# Sonnet CXLVIII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

The poet questions the reliability of his own perception when it comes to love, acknowledging that his eyes are deceived by tears and emotion, and that love itself blinds him to the beloved's faults.

## Themes in this chapter

### Truth and Deception

The poet grapples with the deception of his own senses, questioning whether love's vision can be trusted.

### Self-Love and Narcissism

The poet's introspection reveals a self-critical awareness of how love distorts his judgment.

## Character check-ins

### Love

Personified as a cunning force that blinds the poet with tears.

## Key lines

> O me, what eyes hath Love put in my head, Which have no correspondence with true sight!

Oh, what eyes has Love given me that cannot see the truth?

_The poet laments that love has impaired his vision._

> O cunning Love! with tears thou keep'st me blind, Lest eyes well-seeing thy foul faults should find.

Oh, clever Love! You keep me blind with tears so that my clear-sighted eyes won't discover your ugly flaws.

_Love deliberately blinds the poet to its own imperfections._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/cxlviii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_28_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters