Sonnet 47: Betwixt Mine Eye And Heart A League Is Took
Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,
And each doth good turns now unto the other:
When that mine eye is famish’d for a look,
Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother,
With my love’s picture then my eye doth feast,
And to the painted banquet bids my heart;
Another time mine eye is my heart’s guest,
And in his thoughts of love doth share a part:
So, either by thy picture or my love,
Thy self away, art present still with me;
For thou not farther than my thoughts canst move,
And I am still with them, and they with thee;
Or, if they sleep, thy picture in my sight
Awakes my heart, to heart’s and eyes’ delight.
.
Line 1: Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Betwixt: Between (archaic).
- League: An alliance or agreement.
- Took: Formed or established (archaic).
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker begins by stating that an alliance (“league”) has been formed between his eye and heart. This suggests that the conflict described in the previous sonnet (Sonnet 46) has been resolved, and the eye and heart are now working together.
Context:
This sonnet is part of Shakespeare’s sequence addressed to the “Fair Youth.” The speaker continues the theme of the relationship between the eye and the heart, now focusing on their cooperation rather than conflict. The line sets up the central theme of the sonnet: the harmonious interaction between external perception and internal emotion.
Line 2: And each doth good turns now unto the other:
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Doth good turns: Does favors or acts of kindness.
- Unto the other: For the other.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker explains that the eye and heart now do “good turns” (favors) for each other, suggesting a mutually beneficial relationship. This reflects the resolution of their previous conflict and their new cooperation.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of harmony between the eye and the heart. It reflects the idea that external perception and internal emotion can work together to enhance the experience of love.
Line 3: When that mine eye is famish’d for a look,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Famish’d: Starved or deprived.
- Look: A glance or sight of the beloved.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes a situation where his eye is “famish’d for a look,” meaning it longs to see the beloved. This suggests that the eye relies on the heart to satisfy its desire when the beloved is not physically present.
Context:
This line highlights the eye’s dependence on the heart to fulfill its longing for the beloved. It reflects the theme of the interplay between external perception and internal emotion.
Line 4: Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Sighs: Expressions of longing or sorrow.
- Smother: Overwhelm or suffocate.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes a situation where his heart is overwhelmed with love and “sighs,” meaning it is filled with longing. In this case, the heart relies on the eye to provide comfort through the beloved’s image.
Context:
This line highlights the heart’s dependence on the eye to alleviate its longing for the beloved. It reflects the theme of the interplay between external perception and internal emotion.
Line 5: With my love’s picture then my eye doth feast,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Picture: Image or representation of the beloved.
- Feast: Enjoy or indulge.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker explains that when his eye longs for the beloved, it “feasts” on the beloved’s picture, meaning it finds satisfaction in the beloved’s image. This suggests that the eye relies on the heart to provide the beloved’s image when the beloved is not physically present.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of the eye and heart working together to satisfy each other’s needs. It reflects the idea that external perception and internal emotion can complement each other in the experience of love.
Line 6: And to the painted banquet bids my heart;
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Painted banquet: The visual feast of the beloved’s image.
- Bids: Invites.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes how the eye invites the heart to the “painted banquet,” meaning the visual feast of the beloved’s image. This suggests that the eye and heart share in the enjoyment of the beloved’s presence, even when it is only through an image.
Context:
This line highlights the cooperation between the eye and the heart, as they share in the experience of the beloved’s image. It reflects the theme of the interplay between external perception and internal emotion.
Line 7: Another time mine eye is my heart’s guest,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Guest: A visitor or participant.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes a situation where his eye is the “guest” of his heart, meaning it participates in the heart’s emotional experience of the beloved. This suggests that the eye and heart take turns supporting each other.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of the eye and heart working together to enhance the experience of love. It reflects the idea that external perception and internal emotion can alternate in their roles.
Line 8: And in his thoughts of love doth share a part:
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- His thoughts of love: The heart’s emotional reflections on the beloved.
