Sonnet 110: Alas, ‘tis true I have gone here and there
Alas, ‘tis true I have gone here and there
And made myself a motley to the view,
Gor’d mine own thoughts, sold cheap what is most dear,
Made old offences of affections new.
Most true it is that I have look’d on truth
Askance and strangely: but, by all above,
These blenches gave my heart another youth,
And worse essays prov’d thee my best of love.
Now all is done, have what shall have no end!
Mine appetite, I never more will grind
On newer proof, to try an older friend,
A god in love, to whom I am confin’d.
Then give me welcome, next my heaven the best,
Even to thy pure and most most loving breast.
Summary of Sonnet 110
- Popularity of “Sonnet 110”: Published in the first Quarto in 1609, this beautiful sonnet is one of those 154 sonnets written for the fair youth. This sonnet presents how the poet has committed the mistake of leaving his fair youth and engaging in friendship with somebody else and feeling regret and remorse. This expression of remorse through sonneteering has made this sonnet an excellent piece of poetry, and herein lies the reason behind its popularity.
- “Sonnet 110” As a Representative of Remorse and Repentance: The poet regrets his going out in the world to meet other people and becoming a motley in the eyes of the world. This regret is apparent from his use of the expression of alas. He also states that he has sold himself quite cheaply due to these mistakes. Therefore, he has hurt himself and caused harm to himself. That is why the fair youth should rebuke him for teaching him a lesson. The poet goes on to say that as his act of leaving the fair youth has marred his creative ability, and he has produced worse essays than before. He now feels remorse before his old friend, calling him “a god in love” to state that he should be welcome as he would not leave him now.
- Major Themes in “Sonnet 110”: True love, remorse over the wayward course in love, and spiritual love are three major thematic strands of this sonnet. Shakespeare is clear that merely stating the truth of love never makes love true. It comes out through repentance and remorse felt after finding fake love. That is why the speaker shows his remorse in the very first line to revert to his former friend to show that he has felt remorse and that he is the true lover of his friend. Although it seems that the poet or the speaker could be heterosexual as the person before whom he feels remorse is an “older friend.” Therefore, his desire that he wants to confine himself to his “loving breast” is something that only a spiritualist could have stated. Therefore, this theme also lingers in the background of the love theme and fair youth theme.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Sonnet 110
William Shakespeare used various literary devices to enhance the intended impact of his poem. Some of the major literary devices have been analyzed below.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /a/ in “Askance and strangely: but, by all above” and the sound of /o/ in “On newer proof, to try an older friend.”
- Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession, such as the sound of /m/ in “made myself.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /m/ in “And made myself a motley to the view” and the sound of /s/ in “And worse essays prov’d thee my best of love.”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. William Shakespeare used imagery in this poem such as “Mine appetite, I never more will grind”, “Then give me welcome, next my heaven the best” and “Even to thy pure and most most loving breast.”
- Irony: It means to the contradictory meanings of the words used in different contexts. This sonnet shows the irony that the poet is seeking apology and feeling sorry, and yet he says that “I never more will grind / On newer proof.” It means that he would not test love anymore.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols such as motley, thoughts, offense, and youth to show his remorsefulness.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Sonnet 110
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: It means the type of language. The poem shows very good use of formal and poetic diction.
- End Rhyme: End rhyme is used to make the stanza melodious. William Shakespeare used end rhyme in this poem, such as there/dear and view/new.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows ABABCDCD in its octave and EFEFDD rhyme scheme in its sestet.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are two stanzas in this sonnet, like all other sonnets. The first one is called an octave, and the second is called a sestet.
- Sonnet: It is a poem having fourteen verses. This poem is a sonnet.
- Tone: It means the voice of the text. The poem shows a sorrowful and apologetic tone at the beginning and a loving by the end.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are useful to quote about a person who adores his beloved or lover.
Mine appetite, I never more will grind
On newer proof, to try an older friend,
A god in love, to whom I am confin’d.
Then give me welcome, next my heaven the best,
Even to thy pure and most most loving breast.
