1. In the old age black was not counted fair,

2. Or if it were it bore not beauty's name:

3. But now is black beauty's successive heir,

4. And Beauty slander'd with a bastard shame,

5. For since each hand hath put on Nature's power,

6. Fairing the foul with Art's false borrow'd face,

7. Sweet beauty hath no name, no holy bower,

8. But is profaned, if not lives in disgrace.

9. Therefore my Mistress' eyes are Raven black,

10. Her eyes so suited, and they mourners seem,

11. At such who not born fair no beauty lack,

12. Slandering Creation with a false esteem,

13. Yet so they mourn becoming of their woe,

14. That every tongue says beauty should look so.

Bastard's Shame

Dedication: To Elizabeth

Offering Elizabeth her legacy is her evil crime not the son she could leave. That Henry is thus slandered with a "bastard's shame" that he is "profaned" and "lives in disgrace". Thus he tells Elizabeth that this is reason that she is black, black displayed in her eyes and her brows. That she has "slandered creation" and she enjoys "a false esteem" at being this heirless virgin queen. Finishing with her loyal subjects not knowing any better thinking that this is what beauty looks like.

1^st Quatrain: (1-4)

Cleverly suggesting to Elizabeth that instead of a real heir what she has provided for is her blackness, i.e. evil to leave as her legacy. In line 4, "beauty slandered with a bastard shame" is a reminder of Henry left fatherless by her evil refusal to recognize him.

2^nd Quatrain: (5-8)

Line 5 is a reference to her applying makeup to be a restoring force when it should be Henry. While in line 6 again echos this lie with her painted face. And he points out the profanity and disgrace of such when in fact there is a much better alternative (at least this is understood).

3rd Quatrain: (9-12)

Thus falsely he comments on how Elizabeth's falseness is displayed in black made up eyes so appropriate for what should be the mourning Henry's loss. Thus line 12's slander of Henry's creation.

couplet (13-14),

Commenting on the dishonesty and acquiescence of those surrounding her.

Commentary:

The essential nature of this sonnet is that Elizabeth’s crime is to become her heir and not beauty for which Henry represents. The poet comments on Elizabeth’s beauty as that which is passed to her heir and hence that to which Henry has inherited. But the point of the poem is that Elizabeth is changing the standard of a legacy by leaving “black” as her heir. Thus it is important to note the subject of this sonnet is not just anyone but someone who can leave such a legacy which would change the nature of things. One might argue of course that this is mere poetic license for the sake of making his point. However as we've seen it is corroborated by many other details.

As we leave the supposed “Dark Lady” sonnets, here we see a clear sign of a problem for the traditionalists, the “Dark Lady” being the one who is supposed to leave an heir and not the “fair youth”.This sonnet is a very important linkage demonstrating the single mindedness of the sonnets concerning the lie and evil committed by the “Dark Lady”. The same love that needs to leave her heir. It should also be understood that this is also consistent with the poets admission of writing "ever the same" in sonnet 76 to come.

The one allusion for the Dark Lady that probably comes closest to capturing some for of her physical nature is the comment that her brows are “raven black”. I’m sure this however was far more meant to reflect a metaphorical characterization of her facial expressions and Elizabeth’s commanding presence than her actual features. And Shakespeare as well uses references to brows as illustrations of sadness, grace, anger, etc in addition to usage as reflective of age.

In fact in 131 we saw that in nothing art thou black save thy deeds. Yet in this sonnet we are to believe otherwise, at least that is what the orthodox would have us do. With the reference to the mistress’ brows and eyes having been so interpreted. However the poet gives us the indication of his justification for declaring her brows black, the profanity she commits. So yet again her supposed dark features are the result of her actions.

There are also clear allusions to the born and unrecognized child with talk of “bastard's shame” and “lives in disgrace”. With "Beauty" in line 2 as proper noun both indicative of authorial and typographical accuracy.

In line 9, the mention of raven is no doubt important symbolism to Shakespeare. As from Titus and Andronicus (II, iii), we learn "ravens foster forlorn children" as well as the "fatal raven". While blackness was also an important metaphor for Shakespeare. As in King John (IV, iii) , where the Bastard proclaims "Thou'rt damn'd as black--nay, nothing is so black"

The Arden edition (KDJ) states that “fairness of complexion” (is) “falsely appropriated by means of cosmetics”. However the real substance is that the cosmetics are a sacrilegious substitute for the thing that really does renew, the child she hides away. KDJ further claims that the poet rejoices in a mistress with dark eyes and by implication a dark completion.

Vendler believes that the poem is about a change in aesthetic standards. She further believes that the expression of the myth of beauty was having once been a woman unadorned with cosmetics. She seems as well to believe that the announced intent of the poem is to praise raven beauty and yet she seems to have great difficulty reconciling this with the supposed change in aesthetic standards.

What she does not understand is that the subject is being slandered for the crime she commits by profaning the beauty (Henry) and forcing him to “live in disgrace”.

Notes:

Even if this reference were to dark brows as physical, it seems to me that this is also no evidence with respect to complexion. As illustrated in The Winter's Tale, act 2 scene 1. But perhaps more apt is the discussion of the "fair cheek" in Rosalind in LLL (IV iii). LLL was first recorded as played at Christmas at Court of QEI in 1597. Interestingly as well is that LLL is regarded as more than a bit too sophisticated for "contemporary theatregoers". A point little mentioned by orthodox scholars who insist the virtually all the plays were written for public playhouses.

Possibly worth noting as well, the sweet gloves mentioned by Shakespeare in WT were not too coincidentally introduced to England by the Earl of Oxford in 1576 as a gift specifically to Queen Elizabeth.

Scholars would also have us believe that Shakespeare based The Winter's Tale on the rather confusing persona of Robert Greene's Pandosto: The Triumph of Time. And the inspiration for later works such as The most excellent Historie of Lysimachus and Varrona which was dedicated to Henry Wriothesley But this is all a failure to understand there is underlying symbolism and political connection to Oxford and Southampton during both the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods.