Embedded Files
When thou shalt be dispode to set me light,
And place my merrit in the eie of skorne,
Upon thy side, against my selfe ile fight,
And prove thee virtuous, though thou art forsworne:
With mine owne weakenesse being best acquainted,
Upon thy part I can set downe a story
Of faults conceald, wherein I am attainted:
That thou in loosing me shall win much glory.
And I by this wil be a gainer too,
For bending all my loving thoughts on thee,
The injuries that to my selfe I doe,
Doing thee vantage, duble vantage me.
Such is my love, to thee I so belong,
That for thy right, my selfe will beare all wrong.
Commentary
Commentary
Address to his beloved
Address to his beloved
An expression of the inherent self abnegation of the poet's love.
The first quatrain sets up the idea that in defeating himself in the interests of the young man, the poet is in fact scoring a victory. The conclusion of the quatrain (though thou art foresworne) implies that the young man has somehow broken his word.
The second quatrain continues the idea of the first, explaining that as the poet knows best his own failings, he will be able to put forward a very effective case against himself .
The third quatrain observes that the poet himself will be a gainer from doing himself injury as he benefits the young man in doing so.
The final couplet expresses the thought that the poet's love is so great that for the young man's interest, he will himself bear all wrongs.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse