1. Sonnet 130 William Shakespeare

2. My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Surprise: non-simile
My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red
Why then – of course!
Continuation of negative comparison
Natural comparison – something exotic and red in colour

3. If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
dun = brown, with the implication of weathered, sun-browned skin of a woman who works outside, perhaps.
Again, a natural, simple image for negative comparison
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
Coarseness of wire, no soft comparison

4. I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
damasked = flowered, but also connotations of the red colour of the damask rose and of damask – a woven material, often of silk
Roses are a traditional symbol of love
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
No pretty blushing, another sign of gentility and love

5. And in some perfumes is there more delight
Another sensory description, this time that of smell
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
Rather unpleasant imagery, but truthful and honest
Iambic pentameter helps to stress the important words – breath, from, mistress, reeks

6. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
Sounding objective
Being truthful and objective here
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound.

7. I grant I never saw a goddess go:
Admits his inability to compare with the real thing – alliteration emphasises this
I grant I never saw a goddess go:
My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.
The one he loves – change of word meaning in the 20th century
Realistic, prosaic

8. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
She is a real woman and he loves her for who/what she is.
Invoking God
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
Made out to be something she isn’t
rhyming couplet to end the sonnet – sums up and resolves the argument