Sonnet 10
1. For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any
2. Who for thyself art so unprovident
3. Grant, if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many,
4. But that thou none lovest is most evident:
5. For thou art so possess'd with murderous hate,
6. That 'gainst thyself thou stick'st not to conspire,
7. Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate
8. Which to repair should be thy chief desire:
9. O, change thy thought, that I may change my mind,
10. Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?
11. Be as thy presence is, gracious and kind,
12. Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove,
13. Make thee another self, for love of me,
14. That beauty still may live in thine or thee.
Beauty May Still Live
Dedication: To Elizabeth
Becoming ever more strident in his criticism of Elizabeth, Oxford tells her that though she is loved by many she should be ashamed to deny that she bares love herself for others. Pleading with her that she not conspire against herself by going to the grave without recognizing her heir. He asks that she do this for love of him.
1st Quatrain: (1-4)
Chiding Elizabeth for denying her love to Oxford and Henry in line 1. Telling her that she is not providing for the future in line 2. Telling Elizabeth that though she is beloved herself, that she loves none herself is evident in lines 3 and 4.
2nd Quatrain: (5-8)
Telling her that she is so possessed with hate in line 5. Thus that she refuses and remains committed her own selfish aims to remain the "Virgin Queen" in line 6. Telling her again of her Tudor house which she seeks to ruin and which she should be chiefly concerned with in lines 7 and 8.
3rd Quatrain: (9-12)
Pleading to her to change her thoughts on this issue so that Oxford can change his mind with respect to this charge of her being unloving in line 9. Asking her if hate is to triumph over love with a subtle illusion of fair as a reference to Henry in line 10. Asking her to actually be as she presents herself, gentle and kind in line 11. Telling her that she at least should be kind to herself in line 12.
couplet (13-14),
Appealing to her to recognize Henry in line 13. That this act would enable beauty to live in both Oxford and Elizabeth as a reference to Henry.
Commentary:
Oxford chastising Elizabeth for her obvious rationalization of her decision regarding Henry and her lack of stewardship for her own lineage.
This sonnet again while apparently asking the subject to make another, should be understood in the context the subject needs to change their mind in regard to making another. While this may apply to a young man who has decided not to marry it doesn’t make terribly good sense as a great urgency. The theoretical youth after all would have many years to find a wife and have a family. That though is not what the poet is asking. There conspicuously is never the mention of a wife for one and the urgency and mere decision to make another don’t fit nearly as well as to an aging Elizabeth with the choice of recognition. That “beauty may still live” in the subject and in the poet is a reference to the notion that the person to be recognized is referred to and represented by the concept and work beauty.
Line 13 begins the metaphor of procreation. The hate of line is important and reflects back on the hate expressed in the “Dark Lady” sonnets of 152, 150, 149, and 145. Specifically 149 Elizabeth expressed the hate for the one Oxford called his friend.