Poetry · Chapter
Sonnet LXXXIX explained
The poet addresses the beloved, offering to accept blame for any fault that caused their separation.
What happens
The poet addresses the beloved, offering to accept blame for any fault that caused their separation. He vows to exaggerate his own shortcomings, avoid the beloved's presence, and never speak the beloved's name, all to align himself with the beloved's will and prove his loyalty by hating what the beloved hates.
Themes in this chapter
Truth and Deception
The poet plans to deceive the beloved by feigning faults and strangling acquaintance, yet this deception is framed as a truthful expression of loyalty.
Self-Love and Narcissism
The poet's willingness to disgrace himself and hate himself for the beloved's sake paradoxically centers on his own actions and identity.
Characters to notice
- William Shakespeare
The speaker who declares self-disgrace and estrangement to please the beloved.
- Love
Personified as the beloved, the object of the poet's devotion and the one whose will dictates the poet's actions.
Key passages
“Say that thou didst forsake me for some fault, And I will comment upon that offence; Speak of my lameness, and I straight will halt, Against thy reasons making no defence.”
If you claim you left me because of a flaw, I will agree and elaborate on that mistake; if you mention my limp, I will immediately pretend to limp, offering no argument against your reasons.
The poet promises to accept any accusation and exaggerate his own defects to justify the beloved's rejection.
“Thou canst not, love, disgrace me half so ill, To set a form upon desired change, As I’ll myself disgrace: knowing thy will, I will acquaintance strangle and look strange, Be absent from thy walks, and in my tongue Thy sweet beloved name no more shall dwell.”
You cannot shame me as much by giving a reason for your desired change as I will shame myself: knowing what you want, I will cut off our friendship and act like a stranger, stay away from places you frequent, and never speak your beloved name again.
The poet vows to outdo any disgrace the beloved might impose by voluntarily estranging himself and silencing any mention of the beloved.
“For thee against myself I’ll vow debate, For I must ne’er love him whom thou dost hate.”
For your sake I will argue against myself, because I must never love anyone whom you hate.
The poet declares he will oppose his own self-interest to align with the beloved's dislikes, even hating himself if necessary.