William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 46 is a profound meditation on the conflict between the eye and the heart, both vying for ownership of the beloved’s image and love. This sonnet explores the tension between physical perception and emotional attachment, framing the debate as a courtroom drama where the eye and heart are adversaries, each claiming the right to possess the beloved. The poem follows the traditional Shakespearean sonnet structure and is written in iambic pentameter, consisting of three quatrains and a final couplet. Through a detailed analysis of the structure, tone, and content, we can uncover the deeper meanings and insights Shakespeare offers about human perception and affection.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 46
Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war
How to divide the conquest of thy sight.
Mine eye my heart thy picture’s sight would bar,
My heart mine eye the freedom of that right.
My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,
A closet never pierced with crystal eyes;
But the defendant doth that plea deny,
And says in him thy fair appearance lies.
To ’cide this title is impanelèd
A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart,
And by their verdict is determinèd
The clear eyes’ moiety and the dear heart’s part,
As thus: mine eyes’ due is thy outward part,
And my heart’s right, thy inward love of heart.
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 46
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 46 is a classic example of a Shakespearean sonnet, adhering to the form’s standard structure. It is composed of 14 lines, organized into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) followed by a final rhymed couplet. The rhyme scheme follows the pattern ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, where the first 12 lines introduce a problem or conflict, and the concluding couplet offers a resolution or commentary. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, a rhythmic structure that mirrors natural speech patterns and enhances the sonnet’s fluidity and accessibility.
The tone of the sonnet fluctuates between contemplation and conflict, reflecting the inner turmoil of the speaker as he grapples with the tension between the eye and the heart. The tone is intellectual, almost judicial, as the speaker frames the argument as a legal case, and it is also filled with longing, as the heart desires emotional connection while the eye desires physical possession. The use of legal terminology (“defendant,” “plea,” “verdict”) evokes a tone of formal dispute, which gives the poem a sense of urgency and intensity.
Analysis of Sonnet 46
Lines 1–4
“Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war
How to divide the conquest of thy sight.
Mine eye my heart thy picture’s sight would bar,
My heart mine eye the freedom of that right.”
In these opening lines, Shakespeare introduces the central conflict of the poem: the eye and the heart are at war with one another. The metaphor of a “mortal war” suggests that this conflict is not just a trivial disagreement, but a life-and-death struggle for dominance. The phrase “conquest of thy sight” indicates that the subject of the speaker’s affection holds a powerful influence over both the eye and the heart. The eye wishes to possess the beloved’s physical image, to lock away the vision of the beloved solely for itself, while the heart desires to hold the deeper, emotional connection. The division between the eye and the heart symbolizes the broader conflict between superficial attraction and deep emotional love.
Lines 5–8
“Mine heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,
A closet never pierced with crystal eyes;
But the defendant doth that plea deny,
And says in him thy fair appearance lies.”
Here, the speaker casts the heart as a defendant, making its case for possessing the beloved’s image and love. The heart argues that the beloved resides within it—suggesting an emotional connection that is hidden from the eyes, a “closet never pierced with crystal eyes.” The heart’s plea is that it is the site of true love, a place that cannot be accessed by the superficial gaze. However, the eye, personified as the “defendant,” denies the heart’s claim, asserting that the beloved’s beauty is physically embodied and lies in the outward appearance, which the eye can perceive. The eye’s rejection of the heart’s argument reveals a tension between inner emotional connection and outward physical attraction.
Lines 9–12
“To ’cide this title is impanelèd
A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart,
And by their verdict is determinèd
The clear eyes’ moiety and the dear heart’s part.”
In these lines, Shakespeare shifts the tone to a more formal, almost legalistic one. The conflict between the eye and the heart is now framed as a legal case, where a “quest of thoughts” (a jury of ideas or emotions) is called to decide the outcome. These “thoughts” are described as “tenants to the heart,” meaning that they are loyal to the heart’s cause. The “verdict” will determine the “moiety” (portion or share) of the eye and the “part” of the heart. The use of legal and judicial language suggests that the dispute is significant and that a resolution must be reached. The speaker recognizes the need to balance both physical appearance (the eye’s share) and emotional connection (the heart’s claim).
Lines 13–14
“As thus: mine eyes’ due is thy outward part,
And my heart’s right, thy inward love of heart.”
In the final couplet, the speaker provides a resolution to the conflict between the eye and the heart. The “eyes’ due” is the outward appearance of the beloved, the physical features that the eye can see and admire. Meanwhile, the “heart’s right” is the inward love—the emotional connection and the deeper bond that the heart craves. The resolution suggests that each has its rightful claim: the eye is entitled to the physical form, while the heart possesses the true, inner affection. By balancing the claims of both the eye and the heart, the poem presents a harmonious relationship between physical attraction and emotional love, acknowledging the importance of both.
Conclusion
Sonnet 46 is a complex exploration of the conflict between superficial attraction and deeper emotional connection, a theme that resonates with universal human experience. Shakespeare masterfully frames this internal struggle as a legal dispute, using clever metaphorical language to represent the eye and the heart as adversaries. Ultimately, the poem resolves this tension by affirming that both the physical and emotional aspects of love are valid and necessary. Through its intricate structure, tone, and metaphor, the poem invites readers to reflect on the ways in which perception and emotion shape our understanding of love and desire.
