Shakespearian Love Sonnets

Shakespearian Love Sonnets

Whilst reading the play, 'Romeo and Juliet', I encountered many

beautiful images of love and many comparisons to objects to highlight

a person's beauty. In the play, when Romeo first sees Juliet, he is

overwhelmed by her utter beauty. He says:

"O she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear-

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear:

So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows."

The first line conveys the message that Juliet really stands out from

the other people at the party and is so "bright" and beautiful that

she teaches torches to burn bright.

The second comparison is to a "rich jewel" in an Ethiop's ear. A

contrast between light and dark is used here as the rich jewel is a

bright shiny object used to represent Juliet, which would really stand

out from the dark skin of an Ethiopian.

The third comparison in the final line of what Romeo says compares

Juliet to a "snowy white dove trooping with crows". This is an

effective comparison as doves are white birds and would really stand

out if they flew alongside black crows.

Later in the play, Juliet describes her love to be "boundless as the

sea" and also says:

"This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,

May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet."

The first image of her love tells us that her love has no bounds and

is as vast and great as the sea. The second comparison shows that her

and Romeo's love for each other is young and undeveloped, but could

really blossom if they are patient and wait.

After reading the play 'Romeo and Ju...

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...r two sonnets as it did not

describe the woman to be 'perfect', but realistic. Whereas, I liked

the imagery used in, "Shall I Compare Thee…" because a summer's day is

a very beautiful image and to compare a woman to this really shows her

true beauty. Likewise, I appreciated the sentiment expressed in, "So

Are You to My Thoughts…" because the main theme is stating that a

woman is so precious and vital that to function without her would be

absolutely impossible. Yet overall, I prefer the poem, "Shall I

Compare Thee…" for several reasons. Firstly, I really liked the

imagery used; secondly, I thought the image of a "summer's day" was

very beautiful and thirdly, I liked the way that Shakespeare conveyed

the message cpnvincingly, that the woman's beauty is greater than a

summer's day and will never fade or deteriorate.