1. I never saw that you did painting need,
2. And therefore to your fair no painting set;
3. I found, (or thought I found) you did exceed
4. The barren tender of a Poet's debt:
5. And therefore have I slept in your report,
6. That you yourself being extant well might show,
7. How far a modern quill doth come too short,
8. Speaking of worth, what worth in you doth grow,
9. This silence for my sin you did impute,
10. Which shall be most my glory, being dumb,
11. For I impair not beauty being mute,
12. When others would give life, and bring a tomb.
13. There lives more life in one of your fair eyes
14. Than both your Poets can in praise devise.
No Painting Needed
Dedication: To Henry
Explaining that he never felt it necessary to commission a painting of Henry for much the same reason that his poetry doesn’t do him justice. Further explaining to him, that Oxford’s hopes and ambitions, embodied in his dreams have been focused on Henry’s value and promise, embodied in his “report”. Further explaining how his worth grows (as he grows). And explaining how Henry is bearing the cost of Oxford’s sins. Finishing with an allusion to Oxford’s apparent silence regarding Henry. And how his silence does not detract from Henry’s “beauty”, and thus his value.While contrasting how others advocation for Henry’s concealment only brings an end through Elizabeth’s impending demise. Finishing with an allusion to Elizabeth being the only important and secret advocate of Henry as the other poet who shares Oxford’s praises.
1st Quatrain: (1-4)
Oxford telling Henry that there is no need to capture his visage on canvas in line 1 and thus in line 2 it was not done. Further telling him in lines 3 & 4 how Henry is beyond words he can express.
2nd Quatrain: (5-8)
Alluding to his even lobbying for him in his sleep in line 5. While in line 6 alluding to Henry really existing to show his worth when it seems in fact he does not. Telling him in line 7 again that words come short of his worth (even his). Alluding to his literal growth as that of a still growing boy in line 8.
3rd Quatrain: (9-12)
Telling him that it is he who suffers in silence for Oxford's sin in line 9. Alluding to the glory of his recognition and reign in line 10. While in line 11 telling him that ultimately he (Oxford) will not be an obstacle to recognition ("impairs not beauty"). Alluding to Elizabeth ellevating him before she dies.
couplet (13-14),
Finally telling him that there is so much yet for him to give than either of his makers (Oxford and Elizabeth) can express.
Commentary:
This sonnet to Henry is essentially an explanation of this more than half the sonnet sequence that is almost completely dedicated to expounding Henry’s worth and greater purpose. Line 5 expresses Oxford’s dedication to Henry’s cause. And the phrase I impair not beauty being mute, is the most eloquent line expressing the metaphor that though Henry’s is not visible or “heard” his beauty exists non the less. This is a perfect example and embodiment of the sonnets as a whole.
As I’ve mentioned before this is a theme somehow invisible to orthodox scholars. Again this is supposed to be about the “rival poet” but the actuality is that this poem is an expression about the very state and beauty of that “fair youth”, who also happens to be this so called “rival”. Notice this lack of discussion of the rival’s verse.
Line 12 is an expression of Henry expected to live as he currently is, not his true place as Elizabeth’s heir. This poem as understood as fatherly devotion expressed toward his son, should much better explain the allusions to the subject’s worth and growth and the explanation of others giving life but bringing a tomb and his two poets who represent his parents. That there is actually no rival expressed here should corroborate this explanation of the sonnet.
Hopefully as well the paternal tone of this poem comes through and the meaning expressed of the worth unappreciated can be understood. While a poem of obvious praise toward the subject, it is important to understand the subtext. Which is the misunderstood worth of the subject who being more than is apparent continues to grow in both worth and physically and whom others because of either their ignorance or malevolence would let this worth go to waste.
Vendler asserts that this poem reflects the young man’s complaints to the poet that the poet has not written poems to him unlike his supposed other poet. Vendler is again reading this sonnet literally and fails to account for the harmony of the poets and the sin of the poet. She calls line 13 “bizarre and hyperbolical” but fails I believe to appreciate the underestimation of the subject by others which is the poet’s chief objection.