Free College Essays - Analysis of Shakespeares Sonnet 75 :: Sonnet essays

compendium of Sonnet 75 praise 75 So are you to my thoughts as food to life, Or as sweet-seasond showers are to the ground And for the peace of you I hold such strife As twixt a miser and his wealth is instal Now proud as an enjoyer and anon Doubting the filching age result steal his treasure, Now counting best to be with you alone, Then betterd that the human race may see my pleasure Sometime all full with junket on your sight And by and by clean starved for a look Possessing or pursuing no delight, Save what is had or mustiness from you be took. Thus do I pine and surfeit solar day by day, Or gluttoning on all, or all away.   PARAPHRASE OF SONNET 75 As food is to the body so are you to my mind and mind, Or as spring showers are to the ground And for the contentment you shoot down me I allow such inner strife As the conflict between a miser and his money Who takes joy in his wealth, but short Fears that ruthless competitors will steal his treasure, Now thin king it best to get hold of you alone, Then thinking that the world should see how happy I am At one moment wholly satisfied by eat on your sight And the next moment utterly starved for a look at you Having or seeking no pleasure notwithstanding what you have given me or what I will demand. And so I starve or feed to excess depending on the day, Either gorging on you, or not having you at all.   COMMENTARY The sonnet opens with a seemingly joyous and innocent tribute to the young friend who is vital to the poets activated well being. However, the poet quickly establishes the negative aspect of his dependence on his beloved, and the favourable metaphor that the friend is food for his soul decays into ugly imagery of the poet change between starving and gorging himself on that food. The poet is disgusted and frightened by his dependence on the young friend. He is consumed by guilt over his passion. quarrel with implicit sexual meanings permeate the sonnet -- "enjo yer", "treasure", "pursuing", "possessing", "had" -- as do allusions to five of the seven "deadly" sins -- avarice (4), gluttony (9, 14), vainglory (5), lust (12), and envy (6).