Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare - Assignment Example

The poem mainly shows and depicts the poet’s insecurity and troublesome lifestyle. He feels unlucky shame, as well as fiercely jealous of all people surrounding him. The cause of this anguish to Shakespeare remains like history. This makes Sonnet 29, as well as, other sonnets appear more biographical than the rest of his works. Tracing and utilizing the historical encounter and backgrounds of the poet provides more information and backups of the theme revealed in the poem.

              The first poetic element that has been widely used in the poem is rhyme. Rhyme refers to the existence of similar vowel sounds in words at the end of lines in a poem. The poem mainly has one side, implying the existence of end rhymes only. ‘Eyes’ and ‘cries’ have the same vowel sound. The two words have greater significance in the poem, especially to readers. First, they facilitate or enhance the thematic concern the poet has be the time he wrote the poem. Eyes and cries have a close association. As usual bereaved or hopeless individuals normally cry. The organ which is used to represent or to show that a person is in pain or despondence is the eye. As stated. The two words, thus, reveal to the reader that the poet who is also the persona is not in a good condition emotionally.  Moreover, the two words made the poem more enjoyable to read as they contributed to the creation of the musicality or rhythm of the poem.

                  Another element of poetry revealed in this poem is repetition. The sixth line of the poem has the words “like him” repeated. The two words constituting a comparing phrase have a meaning of comparing oneself to somebody else, for instance, in this case, Shakespeare, with his grief and despondence, makes a comparison of himself with other people with several things and who live lives worth living with friends surrounding them. Line six reads, “featured like him like he with friends possessed” (Shakespeare, 1964). From the line excerpt from the poem, it is evident that the poem that poet wishes that he had the lifestyle of some people he knows within the area. They have a large number of friends and of course, enjoy life more than him. This brings in another theme relevant to the poem, economic and social disparities. Naturally, it is never common for an individual to have and maintain a large number of friends without wealth or money (Ball, 2004). Therefore, it is arguably true that the people who the poet makes reference to, or compares himself with, are richer than him and that is the reason behind his lacking many friends compared to them. This is a clear representation or portrayal of economic and social disparities within the society. In addition, class and economic disparities have been backed up by the last line of the poem. It reads, “That I scorn to change my state with kings” (Shakespeare, 1964). The seventh line also does the same. “Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope” (Shakespeare, 1964).

               The third element in the poem is juxtaposition. Shakespeare has succeeded in using words with almost opposite or contrasting meanings in the same line in the poem. A relevant example, in this case, is in line one where he used the words disgrace and fortune in the same line. The two have contrasting meanings in that disgrace has a meaning of discouragement feeling whereas a fortune is closely related to success and happiness. The line reads, “When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes” (Shakespeare, 1964). The line shows the desperation and unhappy state in which the poet is at. Interpreted, the statement can also refer to the perplexing or confusing state of the poet. The confusion is caused by the problems he encounters.

             In conclusion, the poem has many elements that serve the purpose of facilitating the theme or the poet’s message to the readers. The time setting of the poem also matters. It was set at a time when the theatres in London were closed following the severe plague outbreak. This is a possible and convincing reason why Shakespeare is not happy or is quite moody in this poem (Ball, 2004).