In Shakespeare's Sonnet 130, the tone is one of sarcastic and playful mockery. The speaker begins by stating that his mistress is not as beautiful as the sun or as white as snow, and goes on to list various ways in which she falls short of the traditional standards of beauty. At first glance, this might seem like a harsh or critical assessment of the mistress. However, the speaker's tone is not one of genuine criticism, but rather one of humorous and affectionate teasing.
Throughout the sonnet, the speaker uses exaggerated language and hyperbolic comparisons to mock the traditional idea of beauty as being based on superficial physical attributes. For example, he compares his mistress's eyes to the "painted window-glass" and her breath to the "reechy fumes" of bad perfume. These comparisons are meant to be humorous and playful, rather than cruel or insulting.
At the same time, the speaker's tone is also one of affection and admiration for his mistress. Despite the sarcastic and mocking language he uses, it is clear that he has a deep love and appreciation for her. This is particularly evident in the final lines of the sonnet, where he declares that his mistress is "my mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground." This line suggests that, to the speaker, his mistress is not just a superficial object of beauty, but a real, flesh-and-blood woman who is worthy of love and respect.
Overall, the tone of Sonnet 130 is one of humorous mockery and affectionate admiration. Shakespeare uses playful and exaggerated language to mock traditional standards of beauty, while at the same time expressing deep love and admiration for his mistress.
Sonnet 130, also known as "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun," is a poem written by William Shakespeare that is part of the Fair Youth sequence in his collection of sonnets. The tone of the sonnet is one of playful mockery and humorous irony.
The sonnet is structured as a series of comparisons between the speaker's mistress and various natural and cultural objects. The speaker begins by stating that his mistress's eyes are "nothing like the sun," implying that they are not bright or radiant. He goes on to describe her hair as "brown" and "wires," implying that it is unruly and coarse, and her lips as "red" but "not so red" as coral.
Throughout the sonnet, the speaker uses hyperbolic language to exaggerate the flaws and imperfections of his mistress, poking fun at the traditional idealization of women in poetry. However, the tone of the sonnet is not one of contempt or disrespect, but rather one of affectionate mockery and playful irony. The speaker is not trying to put down his mistress, but rather to challenge the conventional expectations of beauty and to celebrate the uniqueness and individuality of his mistress.
In the final lines of the sonnet, the speaker concludes by stating that he loves his mistress "so much more than these," indicating that her imperfections and flaws only serve to increase his love and appreciation for her. This revelation serves to shift the tone of the sonnet from one of playful mockery to one of sincere love and admiration.
Overall, the tone of sonnet 130 is one of playful mockery and humorous irony, as the speaker uses hyperbolic language to exaggerate the flaws and imperfections of his mistress in order to challenge conventional expectations of beauty and to celebrate the individuality and uniqueness of his beloved.