Sonnet 43: When Most I Wink, Then Do Mine Eyes Best See
When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,
For all the day they view things unrespected;
But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,
And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed.
Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright,
How would thy shadow’s form form happy show
To the clear day with thy much clearer light,
When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!
How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made
By looking on thee in the living day,
When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade
Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay!
All days are nights to see till I see thee,
And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.
Line 1: When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Wink: Close the eyes (often to sleep or rest).
- Mine eyes: My eyes.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker begins by stating that his eyes “best see” when he closes them (“wink”). This paradoxical statement suggests that his vision is clearer or more meaningful in moments of rest or introspection than when his eyes are open during the day.
Context:
This sonnet is part of Shakespeare’s sequence addressed to the “Fair Youth.” The speaker explores the idea that his perception of the beloved is heightened in dreams or moments of inner reflection. The line sets up the central theme of the sonnet: the contrast between the limitations of physical sight and the clarity of inner vision.
Line 2: For all the day they view things unrespected;
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Unrespected: Unnoticed or unappreciated.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker explains that during the day, his eyes see things that go unnoticed or unappreciated (“unrespected”). This suggests that the distractions and mundanity of daily life prevent him from truly seeing or appreciating what matters most.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that physical sight is limited by the distractions of the external world. It reflects the speaker’s belief that true vision occurs in moments of introspection or dreams.
Line 3: But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Look on thee: See or behold you (the beloved).
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker contrasts the limitations of daytime vision with the clarity of his dreams, where he sees the beloved (“look on thee”). This suggests that his dreams provide a purer or more meaningful form of perception.
Context:
This line introduces the theme of dreams as a space where the speaker’s connection to the beloved is strongest. It reflects the idea that love transcends the limitations of the physical world.
Line 4: And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed.
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Darkly bright: Paradoxically illuminated in darkness.
- Directed: Focused or guided.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes his dreams as “darkly bright,” suggesting that they are paradoxically illuminated even in the darkness of sleep. His eyes are “bright in dark directed,” meaning they are focused on the beloved with clarity and intensity, despite the absence of physical light.
Context:
This line emphasizes the power of dreams to reveal what is hidden or obscured in waking life. It reflects the speaker’s belief that love and beauty are most vividly perceived in moments of inner reflection.
Line 5: Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Thou: You (the beloved).
- Shadow: Reflection or image.
- Shadows: Darkness or obscurity.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker addresses the beloved, stating that his “shadow” (his image or presence) has the power to illuminate darkness (“shadows doth make bright”). This suggests that the beloved’s presence, even in dreams, brings light and clarity to the speaker’s inner world.
Context:
This line highlights the beloved’s transformative power and his ability to bring light to the speaker’s darkest moments. It reflects the theme of love as a source of illumination and clarity.
Line 6: How would thy shadow’s form form happy show
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Shadow’s form: The image or reflection of the beloved.
- Happy show: A joyful or pleasing display.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker imagines how the beloved’s “shadow’s form” (his image or reflection) would create a “happy show” in the light of day. This suggests that the beloved’s presence would bring joy and beauty to the external world, just as it does in the speaker’s dreams.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s longing to see the beloved in the waking world and his belief that the beloved’s presence would transform reality. It underscores the theme of love as a source of joy and beauty.
Line 7: To the clear day with thy much clearer light,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Clear day: Bright or unobstructed daylight.
- Clearer light: The beloved’s radiant presence.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the beloved’s “clearer light” (his radiant presence) would outshine even the brightness of day. This reinforces the idea that the beloved’s beauty and virtue surpass the limitations of the physical world.
Context:
This line emphasizes the beloved’s superiority and his ability to illuminate the world. It reflects the speaker’s admiration and his belief in the transformative power of love.
Line 8: When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Unseeing eyes: Eyes that are closed or blind.
- Shade: Image or reflection.
- Shines: Radiates or glows.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker marvels that the beloved’s “shade” (his image) shines so brightly even to “unseeing eyes” (the speaker’s closed eyes in sleep). This suggests that the beloved’s presence is so powerful that it transcends the need for physical sight.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that the beloved’s beauty and virtue are perceived most clearly in moments of inner reflection. It reflects the theme of love as a transcendent force.
Line 9: How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Blessed made: Made blessed or filled with joy.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker imagines how his eyes would be “blessed” (filled with joy) if they could see the beloved in the waking world. This reflects his longing to experience the beloved’s presence in reality, not just in dreams.
