Sonnet 96

1. Some say thy fault is youth, some wantonness,

2. Some say thy grace is youth and gentle sport,

3. Both grace and faults are loved of more and less:

4. Thou makest faults graces, that to thee resort:

5. As on the finger of a throned Queen,

6. The basest jewel will be well esteem'd:

7. So are those errors that in thee are seen,

8. To truths translated and for true things deem'd.

9. How many lambs might the stern Wolf betray,

10. If like a lamb he could his looks translate.

11. How many gazers mightst thou lead away,

12. If thou wouldst use the strength of all thy state?

13. But do not so, I love thee in such sort,

14. As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report.

If Thou wouldst use the Strength of Thy State

Dedication: To Elizabeth

Expressing likely how others feel in regard to Elizabeth having produced Henry, what the detractors and supporters say in his regard. Expressing to her that ultimately none of the doubts expressed about Henry will matter when he is monarch. That much of the faults lie in not seeing him for his true royal self which when seem will minimize any criticism. That Oxford himself takes his “good report” from his paternity of his young son.

1st Quatrain: (1-4)

Explaining to Elizabeth how others view the creation of her son, that there are there are those that both fault her for it as well as praise her for it in line 1 and 2. But that regardless she being so well esteemed it matters not and even her faults are graces.

2nd Quatrain: (5-8)

In lines 5 and 6, making an apt analogy that even poor quality jewels on a sovereign queen are valued as Henry will be once he is recognized . And offers the example of her own errors as discussed in the first couplet in line 7. And expressed that once the truth about him is known this will be the case with Henry as well.

3rd Quatrain: (9-12)

Making reference to the Aesop fable of the wolf in sheep’s clothing in line 8 if Henry could “translate” his looks as well. In line 12 he again makes an appeal to Elizabeth to use all the power of her office to and to perform her will as he had in 124 with the “Will” sonnets such as 135.

couplet (13-14),

Finally Oxford plays on the duality of himself and Henry by way of Elizabeth being his but a good report of her being provided by Henry .

Commentary:

I believe this sonnet is Oxford’s attempt to express his love regardless of what Elizabeth does. And he uses the notion of appealing to Elizabeth's ability to impart virtue and worth on what others might otherwise consider faults (specifically Henry). And while the poet appears to be addressing someone of youth, I believe in actuality that youth reference is to Henry. And thus these references to youth are an allusion to Henry as both Elizabeth’s vice and her virtue. As Oxford expresses as well that other’s (particularly) himself find Henry to be her virtue in line 2. In addition the key clue is the metaphor of the lamb who if he could his looks translate would allow the stern wolf (presumably Elizabeth) to override those weaker lambs who see Henry as her weakness.

This though is one of the sonnets I have had difficulty ascribing it to Elizabeth or Henry as it seems to apply to both. the “thou being mine” in line 14 almost seems to be one of the references truly revealing a hidden relationship. As are others such as the “he is thine” of 134. Line 13 is reminiscent of the admonition of “do thy office” in 101. In fact the couplet seems very likely to be referring to Henry as the mine who is the good report much as he stated in line 3 of 134 referring to Henry as the ‘other mine’.

Regardless of who this poem is written, the reference to a queen in line 5 of this sonnet is not only not accidental but is not isolated because it appears several times in the Passionate Pilgrim sonnets as well.

Line 12 and admonition similar to "do thy office" in 101.

The couplet of this sonnet is identical to that of 36. Possibly intended, recognized by Shakespeare and partially the reason for the "tedious homily of love" reference As You Like It (III, ii).

The Cliff Notes guide to this sonnet so observantly starts off the discussion of this poem with “Still using the paternal tone”. And finishes with the almost equally observant “At this point, it appears that he is emotionally unable to bid the young man farewell.” The interstitial commentary of course misses the real point that the “youth” is actually much greater than he seems, not a commentary on the shallowness of society.

Vendler comments that the couplet which is exactly the same as in 36 does not seem to follow from the body of the poem as well as it does in 36. My impression is actually the opposite, as I believe this sonnet is to Henry. She also says that we need to relate Q2 and Q3 “to see what Shakespeare is implying about metaphor itself”. Which leads me to believe that Vendler believes this poem is a commentary on metaphor as opposed to using a specific metaphor for a very specific underlying purpose.