Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Shakespeare: The Women's Face With Nature's Own Hand Painted

A woman's face with Nature's own hand painted
Hast thou, the master-mistress of my passion;
A woman's gentle heart, but not acquainted
With shifting change, as is false women's fashion;
An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling,
Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth;
A man in hue, all hues in his controlling,
Much steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth.
And for a woman wert thou first created;
Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting,
And by addition me of thee defeated,
By adding one thing to my purpose nothing.
But since she prick'd thee out for women's pleasure,
Mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure.


CLICK HERE FOR ANALYSIS OF POEM

Commentary

Now call me crazy but I believe that this is Shakespeare way of showing his sexuality "secret". Even though male friendships in the Renaissance were openly affectionate, the emotions he displays here indicates deep and sensual love. Shakespeare lover is "the master-mistress of [his] passion." He has the grace and features of a women but is prone to attract women as well. He shows that it is okay to be free with your sexuality as he switches us the lover and the beloved person's gender. Lines nine through fourteen shows how despite the love for the beloved person, he does not want to "have" that person physically. His meaning of the poem was not just conveyed by what he said but also by the tone. His seemed to have admiration and a loving tone.
 This poem, like many Shakespearean poems, is a sonnet. The theme that I received from this  poem is that love has no particular gender and that it comes like nature. The figurative language used is metaphor, simile , and also imagery. He expresses natural beauty, male-mistress,unfaithfulness and straying. This poem focus on Shakespeare affection for his friend.   

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