Sonnet 125 is one of 154 sonnets written by the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare. It is a member of the Fair Youth sequence, in which the poet expresses his love towards a young man.
Structure Sonnet 125 is an English or Shakespearean sonnet. The English sonnet has three quatrains, followed by a final rhyming couplet. It follows the typical rhyme scheme of the form abab cdcd efef gg, although (as discussed below) in this case the f rhymes repeat the sound of the a rhymes. It is composed in iambic pentameter, a type of poetic metre based on five pairs of metrically weak/strong syllabic positions. The 6th line exemplifies a regular iambic pentameter: × / × / × / × / × / Lose all, and more, by paying too much rent,
× / × / × /× / × /(×) For compound sweet forgoing simple savour, (125.6-7) / = ictus, a metrically strong syllabic position. × = nonictus. (×) = extrametrical syllable.
Lines 7 (scanned above) and 5 each have a final extrametrical syllable or feminine ending. Line 13 contains both an initial reversal and a rightward movement of the fourth ictus (resulting in a four-position figure, × × / /, sometimes referred to as a minor ionic): / × × / × / × × / / Hence, thou suborn'd informer! a true soul (125.13) An initial reversal is also found in line 8, while a mid-line reversal occurs in line 4. Due to the flexibility of emphasis in monosyllables, the beginning of line 11 may be scanned as regular, an initial reversal, or a minor ionic.
The meter demands that line 9's "obsequious" function as three syllables, and line 12's "mutual" as two.
Analysis of the repeated rhyme As seen in Sonnet 125, the meter of the poem or the rhyme scheme is occasionally altered from the typical ABAB CDCD EFEF GG structure.Booth, Stephen. Shakespeare's Sonnets. London: Yale University Press, 1977.McGuire, Philip. "Shakespeare's Non-Shakespearean Sonnets". Shakespeare Quarterly 38.3 (1987): 304-319. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. Sonnet 125 uses a varying rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EAEA FF, with "free" (line 10) and "thee" (line 12) corresponding to the rhyme of "canopy" in line 1 and "eternity" in line 3. There are many views as to why Shakespeare chose to vary the rhyme scheme in Sonnet 125.
Philip McGuire believes this type of free verse is meaningful. McGuire argues that Shakespeare, with his variation in verse, is claiming to not be a "dweller on form" (line 5) and "free" (line 10) from the repetitive form of the traditional "English sonnet", adding to the symbolism contained in the lines. McGuire also states that the speaker of the sonnet exclaims that his "oblation" (line 10 ) to his beloved is "poor but free" (line 10) and "knows no art/, But mutual render, only me for thee" (lines 11-12) which directly pertains to the rhyme scheme, as rhyme in itself is "mutual render" (line 12), dependent on two separate words to exist. The speaker states that his art is "poor but free", "poor" in a sense that it is missing one of the perfect seven rhymes found in typical sonnet structure, but has only six, an imperfect structure missing an important piece, alluding to the mindset of the speaker in his loss of the Fair Youth's affections, directly corresponding to the "mutual render" embodied in the rhyme scheme and the "mutual render" he feels towards his beloved. In effect, the atypical character of the "mutual render" binding the a rhymes of sonnet 125 is a literal testimony of the selfless generosity that the speaker ascribes to the "mutual render” he and his beloved share - "only me for thee".
Helen Hennessy Vendler agrees that Shakespeare's variation in verse is a deliberate emphasis on the symbolism and meaning to the speaker's words. Vendler comments on the intention of the rhyme scheme, claiming that Shakespeare as a poet is conscious of grammatical and syntactic possibility as "ingredients of invention" and he "routinely, but not idly, varies tense, mood, subject-position, and clause-patterns in order to make conceptual or rhetorical points". Vendler acknowledges Shakespeare's art within words and claims that any variation to the rhyme scheme is intended to add purpose to the poem itself.
Paul Edmondson and Stanley Wells also argue that varying rhyme scheme is intentional but is not necessarily premeditated to attach further symbolism to the speaker's words.Edmondson, Paul., Wells, Stanley. "The Artistry of Shakespeare's Sonnets' and 'Concerns of the Sonnets." Shakespeare's Sonnets. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. 47-81. Rpt. in Poetry Criticism. Ed. Michelle Lee. Vol. 98. Detroit: Gale, 2009. Literature Resource Center. Web. 13 Feb. 2012 Rather, states Edmondson and Wells, the altered rhyme scheme, if not only for the literal symbolism contained in the lines, is meant to keep the mind of the reader engaged. To go further, Edmondson and Wells believe that the variation of the rhyme mirrors the fluctuation of the poet's emotions and thoughts as he writes, or the emotional uncertainty of the speaker, conveyed to the reader through the abnormal rhyme pattern.
