1. Is it thy will thy Image should keep open

2. My heavy eyelids to the weary night?

3. Dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken,

4. While shadows like to thee do mock my sight?

5. Is it thy spirit that thou send'st from thee

6. So far from home into my deeds to pry,

7. To find out shames and idle hours in me,

8. The scope and tenor of thy jealousy?

9. O, no! thy love, though much, is not so great,

10. It is my love that keeps mine eye awake,

11. Mine own true love that doth my rest defeat,

12. To play the watchman ever for thy sake.

13. For thee watch I whilst thou dost wake elsewhere,

14. From me far off, with others all too near.

Thy Jealousy

Dedication: To Elizabeth

Inquiring of Elizabeth whether her spies are sent to represent her in his slumber. Else if they should be interpreted as a jealous sign of her love. Then telling Elizabeth that there is no need because his love and thoughts prevent his peaceful slumber.

1^st Quatrain: (1-4)

Telling Elizabeth of her image that he sees late at night. Possibly alluding to spies of hers watching Oxford.

2^nd Quatrain: (5-8)

Asking her again if these probable spies whose "shadows" he sees are actually her spirit and the result of her jealousy.

3rd Quatrain: (9-12)

Telling her that her love is much but not so great to care and that there are images he sees of her because his own love causes him to see them and thus she is already a watchman over him

couplet (13-14),

Finishing with the reality that he is being watched by her when he is far from her.

Commentary:

This poem reflects a subtle play on the metaphors already established. “Thy Image” in line 1 and the “shadows” represent Henry and the language of keeping open the image is reflective of Henry’s recognition is still a possibility for Elizabeth and likely she is considering. The poem however cleverly diverges using the shadow metaphor so often used to refer to Henry to reflect that Oxford felt he was being spied on. As is often misunderstood, shadows to our poet are not phantom images, as is I believe what is generally understood. Thus here as well I believe these shadows mentioned represent those cast by real people hidden away in the darkness.

This sonnet may reflect that Oxford is in his Hackney residence but I think 50 and 51 likely reflect it better. Either way Elizabeth was likely very uncomfortable with Oxford’s retreat to the country and his activities prior with withdrawal from court life. And while possibly grateful not to have him around at Court was never the less probably suspicious of his activities. She probably had good reason to be, for Oxford likely wasn’t completely relying on her for Henry’s recognition and likely engaged in some plotting and scheming to achieve putting Henry on the throne.

Elizabeth’s pettiness is also well known and was often reflected in the treatment of her ladies in waiting. In addition spying was quite common for Elizabeth and her Lord Treasurer Burghley, who was parodied in Hamlet as Polonius. Both Burley and Polonius had spies keep watch on their respective sons. In addition Elizabeth’s intelligence services were quite important because England was under siege from almost all of Europe and Oxford was a particularly disgruntled and potentially powerful and influential threat.

Vendler sees none of the pettiness which I see but remarks on the subtle interplay of the subject versus the speaker’s jealousy. And she apparently sees none of the dark motivation of this poem as a response of the poet to being aware of others watching him. She remarks that “the spirit-prying” of the octave, which we conclude, on second reading, to be entirely a projection on the part of the speaker. While Oxford takes the high road and does not actually accuse Elizabeth of spying on him, and does brush away his suspicions with reasoning of his love causing his sleeplessness, his suspicions are clearly implied I think in the couplet.