Sonnet 80: O! How I Faint When I Do Write Of You
O! how I faint when I of you do write,
Knowing a better spirit doth use your name,
And in the praise thereof spends all his might,
To make me tongue-tied speaking of your fame.
But since your worth, wide as the ocean is,
The humble as the proudest sail doth bear,
My saucy bark, inferior far to his,
On your broad main doth wilfully appear.
Your shallowest help will hold me up afloat,
Whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride;
Or, being wrack’d, I am a worthless boat,
He of tall building, and of goodly pride:
Then if he thrive and I be cast away,
The worst was this, my love was my decay.
Line 1:
“O! how I faint when I of you do write,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Faint: Lose courage or feel overwhelmed.
Explanation:
The speaker begins by expressing how overwhelmed he feels when writing about the beloved. This suggests a sense of inadequacy or awe in the face of the beloved’s greatness.
Context:
This line sets the tone for the sonnet, introducing the speaker’s feelings of inferiority and the emotional weight of writing about the beloved.
Line 2:
“Knowing a better spirit doth use your name,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Better spirit: A more talented or accomplished poet.
- Doth use your name: Writes about you.
Explanation:
The speaker acknowledges that a more talented poet is also writing about the beloved, which adds to his sense of inadequacy.
Context:
This line introduces the theme of competition, as the speaker compares himself to another poet who he believes is more skilled.
Line 3:
“And in the praise thereof spends all his might,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Spends all his might: Exerts all his effort.
Explanation:
The speaker notes that this rival poet is dedicating all his energy to praising the beloved, further emphasizing the speaker’s feelings of inferiority.
Context:
This line highlights the intensity of the competition, as the rival poet’s efforts seem to overshadow the speaker’s own work.
Line 4:
“To make me tongue-tied speaking of your fame.”
Difficult words meaning:
- Tongue-tied: Unable to speak or express oneself.
- Fame: Reputation or glory.
Explanation:
The speaker feels silenced or inhibited by the rival poet’s superior skill, making it difficult for him to express his own admiration for the beloved.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s struggle to find his voice in the shadow of a more accomplished poet.
Line 5:
“But since your worth, wide as the ocean is,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Worth: Value or greatness.
Explanation:
The speaker compares the beloved’s worth to the vastness of the ocean, suggesting that their greatness is boundless and can accommodate many admirers.
Context:
This line introduces a note of optimism, as the speaker begins to find comfort in the idea that the beloved’s greatness is not diminished by the attention of others.
Line 6:
“The humble as the proudest sail doth bear,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Humble: Modest or unassuming.
- Proudest sail: The most grand or ambitious efforts.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the beloved’s greatness can support both humble and grand expressions of admiration, much like the ocean can carry both modest and majestic ships.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that the beloved’s worth is vast enough to accommodate all forms of praise, including the speaker’s own modest efforts.
Line 7:
“My saucy bark, inferior far to his,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Saucy bark: A small, cheeky boat (metaphor for the speaker’s poetry).
- Inferior far to his: Much less impressive than the rival poet’s work.
Explanation:
The speaker compares his poetry to a small, unimpressive boat, acknowledging that it is far less grand than the rival poet’s work.
Context:
This line continues the theme of competition, as the speaker humbly acknowledges his own limitations compared to the rival poet.
Line 8:
“On your broad main doth wilfully appear.”
Difficult words meaning:
- Broad main: Vast ocean (metaphor for the beloved’s worth).
- Wilfully appear: Boldly present itself.
Explanation:
Despite its modesty, the speaker’s poetry boldly presents itself on the vast ocean of the beloved’s worth, suggesting a determination to be seen and heard.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s resolve to continue writing about the beloved, even in the face of competition.
Line 9:
“Your shallowest help will hold me up afloat,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Shallowest help: The smallest amount of support.
- Hold me up afloat: Keep me from sinking.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that even the slightest support from the beloved is enough to keep his poetry afloat, emphasizing his dependence on their favor.
Context:
This line highlights the speaker’s reliance on the beloved’s approval and encouragement to sustain his creative efforts.
Line 10:
“Whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride;”
Difficult words meaning:
- Soundless deep: The vast, silent depths of the ocean.
Explanation:
The speaker contrasts his modest efforts with the rival poet’s grand achievements, which are likened to a ship riding the deep, uncharted waters of the beloved’s worth.
Context:
This line underscores the disparity between the speaker’s humble poetry and the rival poet’s more ambitious work.
Line 11:
“Or, being wrack’d, I am a worthless boat,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Wrack’d: Wrecked or destroyed.
- Worthless boat: A metaphor for the speaker’s failed poetry.
Explanation:
The speaker acknowledges that if his poetry fails, it will be seen as insignificant, much like a wrecked boat.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s fear of failure and the potential consequences of not measuring up to the rival poet.
Line 12:
“He of tall building, and of goodly pride:”
Difficult words meaning:
- Tall building: A grand ship.
- Goodly pride: Impressive stature or confidence.
Explanation:
The speaker contrasts his modest efforts with the rival poet’s grand achievements, which are likened to a majestic ship.
Context:
This line emphasizes the speaker’s feelings of inferiority and the overwhelming presence of the rival poet.
Line 13:
“Then if he thrive and I be cast away,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Thrive: Succeed or prosper.
- Cast away: Rejected or abandoned.
Explanation:
The speaker contemplates the possibility that the rival poet will succeed while he himself fails, highlighting his fear of being overshadowed.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s anxiety about the outcome of the competition and the potential loss of the beloved’s favor.
Line 14:
“The worst was this, my love was my decay.”
Difficult words meaning:
- Decay: Downfall or ruin.
Explanation:
The speaker concludes that the greatest tragedy would be if his love for the beloved led to his own downfall, as his efforts to praise them are overshadowed by the rival poet.
Context:
This final line ties together the sonnet’s central theme: the speaker’s love for the beloved is both his inspiration and his potential undoing, as it exposes him to the pain of competition and failure.
Overall Summary:
In Sonnet 80, Shakespeare explores the themes of competition, inadequacy, and the overwhelming nature of love. The speaker feels overshadowed by a rival poet whose work seems grander and more impressive. Despite his feelings of inferiority, the speaker finds solace in the vastness of the beloved’s worth, which can accommodate both humble and grand expressions of admiration. The sonnet reflects the speaker’s internal conflict, as he grapples with his love for the beloved and the fear of being cast aside in favor of a more accomplished poet. It is a poignant meditation on the challenges of artistic expression and the complexities of love.
In-Depth Summary
In Sonnet 80, the speaker expresses his insecurity and despair in writing about the beloved, knowing that another, more skilled poet is also composing praises. He admits that he feels weakened when attempting to write because this “better spirit” (a superior poet) is using the beloved’s name in his verses, pouring all his energy into celebrating their worth. This competition makes the speaker feel “tongue-tied” and inadequate.
Shakespeare then introduces a nautical metaphor to illustrate the difference between himself and the rival poet. He likens the beloved’s greatness to a vast ocean that supports both “the humble as the proudest sail.” His own poetry is an insignificant “saucy bark” (a small, impertinent boat), whereas the rival poet is a “tall building” ship, strong and dignified. Despite his inferiority, the speaker insists on sailing upon the beloved’s oceanic greatness, even if he risks sinking. He clings to the hope that even the “shallowest help” from the beloved will keep him afloat, while the rival poet confidently navigates the deeper, limitless waters of their virtues.
In the final couplet, the speaker acknowledges that if the rival poet succeeds in immortalizing the beloved while he himself is forgotten, then his only downfall was caused by his deep love—suggesting that the very passion he felt became his undoing.
Critical Analysis
Sonnet 80 is one of Shakespeare’s “Rival Poet” sonnets, addressing a recurring theme of competition for the affection and admiration of the Fair Youth. The speaker fears that a more talented poet is capable of doing justice to the youth’s beauty and worth, rendering his own efforts futile.
