Ashleigh Beckner

AP English 12
04/17/2014

Poetry Essay; Sonnet 130 vs. Sonnet 43
In William Shakespeares poem, Sonnet 130, written in the Elizabethan time period,
Shakespeare takes on a sarcastic, mocking view of love, which was very uncharacteristic of the
time period where poets often compared their beloveds to the elements of nature (Hale). In this
sonnet, Shakespeare takes the opposite tack by describing his beloved as nothing like the
beautiful productions of nature or art of this time period (Hale). Elizabeth Barrett Brownings
Sonnet 43, one of the most-quoted love poems in English literature which was written in the
18
th
century, approaches love in a softer, more genuine way, as expected from the restrained
conventionality of the 18
th
century (Reisman). The primary focus of both Sonnet 43 and
Sonnet 130 is love and relationships, however both poets uses literary devices to different
effects, sound devices and sundry tones in their poems to create different experiences for the
reader.
Both Sonnet 130 and Sonnet 43 are centered on love and relationships. Shakespeare
views love in a taunting and cynical way. He compares his mistress too many beautiful objects
and ideas, stating that she is the complete opposite. In the first line of his poem, Shakespeare
says My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun and If snow be white, why then her breasts
are dun (Line 3). By comparing his mistress to something she isnt further displays his comical,
mocking tone of the classic love poem that was popular in this time period. While
Shakespeare takes on love in a ridiculing way, Elizabeth Barrett Browning views love as wanted
and adored. Her poem is considered a classic love poem of the time period. Sonnet 43 was
written to her adored husband. She shows her immeasurable love for her husband by saying
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways (Line 1) and I shall but love thee better after
Ashleigh Beckner
AP English 12
04/17/2014


death (Line 14). Both poets were known for writing love poems, but Shakespeare portrays love
in sarcastic light, while Elizabeth Barrett Browning views love in a respectable and admiring
way.
Although both poets use metaphors, they each create different effects with in their poems.
Shakespeare describes his beloved in comparison with, or rather in contrast to, natural
phenomena by using metaphors in a very odd way (Hale). Instead of comparing his
love to something she resembles, he is comparing her to something she does not. In line three he
says, If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun. Here, he compares his mistress skin to
being a dun, off-white, which was seen as unattractive in this time; the paler the better. In line
four, Shakespeare again compares his mistress to having black wires [growing] on her head.
From this quote, the reader can conclude that the womans hair is black, or tarnished, like wire,
which again has her possessing an undesirable trait (Hale). By comparing his mistress to odd
things further displays the overall comical, contemptuous tone of the poem. Unlike Shakespeare,
Browning uses metaphors to compare the love between her and her husband to a love that is real,
thus further supporting her deep and undeniable love for him. The speaker describes her love
using a spatial metaphor when she says her love extends to the "depth" and "breadth" and
"height" that her soul can "reach". It's interesting to think of love as a three-dimensional
substance filling the container of her soul. When Browning refers back to her childhood, by
stating I love thee with a love I seemed to lose she refers that her ability to feel love was
destroyed, by her abusive father. Some people with abusive parents lose the ability to love, even
Ashleigh Beckner
AP English 12
04/17/2014
to trust someone, but the poet describes how glad she is that thee came into her life, because
her love [with Robert] has brought her back to the kind of innocent faith she knew in her

childhood which gave her the chance to experience the beautiful feeling of love again
(Reisman). This connection between her childhood and her husband indicates just how powerful
and genuine the love between the two is. Metaphors are throughout both poems, but in extremely
different ways. Shakespeare uses metaphors to protest the classic love poem, while Browning
uses metaphors to describe love as a powerful force between her and her husband.
While both poems are based on love, Shakespeare and Browning use extremely different
tones to convey their love. Shakespeare takes on a satirical tone when describing his love. He
criticizes the use of hyperboles by other poets by [inverting] the conventional terms of praise
applied to women in love poetry (Grace). Through the use of litotes, Shakespeare shows that
he thinks his beloved is as unique as any other woman who has been lied about by other poets
through the use of false comparators (Grace). Instead of perfume, her breath "reeks" and when
she walks she treads on ground. For every conventional description he finds a way of
undermining it. He is constantly emphasizing his loves weaknesses rather than her strengths.
Browning uses a loving and sincere tone showing her eagerness and admiration towards her love.
The poem actually lists the ways in which she loves her partner in life. She loves I love thee
freely, as men strive for right, [She] loves thee purely, as they turn from praise, and [She]
loves thee with the passion put to use. Although both Sonnet 130 and Sonnet 43 are about
love Shakespeare views love in a sarcastic way, and Browning views love in a blissful, earnest
way.
Ashleigh Beckner
AP English 12
04/17/2014
Likewise, the sound devices utilized by these poets create interesting effects on the reader
that relate back to tone. In line eleven, Shakespeare uses alliteration, "I grant I never saw a
goddess go". Sonnet 130 also shows a great deal of consonance in that every line ends with a

hard consonant sound. Shakespeare uses cacophonous words throughout the poem. By utilizing
severe toned words the reader can assume that Shakespeare is intentionally taking a comical,
humorous view of love, again relating back to the overall satirical tone of the poem. Unlike
Shakespeare, Browning uses words with peaceful tones. By using serene words such as love,
grace, passion, purely and freely, Browning conveys the affectionate, joyful tone of her poem.
Also, repetition of the phrase I love is used numerous times to make the depth of Brownings
love clear and to make the poem more effective (Reisman). This offers the reader a sense of
the many ways in which love can be defined. Both Shakespeare and Browning use different
sound devices to provoke a remarkable feeling and effect on the reader.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning and William Shakespeare employ various different sound
devices, literary devices, tones, and themes of love and relationships throughout their poems
Sonnet 43 and Sonnet 130 to convey unique feelings with in the reader. Through their
exceptional use of elevated diction, both Browning and Shakespeare reveal truths about the
complex emotions, but both in extremely different and unusual ways.




Ashleigh Beckner
AP English 12
04/17/2014





Works Cited
Hale, James. "Sonnet 130." Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition (2002): 1-3. Literary
Reference Center Plus. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
Grace, Dominick. "Literary Contexts In Poetry: William Shakespeare's "My Mistress' Eyes Are
Nothing Like The Sun." Literary Contexts In Poetry: William Shakespeare's 'My
Mistresses' Eyes Are Nothing Like The Sun' (2006): 1. Literary Reference Center Plus.
Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
Reisman, Rosemary M. Canfield. "Sonnet 43." Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition (2002): 1-
3. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.