Poem Analysis - Sonnet 133 Beshrew That Heart That Makes My Heart To Groan

Introduction: A Sonnet of Triangular Anguish

Shakespeare's Sonnet 133 is a cry of anguish, a lament over a painful romantic entanglement. The poem speaks of a love triangle where the speaker is tormented not only by his own unrequited or complicated affection but also by the suffering inflicted upon a beloved friend. The tone begins with resentment and a sense of injustice, then shifts towards resignation and a grim acceptance of the speaker's fate. The overriding emotion is one of being trapped and helpless, a victim of both love and loyalty.

The Torment of Divided Affection: Love and Friendship

One of the central themes is the painful conflict between romantic love and friendship. The speaker is deeply distressed by the fact that the object of his affection has also captivated his friend. The lines "For that deep wound it gives my friend and me! / Is’t not enough to torture me alone, / But slave to slavery my sweet’st friend must be?" highlight the speaker's empathy for his friend's suffering. He feels responsible, or at least complicit, in the friend's enslavement to the same "cruel eye" that captivates him. The poem explores the complexities of love when it collides with the bonds of friendship, creating a situation where no one can truly be happy.

Imprisonment and Enslavement: The Chains of Love

The theme of imprisonment and enslavement is powerfully developed through vivid imagery. The speaker describes himself as being "taken" by the woman's "cruel eye" and his friend as being made a "slave to slavery." The image of the "steel bosom's ward" suggests a heart that is both impenetrable and confining. The speaker feels trapped not only by his own desire but also by the woman's hold on his friend. The lines "Prison my heart in thy steel bosom’s ward, / But then my friend’s heart let my poor heart bail" illustrate a desperate plea for some form of freedom, even if only vicarious. The metaphor of imprisonment underlines the suffocating nature of this unbalanced relationship.

Forsaken and Isolated: The Anguish of Abandonment

Isolation is another key theme woven throughout the sonnet. The line "Of him, myself, and thee I am forsaken" encapsulates the speaker's sense of utter abandonment. He feels separated from his friend, from his own sense of self, and from the object of his affection. This isolation is not merely physical but also emotional and spiritual. The speaker is caught in a web of desire and obligation, unable to find solace or connection. The repeated use of "me," "my," and "myself" emphasizes the speaker's introspective focus and his deep sense of personal loss.

The Cruel Eye: A Symbol of Destructive Beauty

The "cruel eye" is a recurring symbol in the poem. It represents the power of the woman to inflict pain and suffering, even perhaps unintentionally. This "eye" is not simply an attractive feature but rather a weapon, a tool of enslavement. It suggests that beauty can be deceptive and that outward appearances can conceal a capacity for causing harm. The ambiguity lies in whether the cruelty is intentional or simply a consequence of the woman's own desires and the unbalanced dynamic of the love triangle. Does she recognize her power and wield it deliberately, or is she simply unaware of the pain she causes?

Conclusion: The Bitter Sweetness of Captivity

Sonnet 133 is a poignant exploration of the darker side of love, where desire leads to suffering and loyalty becomes a form of self-inflicted torment. The poem's power lies in its raw emotional honesty and its unflinching portrayal of the speaker's pain. The imagery of imprisonment and enslavement effectively conveys the sense of being trapped by one's own desires and by the complexities of human relationships. Ultimately, the sonnet reveals the bittersweet truth that love, while capable of inspiring great joy, can also be a source of profound and lasting anguish.