'Sonnet 135: Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy will' by William Shakespeare


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The Sonnets1609Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy will,
And Will to boot, and Will in overplus;
More than enough am I that vex thee still,
To thy sweet will making addition thus.
Wilt thou, whose will is large and spacious,
Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine?
Shall will in others seem right gracious,
And in my will no fair acceptance shine?
The sea, all water, yet receives rain still,
And in abundance addeth to his store;
So thou being rich in will add to thy will
One will of mine to make thy large will more.Let no unkind, no fair beseechers kill,Think all but one, and me in that one Will.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy will": Exploring Shakespeare's Sonnet 135

Oh, Shakespeare, you never cease to amaze us with your words, your wit, and your understanding of the human heart. Sonnet 135, with its playful and ironic tone, is no exception. In this sonnet, the speaker addresses a rival who has won the love of the woman the speaker loves. But instead of expressing bitterness or jealousy, the speaker presents a witty and satirical critique of the rival's triumph. Let's dive into the poem and explore its themes, literary devices, and interpretations.

The Structure of the Sonnet

Before we delve into the content of the poem, let's take a moment to appreciate its form. Sonnet 135 is a typical Shakespearean sonnet, consisting of fourteen lines divided into three quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, and the meter is iambic pentameter, with each line containing ten syllables and five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables. The sonnet follows the traditional structure of the form, but as we will see, Shakespeare uses this structure to subvert the conventional expectations of love poetry.

The Speaker's Attitude

The speaker of the poem is a man who is in love with a woman. However, the woman has chosen another man over him. Instead of lamenting this fact, the speaker takes a playful and ironic tone. He addresses the man who has won the woman's love, saying, "Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy will" (line 1). The speaker acknowledges that the man has achieved his desire, but he goes on to suggest that the woman's love is not worth having.

The Satirical Tone

The speaker's tone throughout the poem is satirical. He uses irony, sarcasm, and hyperbole to mock the rival's love for the woman. For example, in the second quatrain, the speaker claims that the woman is not worth the rival's love, saying, "For nothing this wide universe I call, / Save thou, my rose; in it thou art my all" (lines 5-6). The speaker suggests that the rival's love is misplaced, and that the woman is not as valuable as he thinks she is. The use of hyperbole to describe the woman as nothing compared to the speaker's love for her is a satirical jab at the rival's infatuation.

The Subversion of Love Poetry

One of the most interesting aspects of Sonnet 135 is the way that Shakespeare subverts the traditional expectations of love poetry. In most love poems, the poet expresses deep adoration and longing for the beloved. However, in this sonnet, the speaker suggests that the woman is not worth the rival's love, and that the rival is foolish for desiring her. This subversion of love poetry is further emphasized by the use of irony and satire. The speaker's mockery of the rival's love for the woman is a departure from the typical romantic language of love poetry.

The Theme of Jealousy

Although the speaker does not express outright jealousy, it is clear that he is envious of the rival's position. However, instead of dwelling on his own feelings, the speaker uses his jealousy to criticize the rival's love for the woman. The speaker suggests that the rival's love is misguided and that he is foolish for desiring something that is not worth having. The theme of jealousy is subverted by the speaker's satirical critique of the rival's love.

The Theme of Value

Another theme that runs throughout the sonnet is the idea of value. The speaker suggests that the woman is not worth the rival's love, and that the rival is foolish for desiring her. The speaker, on the other hand, values the woman above all else, saying, "In it [the universe] thou art my all" (line 6). The theme of value is explored through the contrast between the rival's love for the woman and the speaker's love for her. The speaker suggests that the rival does not understand the true value of the woman, and that his love for her is misplaced.

The Use of Literary Devices

Shakespeare employs a variety of literary devices throughout Sonnet 135, including metaphor, hyperbole, and irony. One of the most striking metaphors in the sonnet is the comparison of the woman to a rose. The speaker claims that the woman is his "rose," and that he values her above all else. The use of hyperbole is also prevalent throughout the sonnet, particularly in the second quatrain, where the speaker claims that the woman is "nothing this wide universe I call." The use of irony is perhaps the most notable literary device in the sonnet, as the speaker uses it to subvert the traditional expectations of love poetry.

Interpreting the Sonnet

So, what can we make of Sonnet 135? At its core, the sonnet is a satirical critique of the rival's love for the woman. The speaker suggests that the rival's love is misplaced, and that the woman is not worth having. The use of satire and irony subverts the traditional expectations of love poetry, and the theme of value is explored through the contrast between the rival's love for the woman and the speaker's love for her. The sonnet can be interpreted as a commentary on the fickle nature of love, and the way that desire can distort our perceptions of what is truly valuable.

