My Mistress Eyes Are Nothing But The Sun Analysis

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Beauty, what a dangerous word. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines beauty as “the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit”. Beauty is a word that has lasted for centuries, picking up different meanings along the way. It can be easily addressed in poetry through its abstract meaning or its literal meaning. A comparison of abstract beauty and physical beauty, can be found in “My Mistress’ eyes are nothing but the sun (Sonnet 130)” by William Shakespeare and “She Walks in Beauty” by George Godron, both authors discuss how beauty can be interpreted differently. These poems do a great job at explaining how beauty has different affects on its beholders, …show more content…
Although he is describing how unattractive she is, in the end he says he is still captivated by her. In line 1 he states, “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;” which at first one may thank he is alluding to her eyes being even more bright. Although it seems like admiration, line 2 follows with “Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;” which is a metaphor for her lips being dull and meek. Through out the poem Shakespeare uses metaphors to falsely represent her beauty. Even though beauty in the poem may seem false, it still captivates Shakespeare. This is a good example of how beauty although, a “state of being pleasing to the senses,” holds a different meaning when it comes to …show more content…
I find the word beauty to have a very abstract meaning. It is not what someone looks like, but more how someone feels and acts toward people. I would much rather use the word beauty to describe someones personality rather than their physical appearance. In today’s society, I think that is true for most people. Although there are those still stuck with traditional views of beauty, the word has shifted from its original meaning. One may use beauty to describe a nice summer day the same way someone may use it to describe the laugh of a child, which is why the word is so

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