Poem Analysis - Sonnet 79 Whilst I Alone Did Call Upon Thy Aid

A Poet's Dependence and Debt

Shakespeare's Sonnet 79 is a complex exploration of artistic inspiration and the artist's relationship with their subject. The poem begins with a lament, moves to a concession of inadequacy, and culminates in a surprising assertion of the subject's inherent value. The tone shifts from regret and self-deprecation to a final acknowledgement of the subject's self-sufficiency. It acknowledges the poet's reliance on the subject while questioning the merit of his own work, painting a picture of a muse who is her own source of beauty and virtue.

The Fading Muse and Artistic Anxiety

The opening lines establish a sense of loss and artistic decline. "Whilst I alone did call upon thy aid, / My verse alone had all thy gentle grace." The speaker recalls a time when his poetry flourished solely due to the subject's inspiration. However, this has changed: "But now my gracious numbers are decayed, / And my sick Muse doth give an other place." The term "sick Muse" suggests a weakening of his artistic powers, further emphasizing his dependence on the subject. The muse is also yielding to someone else indicating the speaker's anxiety about losing not only his inspiration, but also perhaps the subject's favor. He appears anxious that this transition to another poet is due to his own failing creative powers.

Love's Inherent Worth: A Central Theme

One of the primary themes developed in the poem is the idea of love's intrinsic value. The speaker recognizes that the subject ("sweet love") deserves a "worthier pen." However, he argues that any beauty or virtue the poet attributes to the subject is merely a reflection of what already exists within them. "He lends thee virtue, and he stole that word / From thy behaviour; beauty doth he give, / And found it in thy cheek." This suggests that love, personified by the subject, possesses an inherent worth that transcends any artistic representation. The poet is merely a conduit, borrowing from the subject's own innate qualities.

Imagery of Borrowing and Repayment

The poem utilizes the recurring imagery of borrowing and repayment to illustrate the relationship between the poet and the subject. The poet "robs thee of, and pays it thee again," and "lends thee virtue." This imagery reinforces the idea that the poet is not creating beauty or virtue but rather extracting it from the subject and returning it in the form of verse. The act of "robbing" could also suggest the poet's anxiety about exploiting the subject for artistic gain. By acknowledging the debt, the speaker attempts to reconcile his dependence with a recognition of the subject's self-sufficiency.

The Subject's Self-Sufficiency: A Final Insight

The sonnet culminates in the assertion of the subject's self-sufficiency. "Then thank him not for that which he doth say, / Since what he owes thee, thou thyself dost pay." The final couplet declares that the subject owes nothing to the poet because they are already the source of their own praise. This surprising conclusion challenges the traditional notion of the poet as a creator and celebrates the inherent value of the subject. Perhaps Shakespeare uses this poem to question the very nature of poetry and its ability to truly capture the essence of beauty and virtue, hinting that these qualities exist independently of artistic expression.