Sonnet 112

«

»

Sonnet 112

Sonnet 112 1609.jpg

–William Shakespeare

Sonnet 112 is one of 154 sonnets written by the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare. It is a member of the Fair Youth sequence, in which the poet expresses his love towards a young man. It is noted for its compressed and obscure language.

Synopsis

The youth's sympathy is such that it conceals the badge of shame on the poet's brow. No-one else's opinion matters, since the youth covers the poet's misdeeds. The poet must learn to take the youth's estimate as the only one worthwhile. All other opinions are consigned to oblivion. His rejection of the rest of the world is so complete that the rest of the world may as well be dead.

Structure

Sonnet 112 is an English or Shakespearean sonnet. The English sonnet has three quatrains, followed by a final rhyming couplet. It follows the typical rhyme scheme of the form abab cdcd efef gg and is composed in iambic pentameter, a type of poetic metre based on five pairs of metrically weak/strong syllabic positions. The 2nd line exemplifies a regular iambic pentameter:

  ×    /  ×    /  ×    /     × /   ×   / 
Which vulgar scandal stamped upon my brow; (112.2)

/ = ictus, a metrically strong syllabic position. × = nonictus.

The sonnet has a few instances of metrical variations. Lines 5, 12, and 13 have initial reversals, for example:

 /    ×   ×    /  ×  /   ×  /  ×  / 
Mark how with my neglect I do dispense: (112.12)

And lines 6 and 8 potentially exhibit the rightward movement of an ictus (resulting in a four-position figure, × × / /, sometimes referred to as a minor ionic), for example:

  ×   ×   /      /    ×    /  ×   /    ×    / 
That my steeled sense or changes right or wrong. (112.8)

The meter demands a few variant pronunciations: the 1st line contains the three-syllable contraction "th'impression" and line 9's "abysm" is two syllables. In line 11, "flatterer stopped" must be 4 syllables; while likely "flatt'rer stoppėd" is intended, it is just possible (if a bit more awkward) to use "flatterer stopt".

References

First edition and facsimile

Variorum editions

Modern critical editions

• online text