Sonnet 119: What Potions Have I Drunk Of Siren Tears
What potions have I drunk of siren tears,
Distilled from limbecks foul as hell within,
Applying fears to hopes, and hopes to fears,
Still losing when I saw myself to win!
What wretched errors have my heart committed,
Whilst it hath thought itself so blessed never!
How have my eyes out of their sheres been fitted
In the distraction of this maddening fever!
O benefit of ill, now I find true
That better is by evil still made better;
And ruined love when it is built anew
Grows fairer than at first, more strong, far greater,
So I return rebuked to my content,
And gain by ills thrice more than I have spent.
Line 1:
“What potions have I drunk of siren tears,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Potions: Drinks or concoctions, often magical or poisonous.
- Siren tears: The tears of sirens, mythical creatures whose songs lured sailors to their doom.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The sonnet opens with the poet reflecting on the harmful experiences he has endured, comparing them to potions made from the tears of sirens. This suggests that the poet has been lured into dangerous or destructive situations by something seemingly beautiful or alluring.
The line sets the tone for the sonnet, which explores the idea that the poet has been misled and harmed by his own desires and emotions.
Line 2:
“Distilled from limbecks foul as hell within,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Distilled: Extracted or purified.
- Limbecks: Alembics, devices used in distillation.
- Foul as hell within: Corrupt or evil in nature.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes the potions as being distilled from devices as foul as hell, suggesting that the experiences he has endured are deeply corrupt and harmful. This reflects the idea that the poet has been led astray by something inherently evil or destructive.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of regret and his recognition of the harmful nature of his experiences.
Line 3:
“Applying fears to hopes, and hopes to fears,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Applying: Attaching or associating.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how he has confused his fears with his hopes and his hopes with his fears, suggesting that his emotions have been in turmoil. This reflects the idea that the poet has been misled by his own desires and emotions, leading to confusion and distress.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of regret and his recognition of the harmful nature of his experiences.
Line 4:
“Still losing when I saw myself to win!”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Still losing: Continually failing.
- Saw myself to win: Believed I was succeeding.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet laments that he has continually failed even when he believed he was succeeding, suggesting that his efforts have been misguided and ultimately harmful. This reflects the idea that the poet has been misled by his own desires and emotions, leading to failure and regret.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of regret and his recognition of the harmful nature of his experiences.
Line 5:
“What wretched errors have my heart committed,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Wretched errors: Terrible mistakes.
- Committed: Made or carried out.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet reflects on the terrible mistakes his heart has made, suggesting that his emotions have led him astray. This reflects the idea that the poet has been misled by his own desires and emotions, leading to regret and self-reproach.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of regret and his recognition of the harmful nature of his experiences.
Line 6:
“Whilst it hath thought itself so blessed never!”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Blessed: Happy or fortunate.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how his heart has never felt so blessed, suggesting that his emotions have led him to believe he was happy even when he was making terrible mistakes. This reflects the idea that the poet has been misled by his own desires and emotions, leading to a false sense of happiness.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of regret and his recognition of the harmful nature of his experiences.
Line 7:
“How have my eyes out of their sheres been fitted”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Sheres: Spheres or proper places.
- Fitted: Placed or forced.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how his eyes have been forced out of their proper places, suggesting that his perception has been distorted by his emotions. This reflects the idea that the poet has been misled by his own desires and emotions, leading to a distorted view of reality.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of regret and his recognition of the harmful nature of his experiences.
Line 8:
“In the distraction of this maddening fever!”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Distraction: Confusion or turmoil.
- Maddening fever: A state of intense emotional distress.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how his perception has been distorted by the confusion and turmoil of his intense emotional distress, suggesting that his emotions have led him astray. This reflects the idea that the poet has been misled by his own desires and emotions, leading to a distorted view of reality.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of regret and his recognition of the harmful nature of his experiences.
Line 9:
“O benefit of ill, now I find true”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Benefit of ill: The positive outcome of negative experiences.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet reflects on the positive outcome of his negative experiences, suggesting that he has gained insight and wisdom from his mistakes. This reflects the idea that the poet has learned valuable lessons from his harmful experiences.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of growth and his recognition of the positive aspects of his negative experiences.
