Poem Analysis - Sonnet 132 Thine Eyes I Love And They As Pitying Me

Introduction: A Plea for Reciprocated Sorrow

Shakespeare's Sonnet 132 presents a speaker deeply in love, yet tormented by the disdain of his beloved. The poem is a complex blend of admiration and self-pity, with the speaker focusing intently on the perceived sorrow in his beloved's eyes. The tone is initially pleading and admiring, but shifts subtly towards a more assertive, almost demanding tone as the speaker urges his beloved to match her outward appearance of mourning with genuine feeling. The sonnet culminates in a paradoxical declaration of beauty, contingent on the beloved's acceptance of this performative sorrow.

The Theme of Unrequited Love and Suffering

The central theme of Sonnet 132 is clearly the pain of unrequited love. The speaker is fixated on the idea that his beloved's heart "torment[s] me with disdain." This disdain creates immense suffering for the speaker, coloring his perception of everything related to her. He interprets her "black" eyes as "loving mourners" that pity him, highlighting the distance between his feelings and her potential lack of them. The entire poem is fueled by this imbalance, exploring the emotional turmoil of loving someone who doesn't return the sentiment.

Blackness as Beauty: A Paradoxical Standard

A recurring and striking image in the poem is the association of blackness with beauty. This is most evident in the lines "Then will I swear beauty herself is black, / And all they foul that thy complexion lack." This is a complete reversal of typical beauty standards, where lightness and fairness were often prized. Here, blackness, symbolic of mourning and sorrow, becomes the ultimate standard of beauty, but only if it reflects a genuine feeling of pity towards the speaker. This paradox highlights the speaker's desperation and his willingness to redefine beauty itself to align with his desired outcome – the reciprocation of his sorrow.

Eyes as Windows to the Soul: A Questionable Interpretation

The poem hinges on the eyes as a symbolic representation of inner feeling. The speaker interprets the darkness in his beloved’s eyes as a sign of pity, claiming they "have put on black, and loving mourners be." He then implores her heart to "mourn for me since mourning doth thee grace," suggesting that her outward appearance should reflect her inner feelings. This interpretation, however, is questionable. Are the eyes truly reflecting genuine sorrow, or is the speaker projecting his own desires onto them? The poem leaves room for ambiguity, raising the possibility that the speaker's interpretation is flawed, driven by his need to see his own suffering reflected in his beloved.

Grace and Pity: Demanding Reciprocity

Another theme interwoven throughout the poem is the notion of grace and pity. The speaker argues that mourning "doth thee grace," suggesting that sorrow enhances her beauty. This links back to the idea of blackness being a new standard of beauty. However, this “grace” seems conditional. It only truly exists if her heart matches her appearance, extending the pity and sorrow he sees in her eyes to his suffering. He desires not just admiration but true empathy and reciprocal feeling. The poem's undercurrent is a subtle demand for this reciprocity, suggesting that her beauty is incomplete without it.

Conclusion: A Sonnet of Yearning and Conditionality

In conclusion, Sonnet 132 is a poignant exploration of unrequited love and the desperate measures one might take to bridge the emotional gap. Through vivid imagery and a paradoxical redefinition of beauty, Shakespeare reveals the speaker's yearning for reciprocation. Ultimately, the poem underscores the conditional nature of the speaker's admiration, hinting that his perception of beauty is contingent upon the beloved mirroring his own sorrow. The sonnet serves as a powerful reminder of the complexities of love, particularly when it is not equally shared.