SONNET 145

Trochee
In this Sonnet,
Shakespeare opens
with trochee instead
of iambic pentameter,
and uses eight
syllables instead of
his usual ten.
Many opposites are compared,
such as gentle and doom, day
and night, and heaven and hell.
This all supports the main
theme of the sonnet. The
speaker poses a problem: the
idea that this woman may hate
him. Night, hell, and doom
stand alongside this idea of
hatred, strengthening it, while
day, gentle, and heaven
support the resolution: I
hate not you.

Simile

The speaker is so in love

with this girl, that when she
said I hate he thought he
was going to die. Learning
that she in fact, did not hate
him, figuratively saved his
life because he was no
longer sad and broken
hearted.

Those lips that Love's own hand did make

Breathed forth the sound that said 'I hate,'

To me that languish'd for her sake:

But when she saw my woeful state,

Straight in her heart did mercy come,

Chiding that tongue that ever sweet

Was used in giving gentle doom,

And taught it thus anew to greet:

'I hate' she alter'd with an end,

That follow'd it as gentle day

Doth follow night, who like a fiend

From heaven to hell is flown away;

'I hate' from hate away she threw,

And saved my life, saying -- 'not you.'

General Theme: Love gives great power to the one being loved

The girls extreme

beauty is
demonstrated when
Shakespeare alludes
to Love, or
Aphrodite, the
goddess of beauty, as
the maker of the girl.