- Share a part: Participate or take part.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker explains that the eye shares in the heart’s “thoughts of love,” meaning it participates in the heart’s emotional experience of the beloved. This suggests that the eye and heart are deeply interconnected in their experience of love.
Context:
This line highlights the harmony between the eye and the heart, as they share in the emotional experience of the beloved. It reflects the theme of the interplay between external perception and internal emotion.
Line 9: So, either by thy picture or my love,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Thy picture: Your image.
- My love: My emotional connection to you.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker states that the beloved is present with him either through his picture (“thy picture”) or through his emotional connection (“my love”). This suggests that the beloved’s presence is maintained through both external and internal means.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of the beloved’s enduring presence, whether through physical images or emotional connections. It reflects the idea that love transcends physical separation.
Line 10: Thy self away, art present still with me;
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Thy self away: Even when you are physically absent.
- Art present still: Are still present.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker declares that even when the beloved is physically absent (“thy self away”), he is still present with the speaker. This suggests that the beloved’s presence is maintained through the speaker’s thoughts and emotions.
Context:
This line underscores the theme of the beloved’s enduring presence, even in absence. It reflects the idea that love transcends physical separation.
Line 11: For thou not farther than my thoughts canst move,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Thou: You (the beloved).
- Canst move: Can go or travel.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker explains that the beloved cannot be farther away than his thoughts, meaning the beloved is always present in the speaker’s mind. This suggests that the beloved’s presence is maintained through the speaker’s thoughts.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of the beloved’s enduring presence, even in absence. It reflects the idea that love transcends physical separation.
Line 12: And I am still with them, and they with thee;
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Still: Always or continually.
- Them: My thoughts.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker states that he is always with his thoughts, and his thoughts are always with the beloved. This suggests that the speaker and the beloved are connected through the speaker’s thoughts.
Context:
This line highlights the speaker’s emotional connection to the beloved, even in absence. It reflects the theme of love as a transcendent force.
Line 13: Or, if they sleep, thy picture in my sight
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- They sleep: My thoughts are inactive.
- Thy picture: Your image.
- Sight: Vision or perception.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes a situation where his thoughts are inactive (“they sleep”), but the beloved’s picture in his sight awakens his heart. This suggests that the beloved’s image provides comfort and connection even when the speaker’s thoughts are not actively engaged.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of the beloved’s enduring presence, whether through thoughts or images. It reflects the idea that love transcends physical separation.
Line 14: Awakes my heart, to heart’s and eyes’ delight.
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Awakes: Wakes or stirs.
- Delight: Joy or pleasure.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker concludes by stating that the beloved’s picture awakens his heart, bringing joy to both his heart and eyes. This suggests that the beloved’s image provides comfort and connection, enhancing the speaker’s emotional and visual experience.
Context:
This line encapsulates the central theme of the sonnet: the harmonious interaction between the eye and the heart in maintaining the beloved’s presence. It reflects the idea that love transcends physical separation and is sustained through both external images and internal emotions.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 47 explores the harmonious interaction between the eye and the heart in the experience of love. The speaker describes how the eye and heart, once in conflict, now work together to maintain the beloved’s presence. The eye feasts on the beloved’s image, while the heart shares in the emotional experience of love. Even when the beloved is physically absent, the speaker feels his presence through thoughts and images. The sonnet reflects the theme of love as a transcendent force that is sustained through both external perception and internal emotion. The resolution of the conflict between the eye and the heart highlights the idea that love is a dynamic and interconnected experience, bridging the gap between physical separation and emotional connection.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 47
Summary:
Sonnet 47 continues the theme of the relationship between the speaker’s eye and heart, which was introduced in Sonnet 46. However, while Sonnet 46 depicted a conflict between the two, Sonnet 47 shows a reconciliation—a “league” or treaty between them.
- In the first quatrain, the eye and heart are now in harmony, assisting each other rather than competing.
