Theme: Betrayal
Content: Things are not necessarily as they appear. He suspects his subject of betrayal but can find no outward signs of confirmation.
So shall I live supposing thou art true
Like a deceived
husband; so love's face
- "I'll suppose you are true, though I doubt it."
- The simile reveals that his subject is not his wife but suggests the gender of his subject is female.
- The simile also reveals that the subject's betrayal is definite.
- The sonnet is pre-occupied with face-values: face.
May still seem love to me, though altered
new
Thy looks with
me, thy heart in other place.
- "One shouldn't take things, literally, on face value: you appear to love me but your heart belongs to someone else."
- These lines curiously end with the phrase: New Place, Shakespeare's home.
- Face-values persist in: looks.
For there can
live no hatred in thine eye,
Therefore in that
I cannot know thy change.
- "Looks are deceiving. I can't read your mind from your beauty and pleasant disposition."
- Spoonerism in For there and Therefore.
In many's looks
the
false heart's history
Is writ in moods and frowns and wrinkles strange;
But heaven in thy creation did decree
That in thy face
sweet
love should ever dwell;
- "One can see others' betrayals in their looks and behaviour but it can't be seen in your beauty."
- Counterpoint between the plurals of others in lines 7 & 8 and the singularity of his subject in lines 9 & 10.
- Face-values persist in: looks and face.
Whate'er thy thoughts or thy heart's workings
be,
Thy looks should
nothing thence but sweetness tell.
- "Your looks may be deceiving."
- Neat combination now of the plurals of others now applied to his singular subject thereby relating the deceit of others to his subject.
- Face-values persist in: looks.
How like Eve's
apple doth thy beauty grow
If thy sweet virtue answer not thy show!
- "Things are not as they appear."
- Eve's apple was plucked from the Tree of Knowledge and so was destined to perish, like the beauty of his subject if her appearance of virtue is not true.
- Eve's apple also was obviously the temptation that caused man's downfall.
- Eve's name phonetically echoes the opening deceived husband theme.
- The personification of his lover as Eve: a temptress who betrays and causes them both to lose all.
- Face-values conclude with: show.
Critical text © NigelDavies.home@Virgin.net