Sonnet 137: Thou Blind Fool, Love, What Dost Thou To Mine Eyes
Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes,
That they behold, and see not what they see?
They know what beauty is, see where it lies,
Yet what the best is take the worst to be.
If eyes, corrupt by over-partial looks,
Be anchored in the bay where all men ride,
Why of eyes’ falsehood hast thou forged hooks,
Whereto the judgment of my heart is tied?
Why should my heart think that a several plot,
Which my heart knows the wide world’s common place?
Or mine eyes, seeing this, say this is not,
To put fair truth upon so foul a face?
In things right true my heart and eyes have erred,
And to this false plague are they now transferred.
Line 1:
“Thou blind fool, Love, what dost thou to mine eyes,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Thou: You (archaic or poetic form of “you”).
- Dost: Do (archaic form).
- Mine: My (archaic form).
Explanation:
The speaker personifies Love as a “blind fool,” addressing it directly and accusing it of distorting his vision. This line sets the tone for the sonnet, which explores the conflict between perception and reality in matters of love.
Line 2:
“That they behold, and see not what they see?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Behold: See or observe.
Explanation:
The speaker questions how his eyes can look at something without truly understanding or perceiving it accurately. This line introduces the theme of distorted perception, suggesting that love has clouded his judgment.
Line 3:
“They know what beauty is, see where it lies,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Beauty: Physical or aesthetic attractiveness.
Explanation:
The speaker acknowledges that his eyes can recognize beauty and know where it resides, but they fail to judge it correctly. This line highlights the disconnect between his intellectual understanding and his emotional perception.
Line 4:
“Yet what the best is take the worst to be.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Take: Consider or regard.
Explanation:
The speaker laments that his eyes mistake the worst for the best, further emphasizing the theme of distorted perception. This line suggests that love has led him to value something unworthy.
Line 5:
“If eyes, corrupt by over-partial looks,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Corrupt: Spoiled or tainted.
- Over-partial: Excessively biased or prejudiced.
Explanation:
The speaker blames his eyes for being tainted by biased or overly favorable judgments. This line suggests that his perception has been compromised by his emotional attachment.
Line 6:
“Be anchored in the bay where all men ride,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Anchored: Fixed or secured.
- Bay: A body of water, often used metaphorically.
- Ride: Sail or travel (metaphorically, to pursue).
Explanation:
The speaker uses a metaphor to describe his beloved as a “bay” where many men “ride” (pursue her). This line suggests that she is promiscuous or widely sought after, adding a layer of bitterness to the poem.
Line 7:
“Why of eyes’ falsehood hast thou forged hooks,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Falsehood: Deception or lies.
- Forged: Created or fashioned.
- Hooks: Tools for catching or ensnaring.
Explanation:
The speaker accuses Love of creating deceptive “hooks” from the false perceptions of his eyes, which trap his heart. This line emphasizes the destructive power of love’s illusions.
Line 8:
“Whereto the judgment of my heart is tied?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Judgment: Decision or discernment.
Explanation:
The speaker laments that his heart’s judgment is bound to the false perceptions created by his eyes. This line underscores the conflict between his emotional and rational faculties.
Line 9:
“Why should my heart think that a several plot,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Several plot: A private or exclusive place.
Explanation:
The speaker questions why his heart believes the beloved is exclusive to him when, in reality, she is not. This line highlights his self-deception and the pain it causes.
Line 10:
“Which my heart knows the wide world’s common place?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Common place: A shared or public space.
Explanation:
The speaker acknowledges that his heart knows the beloved is not exclusive but is instead available to many. This line reveals his awareness of the truth, even as he struggles to accept it.
Line 11:
“Or mine eyes, seeing this, say this is not,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Say this is not: Deny the truth.
Explanation:
The speaker criticizes his eyes for denying the truth about the beloved’s promiscuity. This line further emphasizes the theme of self-deception and the conflict between perception and reality.
Line 12:
“To put fair truth upon so foul a face?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Fair truth: Honest or accurate judgment.
- Foul: Ugly or morally repugnant.
Explanation:
The speaker accuses his eyes of attributing honesty and beauty to someone who is morally flawed. This line underscores the destructive power of love’s illusions.
Line 13:
“In things right true my heart and eyes have erred,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Erred: Made mistakes or gone astray.
Explanation:
The speaker admits that his heart and eyes have made mistakes in judging what is true. This line reflects his growing awareness of his own self-deception.
Line 14:
“And to this false plague are they now transferred.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- False plague: A destructive illusion or deception.
- Transferred: Moved or shifted.
Explanation:
The speaker concludes by stating that his heart and eyes have been consumed by a “false plague” (the illusions of love). This line encapsulates the sonnet’s theme of love’s power to distort perception and judgment.
