| directory |
| home | contact |
|
|||||||||||||||
| search | |||||||||||||||
SONNET 26Lord of my love, to whom in vassalageThy merit hath my duty strongly knit, To thee I send this written ambassage, To witness duty, not to show my wit. Duty so great, which wit so poor as mine May make seem bare, in wanting words to show it, But that I hope some good conceit of thine In thy soul's thought, all naked, will bestow it: Till whatsoever star that guides my moving, Points on me graciously with fair aspect, And puts apparel on my tattered loving, To show me worthy of thy sweet respect: Then may I dare to boast how I do love thee, Till then not show my head where thou may'st prove me. NOTES XXVI. Designed pretty evidently to conclude, and to accompany, when sent to Mr. W. H., either i. to xxv. or xviii. to xxv. There is a curious and interesting resemblance between this Sonnet and the dedication to Lucrece. Drake's argument (Shakespeare and his Times), that this resemblance gives evidence that it is Lord Southampton who is here addressed also, is certainly not conclusive. We have, however, obviously a colouring of plausibility given to the assertion that Mr. W. H. was a person of somewhat similarly high station. 1. Vassalage. This word, like what is said in the sequel, is suited to the high station of Mr. W. H. 2. Strongly knit. Malone compares the words of Iago in Othello, Act i. sc. 3, lines 335 seq., "I confess me knit to thy deserving with cables of perdurable toughness;" and there are other parallels. 7, 8. The poet hopes that, when received into his friend's understanding, "some good conceit" on the part of his friend may bestow his "all-naked" verse. "Bestow" here seems to mean, not merely "lodge," but also "equip" and "clothe," like a naked wayfarer received as a guest. This agrees with the "putting apparel on my tattered loving" of line 11. 9. My moving. The poet, it would appear, in accordance with following Sonnets, is about to commence a journey, probably of a professional nature. "My" must not be conjecturally changed to "by." He hopes that hereafter, under the benign influence of his guiding-star, he may be able to offer something more worthy of acceptance. 11. Tattered. Q. has "tottered." Cf. ii. 4; also this "worthless poor totter'd volume." Kemp's Nine daies. 12. Thy sweet respect. Q. has "their sweet respect." Respect. Regard, esteem. How to cite this article:______ Even More...  Stratford School Days: What Did Shakespeare Read? Games in Shakespeare's England [A-L] Games in Shakespeare's England [M-Z] An Elizabethan Christmas Clothing in Elizabethan England Queen Elizabeth: Shakespeare's Patron King James I of England: Shakespeare's Patron The Earl of Southampton: Shakespeare's Patron Going to a Play in Elizabethan London Ben Jonson and the Decline of the Drama Publishing in Elizabethan England Shakespeare's Audience Religion in Shakespeare's England Alchemy and Astrology in Shakespeare's Day Entertainment in Elizabethan England London's First Public Playhouse Shakespeare Hits the Big Time
|
More to Explore
Introduction to
Shakespeare's Sonnets Shakespearean Sonnet
Style How to Analyze a Shakespearean Sonnet The Rules of Shakespearean Sonnets
Shakespeare's Sonnets: Q & A Are Shakespeare's Sonnets Autobiographical? Petrarch's Influence on Shakespeare Themes in Shakespeare's Sonnets Shakespeare's Greatest Love Poem Shakespeare and the Earl of Southampton The Order of the Sonnets The Date of the Sonnets Who was Mr. W. H.? Are all the Sonnets addressed to two Persons? Who was The Rival Poet? _____
_____ Shakespeare on Jealousy Shakespeare on Lawyers Shakespeare on Lust Shakespeare on Marriage Blank Verse and Diction in Shakespeare's Hamlet Analysis of the Characters in Hamlet Shakespeare on the Seasons Shakespeare on Sleep
|
"The earl's love of learning and learned men is well known; it was, however, chiefly confined to his early years, and strange to say there does not appear to have been a dozen books dedicated to him comprising the two early poems of Shakespeare. Of the Earl of Southampton's regard for literature, poetry, and the drama, and help to learned men there is full and direct testimony, therefore a munificent gift of considerable importance to Shakespeare may be looked upon as conclusive, being perhaps like others at that time as much attracted by the poet's modesty and gentleness as by his merit; and his kind regard probably extended for several years." Henry Brown. ©1999-2021 Shakespeare Online. All Rights Reserved.