natural beauty was no match for her beauty. That's why reader was assumed that this lady is not so beautiful.When his death, he said that his girl friend was far from nature but was no match for living lady  and evaded reader's prejudice. 

Works Cited （参考文献）

シェイクスピアのソネット Shakespeare's Sonnets.Web. 8 May. 2016 　

http://poetry.hix05.com/Shakespeare/ss130.html

II. About the Poet

William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564,in Strat ford-on-Avon. The sun of john Shakespeare and Mary Arden,he was probably educated at the King Edward IV Grammar School in Stratford,where he learned Latin and a little Greek and read the Roman dramatists. At eight teen,he married Anne Hathaway, a woman seven or eight years his senior.Together they raised two daughters:Susanna,Who was born in 1583,and Judith(whose twin brother died in boy hood),born in 1585.

Works Cited （参考文献）

William Shakespeare | Academy of American Poets Web. 9 May.2016

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/william-shakespeare

III. My Reaction

A. Reaction Point - Simile(のように）

• This poem is full of similes. In this poem ,simile was used that comparison of beauty with natural thing.
• 「My mistress 's eyes are nothing like the sun；」
• Shakespeare uses this word, and proof that His girl friend is ordinary people.

B. Reaction Point -Irony(皮肉）

• In this poem,Irony is ordinary lady was compared to natural thing.
• 「My mistress's eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips'red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damask'd, red and white, but no such roses see I in her cheeks;and in some perfumes  is there more delight than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know that music bath a far more pleasing sound;I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress,when she walks, treads on the ground;」 　
• I think Shakespeare dare to write this sarcasm ,He is trying to get reader's attention. This is just a my private opinion, Shakespeare used many similes, and then proof His girl friend is not better than nature in beauty. So I thought that this poem could be made bitter and ironical remarks.

C. Reaction Point - Tone(態度）

• Tone means the motion of the heart to a something. In this poem , We understand that Shakespeare has a good impression of Shakespeare 's girl friend .
• 「And yet,by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare. 」
• Reading this poem,We think that Shakespeare loved her even if she has no feature and ability.  

D. My General Opinion

I wondered why Shakespeare praised his girl friend .I think that poet tend to write overdone about special talent  .but Shakespeare broke up my fixed idea.  His girl was compared various thing but his girl friend is not better than any thing in the end.  I think That is the merit of this poem.Poet dose not always like special talent.poet sometimes likes Ordinary person.Shakespeare tells us that you don't sell your self when you think I'm ordinary person.