Sonnet 152: In Loving Thee Thou Kow’st I Am Forsworn
In loving thee thou know’st I am forsworn,
But thou art twice forsworn, to me love swearing,
In act thy bed-vow broke and new faith torn,
In vowing new hate after new love bearing.
But why of two oaths’ breach do I accuse thee,
When I break twenty? I am perjured most;
For all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee
And all my honest faith in thee is lost,
For I have sworn deep oaths of thy deep kindness,
Oaths of thy love, thy truth, thy constancy,
And, to enlighten thee, gave eyes to blindness,
Or made them swear against the thing they see;
For I have sworn thee fair; more perjured I,
To swear against the truth so foul a lie!
Line 1:
“In loving thee thou know’st I am forsworn,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Thee: You (archaic or poetic form of “you”).
- Forsworn: Perjured or guilty of breaking an oath.
Explanation:
The speaker begins by admitting that his love for the beloved has made him break his oaths. This line sets the tone for the sonnet, which explores the theme of betrayal and moral compromise in love.
Line 2:
“But thou art twice forsworn, to me love swearing,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Thou art: You are (archaic form).
- Twice forsworn: Guilty of breaking two oaths.
Explanation:
The speaker accuses the beloved of being twice as guilty as he is, having broken her vows to him. This line introduces the theme of mutual betrayal and moral failing.
Line 3:
“In act thy bed-vow broke and new faith torn,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Bed-vow: Marriage vow or promise of fidelity.
- New faith torn: Broken promise of new love.
Explanation:
The speaker describes how the beloved has broken her marriage vows and betrayed new promises of love, emphasizing her infidelity and moral failing.
Line 4:
“In vowing new hate after new love bearing.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Vowing: Promising or swearing.
- New hate: Renewed hostility or rejection.
Explanation:
The speaker accuses the beloved of vowing hate after professing new love, highlighting her fickleness and emotional betrayal.
Line 5:
“But why of two oaths’ breach do I accuse thee,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Oaths’ breach: Breaking of promises.
Explanation:
The speaker questions why he accuses the beloved of breaking two oaths when he himself has broken many more. This line reflects his self-awareness and guilt.
Line 6:
“When I break twenty? I am perjured most;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Perjured: Guilty of breaking oaths.
Explanation:
The speaker admits that he has broken many more oaths than the beloved, emphasizing his own moral failing and hypocrisy.
Line 7:
“For all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Misuse: Deceive or mistreat.
Explanation:
The speaker confesses that all his vows are meant to deceive or mistreat the beloved, highlighting his own dishonesty and moral corruption.
Line 8:
“And all my honest faith in thee is lost,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Honest faith: Sincere trust or belief.
Explanation:
The speaker admits that he has lost all sincere faith in the beloved, emphasizing the breakdown of trust and honesty in their relationship.
Line 9:
“For I have sworn deep oaths of thy deep kindness,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Deep oaths: Solemn promises.
- Deep kindness: Profound goodness or generosity.
Explanation:
The speaker recalls swearing oaths about the beloved’s kindness, highlighting the contrast between his words and the reality of her actions.
Line 10:
“Oaths of thy love, thy truth, thy constancy,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Constancy: Faithfulness or loyalty.
Explanation:
The speaker lists the qualities he once praised in the beloved, emphasizing the gap between his idealized view and her actual behavior.
Line 11:
“And, to enlighten thee, gave eyes to blindness,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Enlighten: Illuminate or reveal.
- Gave eyes to blindness: Deliberately ignored the truth.
Explanation:
The speaker admits that he chose to ignore the truth about the beloved, emphasizing his own complicity in their mutual deception.
Line 12:
“Or made them swear against the thing they see;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Swear against: Deny or contradict.
Explanation:
The speaker describes how he forced himself to deny what he saw, further emphasizing his self-deception and moral compromise.
Line 13:
“For I have sworn thee fair; more perjured I,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Fair: Beautiful or virtuous.
- Perjured: Guilty of breaking oaths.
Explanation:
The speaker admits that he has sworn the beloved is fair and virtuous, making him even more guilty of perjury. This line underscores his hypocrisy and moral failing.
Line 14:
“To swear against the truth so foul a lie!”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Swear against: Deny or contradict.
- Foul: Ugly or immoral.
Explanation:
The speaker concludes by acknowledging that he has told a foul lie by denying the truth about the beloved. This line encapsulates the sonnet’s theme of mutual betrayal and moral corruption.
Overall Context and Themes:
Sonnet 152 explores the themes of betrayal, hypocrisy, and moral compromise in love. The speaker and the beloved are both guilty of breaking oaths and deceiving each other, creating a relationship built on mutual dishonesty. The poem delves into the complexities of love and morality, highlighting the tension between idealized affection and harsh reality. The sonnet’s vivid imagery and emotional intensity make it a powerful exploration of the darker aspects of human relationships.