The primary emotional tone of the sonnet is one of self-doubt, resignation, and unworthiness. The speaker’s inferiority complex is evident, as he belittles his own poetic ability while elevating his rival’s talent. Yet, his persistence in continuing to write, despite his sense of inadequacy, reveals his devotion to the youth. His use of the nautical metaphor suggests that no matter how small or weak his craft (his poetry) is, he still dares to sail on the vast ocean of the youth’s greatness.
The closing couplet carries a melancholic resignation. The speaker admits that if his love leads to his downfall, then so be it. This self-sacrificial tone suggests that the depth of his feelings, rather than his poetic skill, defines him.
Shakespeare’s exploration of poetic rivalry also highlights the timeless struggle between artistic merit and personal passion. The speaker’s love is sincere but unpolished, while the rival poet’s talent is grand yet potentially lacking genuine affection. The sonnet subtly raises the question: Which is more valuable—the authenticity of feeling or the mastery of craft?
Theme Analysis
1. Poetic Inadequacy and Rivalry
The sonnet revolves around the speaker’s anxiety that a superior poet is better at capturing the Fair Youth’s virtues. This fear of being overshadowed reflects both artistic insecurity and the competitive nature of literary praise. The speaker’s struggle mirrors broader concerns about recognition, talent, and self-worth.
2. Love as a Source of Weakness
The phrase “my love was my decay” in the final couplet underscores how deeply the speaker’s emotions affect him. His devotion to the youth does not empower him but instead contributes to his feelings of inferiority and potential failure. This self-destructive aspect of love is a recurring theme in Shakespeare’s sonnets.
3. The Power of the Beloved’s Greatness
The beloved’s worth is compared to an ocean, vast and all-encompassing, which allows even weak poets to float. This suggests that the youth’s beauty and virtue are so immense that even unworthy admirers can gain something from merely associating with him. However, true mastery belongs to those who can navigate these depths with confidence.
4. Artistic Immortality vs. Personal Feelings
The sonnet questions the role of poetry in preserving beauty. The rival poet may be more talented, but the speaker suggests that his love is more genuine. If poetry serves to immortalize, does skill matter more than sincerity? Shakespeare leaves this tension unresolved.
Literary Devices
1. Metaphor
- The ocean as the beloved’s greatness: The Fair Youth’s worth is likened to an expansive ocean, supporting both grand and humble poets alike.
- The boats as poets: The speaker calls his poetry a “saucy bark” (a small, impudent boat) while the rival poet’s is a magnificent ship. This contrast illustrates their differing levels of skill and confidence.
2. Personification
- “A better spirit doth use your name” – The rival poet is described as having a “better spirit,” suggesting inspiration or even divine artistic talent.
3. Alliteration
- “My saucy bark, inferior far to his” – The repetition of the ‘s’ and ‘f’ sounds enhances the poetic flow and contrast between the two poets.
- “The worst was this, my love was my decay” – The ‘w’ and ‘m’ sounds emphasize the melancholic tone of the final realization.
4. Enjambment
- Several lines flow into the next without a pause, mirroring the movement of ocean waves and reinforcing the nautical imagery.
5. Contrast (Antithesis)
- “Your shallowest help will hold me up afloat, / Whilst he upon your soundless deep doth ride”
- The contrast between the shallowest and the soundless deep highlights the difference between the speaker’s struggle and the rival poet’s effortless success.
6. Irony
- The speaker acknowledges that his love leads to his own downfall, an ironic twist where devotion results in suffering rather than fulfillment.
Conclusion
Sonnet 80 is a deeply introspective poem that explores artistic rivalry, insecurity, and the power of love. Through its extended ocean metaphor, Shakespeare paints a picture of a poet struggling to stay afloat amidst the greatness of the Fair Youth and the superiority of a rival poet. The sonnet ultimately presents love as both a source of inspiration and destruction, questioning whether true worth lies in talent or genuine affection.