Analysis This sonnet's message appears to be two-fold. First, the author is contemplating the fragility of life and the short life span of mankind's ventures. Second, the author directly addresses a significant other, offering himself in exchange for the addressee, with no ulterior motives. In fact, sonnet "125 expresses unequivocally its preference for the simple".Vendler, Helen. The Art of Shakespeare's Sonnets. 3rd ed. Cambridge: The Harvard United Press, 1997. 530-532. Print. Most likely, the addressee of this sonnet is the "Fair Youth" that is commonly featured throughout Shakespeare's sonnets because it falls within the sequence of 1-126. Much like other sonnets from what scholars call the "Fair Youth" sequence, this one is apparently instructing the young man to consider his mortality and make the most of his life. In the final two lines, or couplet, the author suddenly addresses an unknown "suborned informer" and tells him or her that he is outside of their control.
Quatrain 1
The first quatrain introduces the reader to the author's general argument of mankind's endeavors. In the author's opinion, earthly ventures such as carrying the "canopy", which would have been held above the head of a celebrity during a ceremony, or "great bases" to mean massive foundations, are meaningless because time and "ruining" destroy them.Booth, Stephen. Shakespeare's Sonnets. London: Yale University Press, 1977. 426-430. Print. Booth also notes the author's play on words in lines 3-4. By placing eternity at the end of line 3 and saying, "proves more short", Shakespeare is highlighting the lack of timelessness in such endeavors. As aforementioned, this is a common theme of Shakespeare's sonnets and this quatrain of Sonnet 125 reiterates the motif of mortality.
Quatrain 2 The second quatrain continues this theme on mankind's pointless attempts. However, as the first quatrain started with broad and majestic endeavors, this quatrain begins to relate more to the common desires of mankind. In line 5, the quatrain starts by mentioning people's obsessions with their "form and favor", which should be understood as "outward appearance" and "the good will of superiors". Next, in line 6, the quatrain addresses how people give up simpler pleasures in order to spend all of their resources "and more" on their foolish obsessions. This line hints that people often go into debt over their "pitiful" attempts at luxurious living.
Quatrain 3 The final quatrain offers the poem's volta, or "turn in thought" ("volta" def. 1). This third section changes the focus from general reflection to a direct address of the "Fair Youth". The author begins with a declaration that he will be "obsequious" and dutiful to the "Youth". The speaker then asks the "Fair Youth" to accept his "oblation" or offer, which is free of both monetary obligations and underhanded motivations. Line 11 highlights that the promise is "without seconds", or consisting of pure intentions. Booth also states that because the initial "h" was often dropped in Elizabethan English, this word may in fact mean heart and have a double entendre. Finally, Shakespeare reminds the "Youth" that his love is given freely in exchange for his.
Couplet Like all sonnets, the final two lines form a couplet. These final two rhyming lines abruptly change the focus of the poem once again by addressing a new party called a "suborned informer". While it is not clear who this "informer" is, many critics disagree on why the author chooses to end this sonnet by directly addressing them. For example, Vendler believes that the "informer is a third party that views "the speaker's motives in cultivating the young man are mercenary". However, according to another critic, Heather Ousby, the unknown character of the "subdued informer" is actually the "Fair Youth" himself. She argues that Shakespeare is purposefully taking a stern and direct approach because Shakespeare is approaching the end of the sequence.Ousby, Heather. "Shakespeare's Sonnet 125, 13-14." Explicator. 35.3 (1977): 22-23. Print. Regardless of the "informer's" identity, this couplet offers a final and interesting turn to this sonnet.
Symbolism, character identity, and tone Sonnet 125 carries a great deal of symbolic language, but the purpose and structure of a sonnet do not allow nor require detailed explanation of the meaning of this language. Due to the ambiguous nature of Shakespeare's words, this sonnet can be understood in a variety of ways. A number of scholars have examined Sonnet 125 and come away with different conclusions about its message. The number of characters identified by scholars ranges between two and four depending on how the language throughout this particular sonnet and the entire sonnet cycle is interpreted. As the number of characters fluctuates, the meanings assigned to each action within the sonnet take on new meaning.
According to Thomas M. Greene, Sonnet 125 contrasts the true values of grand external gestures in opposition to simple acts of inward devotion as a means of attaining the affections of the Friend.Greene, Thomas M. "Pitiful Thrivers: Failed Husbandry in the Sonnets". Shakespeare and the Question of Theory. Ed. Patricia Parker and Geoffrey Hartman. New York City: Methuen, Inc., 1985. 230-244. Print. The First Quatrain sets out the argument that the Speaker could perform grand external gestures such as the bearing of a ceremonial canopy or the building of some great monument, but that these actions cannot outlast ruination. The idea being that these actions are fleeting and are therefore of little value to either the Speaker or the Friend.