In-Depth Summary
In Sonnet 152, the speaker laments the mutual betrayal between himself and his mistress, acknowledging that both are guilty of breaking their vows. He begins by admitting that his love for her has made him forsworn (perjured), implying that he has broken previous oaths, possibly to another lover or to moral integrity.
However, he quickly turns the accusation on his mistress, declaring that she is even more guilty—having broken her marriage vows (“thy bed-vow broke”) and betrayed him by shifting from love to hate. He criticizes her for being unfaithful not only in marriage but also in her relationship with him.
Yet, in a moment of self-awareness, the speaker questions why he should accuse her of breaking two oaths when he himself has broken many more. He admits that he has deceived himself, having sworn oaths about her love, kindness, and faithfulness—all of which were false. His faith in her has completely collapsed.
The final couplet is the most devastating. The speaker acknowledges that his greatest act of perjury was swearing that she was fair (beautiful and virtuous), when in truth, it was a lie. He ends the sonnet with a sense of self-loathing and bitter realization, fully aware of his own complicity in the deception.
Critical Analysis
This sonnet is the final poem in the Dark Lady sequence (Sonnets 127–152) and serves as a culmination of the speaker’s disillusionment. Throughout the previous sonnets, the speaker has oscillated between passion, jealousy, and self-deception, but in Sonnet 152, he reaches a moment of painful clarity—acknowledging that his love was built on lies.
The tone is bitter, regretful, and self-condemning. While the speaker initially blames his mistress for her infidelity and broken promises, he ultimately recognizes that he is even more guilty because he has willfully lied to himself.
Unlike earlier sonnets, where the speaker still harbored some hope or admiration, this poem completely strips away the illusion of love. The final couplet delivers a harsh self-reckoning, as the speaker realizes that he swore false oaths about his mistress’s beauty and virtue, making him the greatest perjurer of all.
This sonnet also engages with the theme of deception in love, showing how both lovers have betrayed each other—not just physically, but emotionally and morally.
Theme Analysis
1. Betrayal and Broken Oaths
- The speaker and his mistress have both been unfaithful and dishonest.
- She has broken her marriage vows (“thy bed-vow broke”), and he has sworn false oaths about her character.
- Their love is built on mutual deception and perjury.
2. Self-Deception in Love
- The speaker admits that he has lied to himself about his mistress’s qualities.
- He swore she was fair and constant, when in reality, she was faithless and deceitful.
- Love has blinded him, making him believe in illusions.
3. Moral and Emotional Corruption
- Love has led both the speaker and his mistress to moral degradation.
- The speaker recognizes that his own integrity has been compromised—not just by loving her, but by actively participating in the deception.
- His loss of faith in her also signifies a loss of faith in himself.
4. Disillusionment and Regret
- This sonnet is a final reckoning—the speaker no longer idealizes his mistress.
- Instead of passionate longing, there is bitterness and sorrow.
- The realization that his love was based on falsehoods leaves him emotionally broken.
Literary Devices
1. Repetition (Anaphora)
- The word “oaths” is repeated throughout the sonnet, emphasizing the theme of betrayal and broken promises.
- The phrase “I have sworn” is repeated, reinforcing the speaker’s guilt and his realization of self-deception.
2. Irony
- The speaker accuses his mistress of perjury, but he himself is even more guilty.
- He swore that she was fair and virtuous, when in reality, she was neither.
- His attempts to justify his love only reveal his own moral failure.
3. Paradox
- “To enlighten thee, gave eyes to blindness”
- The speaker suggests that he forced himself to be blind to the truth in order to see his mistress in a better light.
- This paradox highlights the self-deception inherent in love.
4. Metaphor
- The speaker’s false oaths are compared to acts of perjury, emphasizing the moral weight of his deception.
- The idea of swearing someone “fair” is a metaphor for idealizing someone beyond their true nature.
5. Contrast (Juxtaposition)
- The sonnet contrasts love and betrayal, truth and falsehood, faith and deception.
- The early lines blame the mistress, but the later lines blame the speaker himself.
6. Final Couplet as a Climax
- The sonnet builds toward the final couplet, which delivers the ultimate revelation:
- “For I have sworn thee fair; more perjured I, / To swear against the truth so foul a lie!”
- This confession of self-deception is the poem’s emotional peak, leaving no room for illusions.
Conclusion
Sonnet 152 is a fitting conclusion to the Dark Lady sequence, as it strips away all illusions about love. The speaker, who has spent so many sonnets oscillating between desire and disgust, hope and despair, finally accepts the truth: his love was based on falsehoods and broken promises.
Unlike other sonnets where the speaker still clings to his passion, here he acknowledges the futility of it all. His bitterness is not only directed at his mistress but also at himself—for having allowed himself to believe in love despite all evidence to the contrary.
This sonnet exposes the dark side of love: how it can lead to self-deception, moral corruption, and ultimate disillusionment. It is a powerful and tragic meditation on the lies we tell ourselves when we are in love.
