Sonnet 21

1. So is it not with me as with that Muse

2. Stirr'd by a painted beauty to his verse,

3. Who heaven itself for ornament doth use,

4. And every fair with his fair doth rehearse,

5. Making a couplement of proud compare,

6. With Sun and Moon, with earth and sea's rich gems:

7. With April's first-born flowers, and all things rare,

8. That heaven's air in this huge rondure hems,

9. O' let me true in love, but truly write,

10. And then believe me, my love is as fair,

11. As any mother's child, though not so bright

12. As those gold candles fix'd in heaven's air:

13. Let them say more than like of hearsay well;

14. I will not praise that purpose not to sell.

Perfect Complement

Dedication: To Elizabeth

Starts by speaking of Elizabeth that she is stirred by a painted beauty which though represents Henry, is actually herself. And that she and Henry are the perfect complement of one another, like the sun and moon which are cleverly use to represent them. He tells her as well that Henry’s and her fate are already hung in the heavens. And that he must effectively convince her of this “purpose”.

1st Quatrain: (1-4)

Referring to Henry writing poetry dedicated to Elizabeth as Oxford has or at least to his metaphorical verse supplied by his identity.

2nd Quatrain: (5-8)

Arguing to Elizabeth how she and Henry are entwined as other natural elements and once again making the same frequent allusions. The Sun a reference to Henry and the Moon to Elizabeth. Line 8 adding an allusion of heavens air and the earth.

3rd Quatrain: (9-12)

Again more allusions comparing his love the that of a mother to a child but not quite as bright as the sun (which of course represents Henry).

couplet (13-14),

Expressing that he cannot speak of this issue (Henry) without making the argument for his recognition.


Commentary:

Oxford again uniting metaphors with usage of the Sun, flowers, and gems. In addition the usage of the Sun and Moon are clear references to both Henry (Sun) and Elizabeth (Moon) as complements to each other as he plays on Elizabeth’s pride as a mother. Line 11 specifically referring to a “mother’s child” makes this clear. In addition the couplet makes clear that Oxford is trying to persuade Elizabeth of the need to recognize Henry as he explains that praising and persuading go hand in hand.

Traditionally thought to be to the youth and mentions the supposed rival (or a least a rival) the actuality is that rival is the youth and the subject is Elizabeth.

Vendler sees as the first sonnet in several aspects. I offer instead that it is the culmination of having used previously examples of the aspects mentioned and now using them in more subtle ways. She says that “sonnet 21 is the first sonnet not to suggest by its surroundings the sex of the beloved”. She goes on to say that “in the next fifty sonnets, only 26 (Love of my love), 33 (Full many a glorious morning), 39 (O how thy worth), 41 (Those pretty wrongs), 42 (That thou has her), 54 (O how thy worth), 6 (Against my love), 67 (Ah wherefore), and 68 (This is his cheek) have unequivocally male pronouns. But she says “since no poem has been inserted in the sequence to make a reader think that any of those poems is addressed to a woman …”

As already seen while 33, 63 and 67 are actually as I argue to Elizabeth the he is third person.