And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare.Ah, good ole Bill Shakespeare- always romantic in his own special way. I really like this poem. He compares his lover to all of these wonderful things- sun, coral, snow, roses, perfumes, etc- but says she isn't as beautiful as any of those things. I think he is trying to say that his lover is not conventionally beautiful but that he loves her anyway. And I actually have text to back me up! Lines 1-6 display the physical characteristics of the ideal woman of Elizabethan times: sparkling eyes like the sun, coral red lips, snow white skin, red or blonde hair, and rosy cheeks. Most women tortured themselves to look like this; they put poison in their eyes to make them shine. I think Shakespeare admires this woman for not conforming and for valuing her own natural beauty. She stands out from the crowd because she is not the ideal woman physically. Shakespeare is basically saying, "She may not be perfect, but I love her as if she was."
Until Next Time,
Alysse
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