Shakespeare’s Sonnet 142 is a complex and deeply reflective work that addresses themes of love, sin, and hypocrisy. The speaker in the sonnet grapples with feelings of guilt and desire, while also questioning the moral integrity of his lover. Through vivid imagery, strong contrasts, and clever use of language, Shakespeare explores the tension between the speaker’s emotional state and the moral judgments placed upon him. This essay will analyze the structure, tone, and content of the sonnet, examining the poetic techniques and thematic concerns present in each section.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 142
Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate,
Hate of my sin, grounded on sinful loving.
O, but with mine compare thou thine own state,
And thou shalt find it merits not reproving.
Or if it do, not from those lips of thine,
That have profaned their scarlet ornaments
And sealed false bonds of love as oft as mine,
Robbed others’ beds’ revenues of their rents.
Be it lawful I love thee as thou lov’st those
Whom thine eyes woo as mine importune thee;
Root pity in thy heart, that, when it grows,
Thy pity may deserve to pitied be.
If thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide,
By self-example mayst thou be denied.
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 142
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 142 follows the traditional structure of a Shakespearean sonnet, consisting of 14 lines, each written in iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, which is characteristic of Shakespeare’s sonnet form. The sonnet is divided into three quatrains and a final rhymed couplet, and it follows a logical progression of argument, with each quatrain introducing a new facet of the speaker’s emotional turmoil, culminating in the resolution or ironic twist of the concluding couplet.
The tone of the poem shifts throughout, ranging from self-accusatory to defensive, and ultimately to a sardonic bitterness. In the first two quatrains, the speaker is mired in guilt and self-loathing, but by the end of the poem, his voice becomes more assertive and almost vengeful, as he challenges the moral authority of the lover who criticizes him.
Analysis of Sonnet 142
Lines 1–4
“Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate,
Hate of my sin, grounded on sinful loving.
O, but with mine compare thou thine own state,
And thou shalt find it merits not reproving.”
In the opening lines, the speaker begins by acknowledging that his love is a “sin,” implying that he feels guilty for loving the person in question. This declaration sets up the central tension of the poem: the conflict between the speaker’s passionate feelings and the moral judgment placed upon those feelings. He also suggests that the object of his affection, whom he calls “thy dear virtue,” is a hypocritical figure. The lover’s “hate” of the speaker’s sin is rooted in the lover’s own flawed “sinful loving.”
The speaker then issues a challenge: he asks the lover to compare their own situation to his. In doing so, the speaker contends that the lover will realize that their own actions are equally deserving of reproach. This sets the tone for the rest of the poem, where the speaker positions himself as both a victim of judgment and as someone who is aware of the hypocrisy of others.
Lines 5–8
“Or if it do, not from those lips of thine,
That have profaned their scarlet ornaments
And sealed false bonds of love as oft as mine,
Robbed others’ beds’ revenues of their rents.”
In these lines, the speaker defends himself more directly by accusing the lover of moral corruption. The phrase “those lips of thine” refers to the lover’s mouth, which the speaker accuses of hypocrisy. The “scarlet ornaments” likely refer to the lover’s lips, symbolizing sexual passion, and the act of “profaning” them suggests that the lover has, at times, sullied or misused their own sexuality. The “false bonds of love” suggest that the lover has entered into relationships that were not genuine, akin to how the speaker feels his love has been misunderstood or misjudged.
The metaphor of “robbed others’ beds’ revenues of their rents” adds a layer of accusation: the speaker is suggesting that the lover has exploited others’ affections or perhaps committed infidelity, taking what is not theirs. The idea of “rents” metaphorically alludes to sexual relationships, further illustrating the speaker’s frustration with the lover’s hypocrisy.
Lines 9–12
“Be it lawful I love thee as thou lov’st those
Whom thine eyes woo as mine importune thee;
Root pity in thy heart, that, when it grows,
Thy pity may deserve to pitied be.”
Here, the speaker shifts his focus to the lover’s own emotional state, asking whether it is “lawful” for him to love as the lover loves others. This is a key moment in the sonnet, as the speaker not only challenges the lover’s moral authority but also places the lover in a position where they must confront their own actions. The speaker compares his own “importuning” (persistent pleading) with the way the lover “woos” others, suggesting that both of them are driven by the same desires, yet the lover condemns the speaker’s behavior. The speaker calls for the lover to cultivate pity, but with a twist: he hopes the lover will one day experience pity for the speaker’s situation, only to find that their pity is no more deserving than the speaker’s love was. This marks a shift toward a more cynical tone, as the speaker acknowledges the possibility of being pitied but also asserts that such pity would be misplaced.
Lines 13–14
“If thou dost seek to have what thou dost hide,
By self-example mayst thou be denied.”
The final couplet offers an ironic conclusion to the poem. The speaker warns that if the lover desires to possess the same things they hide from the speaker, they will be denied. This is a reflection of the hypocrisy the speaker perceives in the lover: if the lover seeks to hide their own faults while criticizing the speaker’s actions, they will ultimately find themselves unable to achieve their desires. The implication is that moral integrity and genuine love cannot coexist with the kind of hypocrisy the speaker perceives in the lover.
Conclusion
Sonnet 142 is a poignant reflection on the tension between love, sin, and hypocrisy. Shakespeare uses the structure of the Shakespearean sonnet to explore the complexity of human relationships, especially those that are fraught with moral judgment. The speaker moves from self-recrimination to a defiant challenge of the lover’s moral authority, ultimately turning the tables and accusing the lover of the very faults they criticize in the speaker. Through sharp imagery, contrasting moral positions, and an ironic final couplet, Shakespeare underscores the complexities of love and the often contradictory nature of human desires.