Line 10:
“That better is by evil still made better;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Better is by evil still made better: Goodness is strengthened by overcoming evil.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet declares that goodness is strengthened by overcoming evil, suggesting that his negative experiences have made him stronger and wiser. This reflects the idea that the poet has learned valuable lessons from his harmful experiences.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of growth and his recognition of the positive aspects of his negative experiences.
Line 11:
“And ruined love when it is built anew”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Ruined love: Love that has been damaged or destroyed.
- Built anew: Rebuilt or restored.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how ruined love, when rebuilt, becomes stronger and more beautiful than before, suggesting that his negative experiences have led to a deeper and more enduring love. This reflects the idea that the poet has learned valuable lessons from his harmful experiences.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of growth and his recognition of the positive aspects of his negative experiences.
Line 12:
“Grows fairer than at first, more strong, far greater,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Fairer: More beautiful or pure.
- Strong: More enduring or powerful.
- Greater: More significant or profound.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet declares that rebuilt love becomes more beautiful, enduring, and profound than it was at first, suggesting that his negative experiences have led to a deeper and more enduring love. This reflects the idea that the poet has learned valuable lessons from his harmful experiences.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of growth and his recognition of the positive aspects of his negative experiences.
Line 13:
“So I return rebuked to my content,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Rebuked: Reproached or chastised.
- Content: Satisfaction or happiness.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how he returns to a state of satisfaction and happiness after being reproached, suggesting that he has learned from his mistakes and is now at peace. This reflects the idea that the poet has gained insight and wisdom from his harmful experiences.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of growth and his recognition of the positive aspects of his negative experiences.
Line 14:
“And gain by ills thrice more than I have spent.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Gain by ills: Benefit from negative experiences.
- Thrice more: Three times more.
- Spent: Lost or endured.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The sonnet concludes with the poet declaring that he has gained three times more from his negative experiences than he has lost, suggesting that his harmful experiences have ultimately led to greater wisdom and happiness. This reflects the idea that the poet has learned valuable lessons from his mistakes and is now stronger and wiser.
The line reinforces the poet’s sense of growth and his recognition of the positive aspects of his negative experiences.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 119 explores the idea that the poet has been misled and harmed by his own desires and emotions, but has ultimately gained wisdom and strength from his negative experiences. The poet reflects on the harmful potions he has drunk and the terrible mistakes he has made, but he also recognizes the positive outcomes of his negative experiences. He declares that goodness is strengthened by overcoming evil, and that ruined love, when rebuilt, becomes stronger and more beautiful than before. The sonnet concludes with the poet returning to a state of satisfaction and happiness, having gained three times more from his negative experiences than he has lost. The sonnet reflects Shakespeare’s exploration of the transformative power of negative experiences and the idea that wisdom and strength can be gained from overcoming adversity.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 119
Summary
In Sonnet 119, Shakespeare reflects on past mistakes in love, describing the speaker’s emotional turmoil and ultimate realization that suffering has led to wisdom and a stronger love. The poem opens with a striking metaphor: the speaker has consumed “potions” distilled from “siren tears”—a reference to dangerous illusions and temptations that led him astray. These intoxicating experiences, taken from a “foul limbeck” (a metaphor for a distillation apparatus), symbolize deception and emotional self-destruction.
The speaker laments the errors of his heart, noting how he once believed himself blessed while unknowingly engaging in self-destructive behavior. His “maddening fever” suggests a passionate but misguided love, so overwhelming that it disorients him, even causing his eyes to feel displaced from their sockets.
However, the volta (shift in thought) comes in the ninth line, where the speaker finds a “benefit of ill.” He acknowledges a paradox: suffering and mistakes have ultimately strengthened love. The final couplet delivers a resolution—though he returns “rebuked,” having learned from his errors, he has gained more than he lost. The sonnet thus explores the theme of love’s ability to endure and even thrive through hardship.