Overall Context and Themes:
Sonnet 137 explores the conflict between perception and reality in matters of love. The speaker accuses Love of blinding him and distorting his judgment, causing him to value someone unworthy. The poem delves into themes of self-deception, the destructive power of love’s illusions, and the tension between emotional attachment and rational understanding. The imagery of hooks, bays, and plagues adds depth to the speaker’s lament, creating a vivid portrayal of his inner turmoil.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 137
Summary
In Sonnet 137, Shakespeare criticizes Love itself, personifying it as a blind fool who has deceived his eyes. The speaker laments that his vision has been corrupted, making him mistake ugliness for beauty and unworthiness for virtue.
His eyes, though they should know better, have chosen the wrong lover, valuing what should be despised. He extends the metaphor by accusing his heart of being misled as well, bound to the false judgment imposed by his eyes.
The speaker also expresses moral outrage, questioning why his heart claims ownership over someone who is clearly “common”—suggesting that his mistress is promiscuous. His heart deceives itself, pretending that she is pure and exclusive when in reality, she belongs to many.
By the end, he resigns himself to the fact that both his heart and eyes have failed him, falling victim to a “false plague”—a metaphor for the corrupting nature of desire and perhaps even a reference to venereal disease, which was often associated with promiscuity in Shakespeare’s time.
Critical Analysis
This sonnet presents a cynical and bitter perspective on love, marking a shift from the idealized, passionate longing of the earlier sonnets to a more disillusioned and accusatory tone. The poem is full of self-loathing, as the speaker condemns both Love itself and his own foolishness for falling into its trap.
At the heart of the sonnet is the idea that love distorts perception—one sees what one wants to see, not what is true. The speaker’s eyes have been tricked by attraction, and his heart follows blindly, ignoring reason and morality.
The metaphor of land ownership (several plot vs. common place) is particularly striking. He suggests that love should be exclusive, but his mistress is instead like public land, accessible to all—a harsh condemnation of her perceived promiscuity.
The final couplet seals the poem’s tone of resignation—the speaker accepts that he has been deceived, but he also implies that love itself is inherently deceitful, trapping people in self-destructive desires.
Theme Analysis
- Love as Deception
- The sonnet portrays love as a misleading force, blinding the speaker and causing him to misjudge beauty and virtue.
- Love is personified as a fool, suggesting that it misguides all who follow it.
- The Corruption of Perception
- The speaker’s eyes are accused of distorting reality—they see what they want to see, not what is true.
- This reflects the theme of self-delusion in love—people often convince themselves that a flawed lover is perfect.
- Promiscuity and Betrayal
- The speaker suggests that his lover belongs to all men, using the metaphor of land ownership to contrast exclusive love with public availability.
- This reflects a common theme in the Dark Lady sonnets, where the speaker battles with both desire and resentment toward an unfaithful mistress.
- Self-Destruction in Love
- The phrase “false plague” suggests that love is not only misleading but also harmful, possibly even alluding to disease as a consequence of lust.
- This reinforces the self-destructive nature of unchecked passion.
Literary Devices
- Personification
- “Thou blind fool, Love” → Love is personified as a blind and foolish entity that deceives the speaker’s senses.
- “Why of eyes’ falsehood hast thou forged hooks” → Love has created traps (hooks) that ensnare the heart, emphasizing how desire manipulates judgment.
- Metaphor: Land Ownership vs. Public Land
- “Why should my heart think that a several plot, / Which my heart knows the wide world’s common place?”
- A “several plot” refers to private property, while a “common place” refers to public land.
- This metaphor equates the mistress to land—the speaker’s heart wants to claim her as his own, but she is shared by many.
- Irony
- The speaker knows that he is being deceived, yet continues to fall for the deception.
- He calls Love blind, yet it is his own blindness that he laments.
- Symbolism of Disease (“False Plague”)
- “To this false plague are they now transferred.”
- The phrase “false plague” could symbolize:
- Love itself, which is infectious and harmful.
- Venereal disease, as a consequence of desiring an unfaithful mistress.
- Paradox
- “That they behold, and see not what they see?”
- The eyes see reality but do not recognize it, emphasizing the contradiction of love’s deception.
Conclusion
Sonnet 137 is a deeply cynical reflection on love’s power to distort perception. The speaker, frustrated and betrayed, lashes out at Love itself, his mistress, and even his own senses for leading him astray. The imagery of blindness, deception, and public land paints a bleak picture of lustful infatuation, where desire overrides reason.
The metaphor of the “false plague” is particularly striking—it suggests that love is not only an illusion but a sickness, spreading falsehood and pain. This places Sonnet 137 among the darkest of the Dark Lady sonnets, where Shakespeare wrestles with the conflict between attraction and moral repulsion.
