The Power of Love in Sonnet 29: A Formalist Analysis

by Monica Mendoza & Arianne Abatyo

Sonnet 29 was written by William Shakespeare. The poem is about the power of love to
favorably influence one's attitude, as the poem suggests that love offers compensation for the
injuries and setbacks one undergoes. The sonnet addresses topics such as isolation, contempt,
and hopelessness. The speaker begins by comparing himself unfavorably to those who are
wealthier, more accomplished, and more beautiful compared to him. He then continues to
enumerate the anxieties and hurts he has sustained. As a result, the speaker implies that his sense
of self-worth is contingent on the opinions and judgments of other people. According to the
poem's argument, his social status and emotional life are inextricably intertwined, which only
breeds further isolation and dissatisfaction.

The "When in Disgrace with Fortune and Men's Eyes" sonnet written by William Shakespeare is
a classic example of a Shakespearean sonnet and contains fourteen lines. The poem's shape,
closely associated with the poet's name, serves as the basis for the poem's structure. It is
composed of three quatrains, which are groups of four lines, and a concluding couplet, a pair of
lines that rhyme.Iambic pentameter is used in the poem, and it has a consistent rhyme scheme
that follows the ABAB CDCD EFEF GG pattern. Additionally, the rhyme scheme adheres to the
pattern. This indicates that each line is composed of metrical feet, each consisting of five sets of
two beats. The first example is relaxed, while the second one is forceful. A rhyming couplet,
sometimes called simply a couplet, comprises the poem's final two lines. The word "eyes"
rhymes with the word "cries," and the word "state" rhymes with the word "fate." Typically, the
problem or question is stated at the beginning of the poem, and the solution or answer is revealed
in the concluding portion. The poem's first word is "When," and a careful reading of the rest
shows that the opening sentence does not end until the later part. The conditional clause is
introduced in the poem's first line by the word "When," and the following four lines explain what
the dependent clause refers to by describing "when" it will occur. In other words, these four lines
represent a situation in which the speaker of the poem is experiencing a significant amount of
melancholy and hopelessness.

Line 1's reference to "men's eyes" refers to the idea that others are judging him, not only because
they are staring at him suspiciously. The phrase "in disgrace with fortune" implies that fortune is
making operational decisions about the speaker's character and worth. He notes "deaf heaven"
cannot even hear his sorrowful expressions of grief. He laments his lack of friends and expresses
a desire to be "rich in hope" in line 5, although he believes that even heaven has turned against
him and will not listen to his pleadings. In line 11, the poetic voice conveys his newly discovered
feelings of gratitude and hope by comparing his current situation with "the lark at break of day
rising." As the speaker's mental and emotional state improves, they are liberated from
hopelessness and loneliness. The lark, a traditional symbol of optimism, is shown to soar freely
into the sky. The word "Yet" in line 9 indicates that there will be a change in mood, moving away
from emotions of loneliness and hopelessness and into a sense of optimism. The image of a lark,
a type of wild bird, is used to represent the more upbeat disposition of the poetic voice. The
change in tone demonstrates that the speaker has discovered a source of happiness in his beloved
and is ready to move away from hopelessness and self-pity through the concepts of "sweet love"
and "wealth" in line 13. 

The speaker admits that he is very content with where he is and that he "scorns to change his
state with kings" in line 14 because he is thinking about the one he loves. The volta, also known
as the turn in the poem, begins with the final six lines of the poem and is denoted by the word
"yet." Key terms after the volta, such as "[h]aply" (line 10), "arising" (line 11), and "sings" (line
12), demonstrate the speaker's shift in perspective. Line 10's use of alliteration highlights the
sentiment the speaker feels for the beloved and how his mental state improves as a result of their
relationship. The poem is given a rhythm by the firm "th" sound in the words "thought," "thee,"
and "then," which also helps to intensify the emotional tone. The use of similes is yet another
literary trick Shakespeare uses in his works. In line 11, a simile compares his condition to that of
a lark singing. In literature, the lark is frequently used as a metaphor for hope and serenity. Since
they can fly, birds are another symbol of freedom. The fact that the speaker can see his
predicament in a more positive light is demonstrated by the contrast, which uses a symbol of
hope. The speaker's jealousy in the second quatrain, which occurs when he expresses a desire to
be "rich in hope" in line 5 and "with friends" in line 6, further influences the discouraging ideas
presented in the first part of the poem. This helps to highlight the negative emotions that the
speaker is experiencing. The speaker, oblivious to his blessings, expresses his yearning for "this
man's art and that man's scope" in line 7.

Shakespeare writes in Sonnet 29 that love can lift one from depression to joy and appreciation.
The speaker feels cursed, alone, and "in disgrace with fortune" (line 1). However, just ideas of
love modify the speaker's perspective, showing an ascension from despair as mental and
emotional states rise "similar to the lark at break of day" (line 11). Shakespeare's sonnet depicts
a miserable and hopeless speaker who serendipitously thinks about a close friend's affection to
show the reader that love may make life bearable.