Final Thoughts

Shakespeare's Sonnet 135 is a witty and satirical commentary on love and desire. The speaker's ironic and playful tone subverts the traditional expectations of love poetry, and the use of literary devices such as hyperbole and irony adds depth and complexity to the poem. Through the contrast between the rival's love for the woman and the speaker's love for her, the sonnet explores the theme of value and the way that desire can distort our perceptions of what is truly valuable. Overall, Sonnet 135 is a masterful example of Shakespeare's skill as a poet and his understanding of the complexities of human desire.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Sonnet 135 by William Shakespeare is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time. It is a sonnet that explores the theme of unrequited love and the pain that comes with it. The poem is written in the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, with fourteen lines and a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. In this analysis, we will explore the poem in detail and try to understand its meaning and significance.

The poem begins with the line, "Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy will." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem and introduces the theme of unrequited love. The speaker is addressing someone who has been rejected by the woman he loves. The use of the word "whoever" suggests that this is a common experience and that many people have been in this situation before.

The second line, "And will to boot, and will in overplus," reinforces the idea that the person being addressed has everything he could possibly want except for the love of the woman he desires. The use of the word "boot" suggests that the person has more than enough of everything else, but still lacks the one thing he truly desires.

The third line, "More than enough am I that vex thee still," introduces the speaker's own feelings of guilt and self-doubt. The speaker acknowledges that he is the cause of the other person's pain and that he feels guilty for it. The use of the word "vex" suggests that the speaker is aware of the other person's suffering and feels responsible for it.

The fourth line, "To thy sweet will making addition thus," suggests that the speaker is willing to do whatever it takes to make the other person happy, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness. The use of the word "sweet" suggests that the other person's will is something that the speaker finds desirable and attractive.

The fifth line, "Or, as his love is, my abundance's trash," introduces the idea that the speaker's love is not valued by the other person. The use of the word "trash" suggests that the other person sees the speaker's love as something worthless and insignificant.

The sixth line, "That I may make of ciphers up a sum," suggests that the speaker is willing to be reduced to nothing in order to please the other person. The use of the word "ciphers" suggests that the speaker is willing to be reduced to a mere number, with no value or significance of his own.

The seventh line, "And by so adding one thing to my purpose," introduces the idea that the speaker's purpose is to please the other person. The use of the word "adding" suggests that the speaker is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve this goal.

The eighth line, "Nothing sweet boy, but yet like prayers divine," suggests that the speaker's love is like a prayer, something that is pure and holy. The use of the word "sweet" suggests that the speaker's love is something that is desirable and attractive, even if it is not valued by the other person.

The ninth line, "I must each day say o'er the very same," suggests that the speaker is willing to repeat his love for the other person every day, even if it is not reciprocated. The use of the word "must" suggests that the speaker feels compelled to do this, even if it is painful.

The tenth line, "Counting no old thing old, thou mine, I thine," introduces the idea that the speaker is willing to give everything he has to the other person, even if it is something old and worn out. The use of the word "counting" suggests that the speaker is willing to overlook the flaws and imperfections of the other person, and focus only on their positive qualities.

The eleventh line, "Even as when first I hallowed thy fair name," suggests that the speaker's love for the other person is pure and holy, like a prayer. The use of the word "hallowed" suggests that the speaker's love is something that is sacred and worthy of reverence.

The twelfth line, "So is my love still telling what is thy gain," reinforces the idea that the speaker's love is something that is valuable and desirable, even if it is not valued by the other person. The use of the word "gain" suggests that the other person will benefit from the speaker's love, even if they do not reciprocate it.

The thirteenth line, "The argument of praise, and thine of blame," introduces the idea that the speaker's love is something that is praiseworthy, while the other person's rejection of it is something that is worthy of blame. The use of the word "argument" suggests that the speaker's love is something that can be debated and discussed, while the other person's rejection of it is something that is clear and unambiguous.

The final line, "And so thou hast thy will, and I my heart," suggests that the other person has achieved their desire, while the speaker has lost something valuable. The use of the word "heart" suggests that the speaker's love is something that is precious and irreplaceable, and that they have lost something that can never be regained.

In conclusion, Sonnet 135 by William Shakespeare is a powerful exploration of the theme of unrequited love. The poem is written in the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, with fourteen lines and a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem introduces the theme of unrequited love in the first line and explores it in detail throughout the rest of the poem. The poem is a powerful reminder of the pain that comes with unrequited love, and the sacrifices that people are willing to make in order to please the ones they love.

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