When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state
— Sonnet 29, William Shakespeare
Analysis:
“When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon my self and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man’s art, and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least,
Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
(Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate,
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings,
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”
Sonnet 29 is a powerful expression of personal despair and the transformative power of love. Here’s an analysis and explanation of the sonnet:
Structure and form
Type: A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme (ABABCDCDEFEFGG) and written in iambic pentameter.
Volta: The shift or “turn” in the sonnet’s argument occurs between the octave (first 8 lines) and the sestet (final 6 lines), typical of the sonnet form.
Analysis by quatrain and couplet
First Quatrain
Lines 1-4: The speaker begins in a state of despair, feeling disgraced in the eyes of fortune and people. They weep over their outcast state, cry out to an unhearing heaven, and curse their fate.
Second Quatrain
Lines 5-8: The speaker expresses envy of others, wishing to have another’s hope, looks, friends, artistic ability, and opportunities. There’s a deep discontent with what they have, indicating a low self-esteem.
Third Quatrain
Lines 9-12: Here, the mood shifts. When thinking of the person they love, their perspective changes dramatically. This is the volta of the sonnet. They compare their uplifted spirits to a lark rising at dawn, indicating a transition from despair to joy.
Final Couplet
Lines 13-14: The speaker concludes that remembering their loved one’s affection brings such inner wealth that they wouldn’t trade their state with kings. This highlights the theme that love is more valuable than material wealth or social status.
Themes and Interpretation
The most prominent theme is the transformative power of love. Love brings the speaker out of despair and makes them value their own life more than the grandeur of kings.
The sonnet explores themes of envy, insecurity, and dissatisfaction with one’s lot in life, which are common human experiences.
There’s a transition from feeling isolated and in despair to feeling connected and valued because of love.
The comparison to a lark at dawn is a powerful nature image, symbolizing hope, rebirth, and the beauty of the natural world as a reflection of human emotions.
Bee Brave, BraveDave
