WHEN MY LOVE SWEARS THAT SHE IS MADE OF TRUTH -William Shakespeare (Part 5)

Sonnet 138 

WHEN MY LOVE SWEARS THAT SHE IS MADE OF TRUTH

When my love swears that she is made of truth

I do believe her, though I know she lied,

That she might think me some untutored youth,

Unlearned in the world’s false subtleties.

Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,

Although she knows my days are past the best,

Simply I credit her false speaking tongue:

On both sides thus is simple truth suppress.

But wherefore says she not she is unjust?

O! Love’s best habit is in seeming trust,

And age in love loves not to have years told:

Therefore, I lie with her, and she with me,

And in our faults by lies we flattered be.

William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)

This poem is belong to the Elizabethan poetry of English Literature. This poem comes under the category of sonnet, dedicated to the dark lady. Shakespeare knew that his mistress was not totally true with him. But he pretended to believe her. So that she may not think that he is raw, inexperienced lover. On her part too she pretended to believe that he was still young where as she knew that he had passed his age of youth.

The flow of idea is like a blacksmith slowly raising his hammer and putting it down at once. In 12 lines problem and 2 lines giving the solution.

Themes discussed through the poem are,

·         Mid life crisis

·         Mutual deception

·         Imperfection of human relationship

·         Balancing of weaknesses

·         Diversity on human relationships

·         Conflict between just and unjust

Techniques used in the poem are ,

·         Sonnet form

·         First person narration

“I do believe….”

·         Usage of imagery

·         Rhetoric interrogation

·         Rhyming scheme

“abab cdcd efef gg”