Context:
This line highlights the speaker’s desire to bridge the gap between dreams and reality. It reflects the theme of love as a source of joy and fulfillment.
Line 10: By looking on thee in the living day,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Living day: The waking world or daylight.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker expresses his wish to see the beloved “in the living day,” meaning in the waking world. This suggests that his dreams, while vivid, are not enough to satisfy his longing for the beloved’s presence.
Context:
This line underscores the speaker’s yearning for a deeper connection with the beloved. It reflects the theme of love as a source of both joy and longing.
Line 11: When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Dead night: The darkness of sleep or dreams.
- Fair imperfect shade: The beloved’s beautiful but incomplete image.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes the beloved’s image in dreams as a “fair imperfect shade,” suggesting that while it is beautiful, it is incomplete or lacking compared to the beloved’s true presence. This reflects the limitations of dreams as a substitute for reality.
Context:
This line highlights the speaker’s awareness of the gap between dreams and reality. It reflects the theme of love as a source of both fulfillment and longing.
Line 12: Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay!
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Heavy sleep: Deep or profound sleep.
- Sightless eyes: Closed or unseeing eyes.
- Doth stay: Remains or lingers.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes how the beloved’s image lingers in his “sightless eyes” during “heavy sleep.” This suggests that the beloved’s presence is a constant source of comfort and inspiration, even in the depths of sleep.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that the beloved’s presence transcends the limitations of physical sight. It reflects the theme of love as a source of inner light and clarity.
Line 13: All days are nights to see till I see thee,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- All days are nights: Life feels dark and empty.
- Till I see thee: Until I see you (the beloved).
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker declares that all his days feel like nights—dark and empty—until he can see the beloved. This reflects his deep longing for the beloved’s presence and his belief that only the beloved can bring light to his life.
Context:
This line encapsulates the central theme of the sonnet: the speaker’s yearning for the beloved and his belief that love is the source of light and meaning in his life.
Line 14: And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Bright days: Joyful and illuminated.
- Show thee me: Reveal you to me.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker concludes by stating that his nights become “bright days” when his dreams reveal the beloved to him. This suggests that the beloved’s presence, even in dreams, transforms darkness into light and brings joy to the speaker’s life.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that the beloved’s presence is a source of light and joy, even in the absence of physical sight. It reflects the theme of love as a transcendent force that illuminates the speaker’s inner world.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 43 explores the theme of love as a source of inner light and clarity. The speaker contrasts the limitations of physical sight with the vividness of his dreams, where he sees the beloved with perfect clarity. He marvels at the beloved’s ability to illuminate even the darkest moments and expresses his longing to see the beloved in the waking world. The sonnet reflects the speaker’s belief that love transcends the limitations of the physical world and that the beloved’s presence is a source of joy, light, and meaning in his life. The final lines encapsulate the central theme: the speaker’s yearning for the beloved and his belief that love is the source of light and fulfillment, even in the depths of darkness.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 43
Summary:
Sonnet 43 explores the paradox of vision and perception in the absence of the beloved. The speaker claims that his eyes see most clearly when he is asleep because, during the day, they look upon meaningless things, but at night, they see his love in dreams. This inversion of day and night emphasizes how his longing transforms reality—true brightness and joy exist only in dreams, while wakefulness brings emptiness.
The first quatrain introduces the central paradox: the speaker sees best when his eyes are closed. In waking life, his eyes behold things that do not matter, but when he dreams, they fixate on the beloved, creating a world where absence turns into presence. The phrase “darkly bright” conveys the contradiction—his beloved shines even in the darkness of dreams.
In the second quatrain, the speaker builds on this idea by suggesting that his lover’s shadow, even in dreams, makes everything seem bright. If just a dream of the beloved can illuminate the night, how much more brilliant would their real presence be during the day? This reflection deepens the theme of idealized love—the lover’s image is so powerful that even an imperfect, dream-like version of them brings light.
The third quatrain further explores the speaker’s frustration. He longs to see his beloved in reality, but even in the darkness of sleep, their imperfect shadow stays with him, offering bittersweet solace. The contrast between the “living day” and the “dead night” reinforces the idea that without the beloved, life feels lifeless, and only in dreams does the speaker find comfort.
