# CXXI explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

The speaker argues that it is better to be truly vile than to be falsely judged as vile, rejecting the hypocrisy of those who spy on his actions and project their own faults onto him. He asserts his own integrity despite others' crooked perceptions, and condemns the general assumption that all men are bad.

## Themes in this chapter

### Truth and Deception

The speaker contrasts his own honest self-assessment with the false judgments of others, highlighting the deception inherent in public perception.

### Lust and Morality

The poem touches on the moral condemnation of 'sportive blood' and the hypocrisy of those who judge others' desires while harboring their own.

## Character check-ins

### William Shakespeare

The speaker of the sonnet, asserting his own moral autonomy against false judgment.

## Key lines

> ’Tis better to be vile than vile esteem’d, When not to be receives reproach of being

It is better to actually be bad than to be wrongly thought bad, when being innocent brings accusations of guilt.

_The speaker opens with a paradox about reputation versus reality._

> No, I am that I am, and they that level At my abuses reckon up their own

No, I am what I am, and those who aim criticism at my faults are actually counting their own.

_The speaker asserts his identity and accuses his critics of projection._

## Links

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