Sonnet 125
Were’t aught to me I bore the canopy,
With my extern the outward honouring,
Or laid great bases for eternity,
Which proves more short than waste or ruining;
Have I not seen dwellers on form and favour
Lose all, and more, by paying too much rent,
For compound sweet forgoing simple savour,
Pitiful thrivers, in their gazing spent?
No;—let me be obsequious in thy heart,
And take thou my oblation, poor but free,
Which is not mix’d with seconds, knows no art,
But mutual render, only me for thee.
Hence, thou suborn’d informer! a true soul,
When most impeach’d, stands least in thy control.
What the Poem Is About (Summary)
The speaker says that no grand gesture—like carrying a royal canopy or building an eternal monument—would mean anything to him. He has seen people who chase outward beauty and lose everything because they spend too much on appearances. Instead, he offers his own simple, honest love: a free gift that is pure and untainted by worldly concerns. Even when accused or slandered, he remains true and keeps his integrity intact.
Key Themes
- Love over Glory: The poem values sincere affection more than public honor.
- Materialism vs. Simplicity: It criticises those who waste on outward splendour and celebrates the beauty of plain, honest devotion.
- Integrity: The speaker’s steadfastness in truth is highlighted even when he faces false accusations.
Literary Devices Explained for Kids
- alliteration: Repeating the same consonant sound at the start of words.
Example: “simple savour” (the /s/ sound). - assonance: Repeating vowel sounds in nearby words.
Example: “Or laid great bases for eternity” – the long /i/ sound. - consonance: Repeating consonant sounds inside words.
Example: “Which proves more short than waste or ruining” – the /r/ and /t/ sounds. - imagery: Using words that paint pictures in our minds.
Examples: “Lose all, and more, by paying too much rent”; “For compound sweet forgoing simple savour”. - metaphor: Comparing two things without using “like” or “as”.
Example: “great bases for eternity” – a way of saying lasting achievements. - personification: Giving human traits to non‑human things.
Example: Treating “informers” as if they could act like people. - rhetorical question: A question asked just to make a point, not to get an answer.
Example: “For compound sweet forgoing simple savour, Pitiful thrivers, in their gazing spent?” - symbolism: Using objects or actions that stand for bigger ideas.
Examples: the canopy (public honour), the oblation (pure love).
Poetic Structure and Sound
- Form: A Shakespearean sonnet – 14 lines, two parts (octave + sestet).
- rhyme scheme: Octave: ABAB CDCD.
Sestet: EFEF GG. - Stanzas: Two stanzas – the first eight lines (octave), the second six lines (sestet).
- diction: Formal, poetic language that feels musical.
- tone: Reflective and sincere; the speaker is thoughtful about love and honesty.
Lines to Remember When Talking About Love
Which is not mix’d with seconds, knows no art,
But mutual render, only me for thee.
Hence, thou suborn’d informer! a true soul,
When most impeach’d, stands least in thy control.