The final couplet delivers the poem’s emotional climax:
“All days are nights to see till I see thee, / And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.”
Here, Shakespeare reverses natural order—daytime is dark and meaningless, while night, when filled with dreams of love, is bright and joyful. This final paradox captures the speaker’s yearning, loneliness, and dependence on dreams to sustain his affection.
Critical Analysis:
Sonnet 43 is one of Shakespeare’s most intimate and dreamlike sonnets, blending themes of love, absence, longing, and perception. It continues the motif of absence-heightened desire seen in previous sonnets, but it introduces a powerful new contrast: the reversal of day and night.
At its core, this sonnet explores the psychology of love and longing. The beloved’s absence transforms the way the speaker perceives the world. The daylight, which should bring clarity, is meaningless without the one he loves. Only in dreams does he find happiness, suggesting that love exists more strongly in the mind and heart than in the external world.
The poem also explores the contrast between physical and imagined presence. The beloved is physically absent, but in the speaker’s dreams, they appear as a shadow, a less perfect yet still cherished version of themselves. This reflects the idea that memory and imagination can sustain love even when reality fails to provide it.
Another key aspect of this sonnet is the theme of perception and illusion. The speaker suggests that true vision is not literal sight but emotional or internal vision—his love is most visible in the subconscious world of dreams, where longing turns into an imagined reunion. This idea echoes Platonic philosophy, where ideal beauty and truth exist beyond physical reality.
Theme Analysis:
- The Paradox of Vision:
- The poem plays with the contradiction of seeing best when the eyes are closed and being blind to meaningful things when awake.
- True vision, Shakespeare suggests, is not in literal sight but in the heart and mind.
- Love and Absence:
- The speaker longs for the beloved, and their absence makes the world feel dark.
- However, dreams serve as a temporary relief, allowing the speaker to experience love in a different form.
- The Idealization of Love:
- The beloved’s shadow is enough to bring brightness, reinforcing the idea that love transcends physical presence.
- The speaker implies that even an incomplete version of the beloved (a dream, a memory) is better than nothing.
- The Reversal of Day and Night:
- Day, usually associated with clarity and life, becomes meaningless and dark without the beloved.
- Night, usually associated with darkness and uncertainty, becomes bright and joyful because it brings dreams of love.
- This inversion highlights the speaker’s emotional disorientation and dependence on love.
Literary Devices and Techniques:
- Paradox and Inversion:
- “When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see” → The reversal of seeing and blindness is central to the poem.
- “All days are nights to see till I see thee” → The final paradox emphasizes longing and emotional turmoil.
- Imagery of Light and Darkness:
- “Darkly bright, are bright in dark directed” → The phrase captures the fusion of night and day, presence and absence.
- The speaker envisions his beloved’s “shade” shining like the sun, suggesting that love transcends reality.
- Personification:
- “Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright” → The beloved’s shadow paradoxically illuminates the darkness, reinforcing the idea that even an absent love can bring light.
- Alliteration and Repetition:
- “When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so” → The repetition of the “sh” sounds mimics the soft, dreamlike quality of night.
- The recurrence of words like “shade”, “shadow”, and “bright” reinforces the contrast between absence and presence.
- Symbolism of Dreams:
- Dreams act as a bridge between separation and reunion. The speaker finds temporary joy in them, but they also highlight the bittersweet reality that his love exists only in the subconscious.
Comparison to Other Sonnets on Love and Absence:
Sonnet 43 shares thematic similarities with other sonnets that explore longing and separation:
- Sonnet 27 (“Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed”) also examines the way dreams serve as a refuge when the beloved is absent.
- Sonnet 61 (“Is it thy will thy image should keep open”) discusses the idea of the beloved haunting the speaker’s thoughts, even when apart.
However, unlike the bitterness in Sonnet 42 (where the speaker laments betrayal), Sonnet 43 offers a more hopeful tone—the speaker still finds joy in dreams, even if only temporarily.
Conclusion:
Sonnet 43 is a masterful meditation on absence, love, and the power of perception. Shakespeare portrays longing not just as an emotional state but as something that alters reality itself—day becomes night, darkness becomes light, and dreams hold more truth than waking life.
By reversing the conventional meanings of sight, darkness, and light, Shakespeare highlights the way love can distort one’s experience of the world. The poem ultimately suggests that love is not bound by physical presence—it thrives in memory, imagination, and dreams, even when reality fails to provide it.