- The second quatrain describes how they share in the beloved’s presence:
- The eye, when deprived of seeing the beloved, looks at a portrait (or mental image), which feeds the heart’s longing.
- The heart, in return, allows the eye to share in its thoughts of love.
- The third quatrain emphasizes that, even in physical absence, the beloved remains present in thoughts and images.
- The final couplet suggests that even when the speaker sleeps, the image of the beloved awakens the heart and eye, ensuring that love is never lost but always alive.
Critical Analysis:
Sonnet 47 provides a resolution to the tension between physical attraction (eye) and emotional love (heart). Unlike in Sonnet 46, where they were in competition, they now exist in mutual support, ensuring that love thrives even in absence.
This harmonization of perception and emotion reflects a mature understanding of love—it is not merely a physical experience or a mental obsession, but a balanced interplay between what is seen and what is felt.
Moreover, the sonnet reinforces the power of memory and imagination in sustaining love. The speaker does not require physical presence to feel the beloved’s influence and warmth—their image alone is enough to sustain both sight and feeling.
Theme Analysis:
- Reconciliation Between Physical and Emotional Love:
- In Sonnet 46, the eye and heart fought for control. In Sonnet 47, they cooperate.
- This reflects a balanced understanding of love, where both physical presence (sight) and emotional depth (heart) are necessary.
- Love’s Persistence Despite Absence:
- The beloved’s physical absence does not weaken the speaker’s love.
- The image of the beloved (a painting or a memory) sustains both eye and heart, showing that love can exist beyond physical constraints.
- The Power of Art and Imagination in Love:
- The eye turns to a picture of the beloved, which then feeds the heart.
- This emphasizes how art, poetry, and memory preserve love, making it eternal even when lovers are apart.
- The Role of Dreams and Thoughts in Keeping Love Alive:
- The final couplet suggests that even in sleep, the beloved’s image awakens emotions.
- This highlights how love transcends even consciousness, living in dreams and subconscious thought.
Literary Devices and Techniques:
- Personification:
- The eye and heart are personified as friends who support each other.
- This contrasts with Sonnet 46, where they were legal adversaries in a battle for love.
- Metaphor of a Treaty (“League is Took”):
- The eye and heart form a “league”, meaning a truce or alliance.
- This metaphor suggests that love requires unity between physical attraction and deep feeling.
- Imagery of Feasting and Nourishment:
- The eye “feasts” on the beloved’s image, providing nourishment for love.
- The painting is called a “banquet”, symbolizing how love is both visual pleasure and emotional sustenance.
- Contrast Between Absence and Presence:
- The beloved is physically absent but emotionally present through thoughts, art, and dreams.
- This suggests that true love is not bound by distance but exists in the mind and heart.
- Wordplay on “Picture” and “Thought”:
- The “picture” could be an actual portrait or a mental image.
- The beloved is present either in “thy picture” (physical image) or “my love” (emotional connection).
- This emphasizes that love can exist in different forms—not just through the eyes, but also in the heart’s imagination.
Comparison to Other Sonnets:
- Sonnet 46 (“Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war”)
- Depicts conflict between the eye and heart.
- Sonnet 47 resolves this conflict, showing them in harmony.
- Sonnet 24 (“Mine eye hath played the painter”)
- Discusses how the eye “paints” the beloved’s image in the heart.
- Sonnet 47 extends this idea—the painted image feeds love even when the beloved is absent.
- Sonnet 43 (“When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see”)
- Explores how the beloved appears more vividly in dreams than in reality.
- Sonnet 47 continues this theme, showing how thoughts and images sustain love even when apart.
Conclusion:
Sonnet 47 presents a mature and reconciled vision of love, where physical attraction (eye) and emotional depth (heart) work together rather than against each other. The poem suggests that even in absence, love endures through art, memory, and dreams.
The key lesson of the sonnet is that love is not solely dependent on physical presence. By feeding on the image and thought of the beloved, love remains alive, constant, and ever-present.