Critical Analysis
Sonnet 119 is part of Shakespeare’s Fair Youth sequence, in which the poet navigates themes of love, regret, and redemption. This poem specifically deals with the destructive temptations of infidelity or misguided passion but suggests that love can emerge stronger after betrayal and suffering.
The speaker begins with a deeply evocative image of drinking potions made from “siren tears.” This allusion to Greek mythology underscores the idea of deception—the sirens, known for luring sailors to their doom, symbolize irresistible but fatal temptation. The mention of a “foul limbeck” (a distillation device) emphasizes that what the speaker consumed was not pure love but something tainted and corrupt.
The chaotic emotional experience is further illustrated through oxymoronic phrases such as “applying fears to hopes, and hopes to fears,” signifying the disorienting nature of love and loss. The speaker’s “maddening fever” reinforces the idea that passion, when unchecked, can become a consuming illness.
However, the latter half of the sonnet shifts towards resolution. The phrase “benefit of ill” introduces a paradox—the idea that adversity can lead to improvement. This is further emphasized by the assertion that “better is by evil still made better,” suggesting that love, once tested and reforged, gains depth and resilience. This concept aligns with Renaissance ideals of temperance and growth through hardship, where suffering refines virtue.
The final couplet seals the message: though the speaker has faced emotional loss and rebuke, he has ultimately gained more than he has lost. His experience, painful as it was, has led him back to love with a deeper appreciation and a stronger foundation.
Theme Analysis
- Temptation and Deception in Love
- The siren metaphor represents alluring but destructive temptations, possibly referencing infidelity or misguided passions. The poem warns of the dangers of being seduced by illusions rather than genuine love.
- The Destructive Power of Passion
- The imagery of a “maddening fever” suggests how unchecked passion can become overwhelming and lead to irrational behavior. Love, when overly intense, can cause emotional chaos and mistakes.
- The Growth of Love Through Hardship
- The poem suggests that love, once broken and rebuilt, can become even stronger. This idea reflects the Renaissance belief in the refinement of character through suffering—love, like metal, is purified in the fire of adversity.
- Regret and Redemption
- The speaker acknowledges past mistakes but finds solace in the idea that they were necessary for growth. The concept of “gaining by ills thrice more than I have spent” highlights a redemptive arc in love, where past missteps ultimately lead to a greater, more mature affection.
Literary Devices
- Metaphor
- “What potions have I drunk of siren tears” – Love is compared to a toxic potion made from the tears of sirens, symbolizing dangerous temptations.
- “Distilled from limbecks foul as hell within” – The heart (or experience) is likened to a distillation process, implying corruption and self-deception.
- Allusion
- The reference to “siren tears” alludes to Greek mythology, where sirens lured sailors to their doom. This reinforces the idea of deceptive, irresistible temptation leading to emotional ruin.
- Oxymoron / Juxtaposition
- “Applying fears to hopes, and hopes to fears” – This inversion emphasizes the confusion and emotional instability of the speaker, where certainty is lost in turmoil.
- “Better is by evil still made better” – A paradox suggesting that hardship ultimately improves love, even though it initially seems destructive.
- Personification
- “Ruined love when it is built anew” – Love is treated as a structure that can be destroyed and rebuilt, reinforcing the idea that relationships, like buildings, can be stronger after reconstruction.
- Hyperbole
- “How have my eyes out of their sheres been fitted” – This exaggerated image conveys the extent of the speaker’s emotional turmoil, as though love has physically disoriented him.
- Ironic Resolution
- The final couplet, “So I return rebuked to my content, / And gain by ills thrice more than I have spent”, presents an ironic conclusion: through suffering, the speaker has ultimately gained a deeper love.
Conclusion
Sonnet 119 is a powerful meditation on love’s ability to survive temptation, self-deception, and emotional turmoil. Shakespeare masterfully crafts a narrative of regret and redemption, using vivid metaphors of poison, fever, and ruin to illustrate the speaker’s journey. The poem ultimately suggests that adversity, rather than weakening love, can make it stronger—an idea that resonates deeply with human experience. Love, when tested and restored, becomes more profound, proving that even in suffering, there is the potential for renewal and growth.
