# Sonnet XXIX explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

The speaker laments his outcast state and misfortunes, envying others' successes and feeling discontented with his own lot. However, the thought of his beloved transforms his despair into joy, making him value his love above any king's wealth.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Desire

The speaker's love for the beloved is the transformative force that lifts him from despair to joy, outweighing all material wealth.

### Truth and Deception

The speaker's initial self-deception about his worth is replaced by the truth of his beloved's love, revealing a deeper reality.

## Character check-ins

### William Shakespeare

The speaker of the sonnet, expressing personal despair and redemption through love.

### Love

The beloved whose memory brings the speaker from despair to ecstatic joy.

## Key lines

> When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries And look upon myself and curse my fate

When I am out of luck and looked down upon by others, I weep alone over my rejection and cry out to a heaven that seems not to hear, cursing my own destiny.

_The speaker describes his initial state of despair and isolation._

> Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, Haply I think on thee, and then my state, Like to the lark at break of day arising From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate

But just as I am about to hate myself, I happen to think of you, and my condition rises like a lark at dawn from the gloomy ground, singing praises at heaven's gate.

_The thought of the beloved transforms the speaker's despair into joy._

> For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Because remembering your sweet love brings me such riches that I would not trade my situation for that of a king.

_The speaker values his love above all worldly power and wealth._

## Links

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