The Form of Non-Traditional Blazon

In the sixteenth century, poems in blazon format were very popular. Blazon is a technique that “described the position and relation of one picture to another”. (The Overview of “Sonnet 130”, Woolway). This technique was to illustrate the main features of the subject, usually a female body. Popular blazon would start from the bottom to the top of the body. For example, like hair, eyes, lips, breasts, and so on. Occasionally, it would start from the bottom to top, starting with feet, legs and so on. Woolway points, “This form was well suited to the style of courtly love poetry that was flourishing at the time, as it allowed writers to project an idea of an idealized and distant woman whose features they could admire from afar” (The Overview of “Sonnet 130”).

From the beginning, readers could easily define the subject Shakespeare portrays. The Mistress was detailed in humorous tone, which negates the typical blazon. The striking first four lines of the poem contradict the common blazon. Traditionally, blazon is to compliment and praise the subject’s features, and not to insult, which in this case, the Mistress. However, Shakespeare does not ignore the format and goes forth describing her from head to toe. Shakespeare started the first four lines picturing the Mistress’ eyes, lips, breast and hair. Symbolically, eyes, lips breast and hair are essential cliché features of a female beauty. Nevertheless, from his intense sketch of her features, he portrayed that she does not carry any representation of beauty. From the simile in line one; Shakespeare negates the comparison of the Mistress to the sun: “My Mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;” (Woolway). Line two to three mentions the shades like red coral, and “dun”. Coral is a fami...

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...simile and metaphor brought enriching imagery to the readers. The poem was written with insults and mockery, but with the unexpected flattery showed the author’s love for the Mistress and his poetic practices of love through volta.

Works Cited

Napierkowski, Marie Rose. “Overview: ‘Sonnet 130.’” Poetry for Students 1 (1998): n. pag. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 23 Mar. 2012.

Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 130.” Literature: A Portable Anthology. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 467. Print.

“Volta.” Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 1995. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. .

Woolway, Joanne. “An overview of “Sonnet 130”.” Poetry for Students: n. pag. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 23 Mar. 2012.