Shakespeare mocks his mistress in this sonnet by pointing out her flaws. He notes that her eyes are not as bright as the sun, her lips are not as red as coral, her breasts are not as white as snow, and her hair is black like wires. While he loves the sound of her voice, he acknowledges that music is more pleasing. Though she has pale cheeks and her breath is unpleasant, he believes his love for her is unique.
2. Quatrain 1 Interpretation 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. She has dark eyes, her lips are not red. Her breasts are not as white as snow and she has black hair.
3. Interpretation Quatrain 2 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. She has pale cheeks, he is also saying that her breath doesn’t smell as good as some perfumes.
4. Quatrain 3 Interpretation 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. He loves to hear her speak, but he knows that music has a more pleasing sound than her voice; He’s never seen a goddess walk, but he knows that she walks only on the ground.
5. Couplet 1 Interpretation And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare. As any she belied with false compare Even though she is not special, his love for her is still unique
6. Shakespeare’s View on Love Shakespeare considers his love to be unique. He focuses on all his mistresses’ flaws, but he still loves her. He expresses her qualities in a negative way, yet he still loves everything about her. In this sonnet Shakespeare is mocking his mistress.
