Skip to main content

What does the line "mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun" literally mean?

This line literally means that his mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun. They are not made of the same material. They do not shine as bright; this can be taken metaphorically as well. But this is the point. Of course, her eyes are literally very different from the sun. Only a person with eyes that emanate heat and fire (literally) could be said to have eyes like the sun.


What does the line mean...

This line literally means that his mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun. They are not made of the same material. They do not shine as bright; this can be taken metaphorically as well. But this is the point. Of course, her eyes are literally very different from the sun. Only a person with eyes that emanate heat and fire (literally) could be said to have eyes like the sun.


What does the line mean metaphorically? It was typical to compare a loved one's attributes with beautiful things in nature. But Shakespeare takes the opposite route here. He is respecting his beloved by being honest. Instead of making grandiose comparisons between the sun and her eyes, he is realistic. He ends the poem with the lines:



And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare


As any she belied with false compare. 



In other words, he thinks his love (his beloved) is as rare (strong, important, unique) as any other lover who's been compared with beautiful things in poetry. So, the line in question, literally and metaphorically, means the same thing. Her eyes are nothing like the sun. In the metaphorical negation, her eyes do not shine as brightly, they are not as radiant, and they are not as warm. The speaker wants to make the case that her eyes are warm and bright in their own unique way.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is hyperbole in the story "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his... The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him plu
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some literary devices in Macbeth, Act V, Scene 1?

Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not... Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh, oh! (5.1.53-55) Hyperbole - Obvious exaggeration  There is also h
Post a Comment
Read more

How can I analyze Moon and Six Pence by Somerset Maugham?

In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of... In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of that society. His decision to e
Post a Comment
Read more