Sonnet 143: Lo, As A Careful Housewife Runs To Catch
Lo, as a careful housewife runs to catch
One of her feather’d creatures broke away,
Sets down her babe, and makes all swift dispatch
In pursuit of the thing she would have stay;
Whilst her neglected child holds her in chase,
Cries to catch her whose busy care is bent
To follow that which flies before her face,
Not prizing her poor infant’s discontent;
So runn’st thou after that which flies from thee,
Whilst I thy babe chase thee afar behind;
But if thou catch thy hope, turn back to me,
And play the mother’s part, kiss me, be kind;
So will I pray that thou mayst have thy ‘Will’,
If thou turn back and my loud crying still.
Line 1:
“Lo, as a careful housewife runs to catch”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Lo: Look or behold (archaic exclamation).
- Careful: Diligent or attentive.
Explanation:
The speaker begins by drawing a comparison to a diligent housewife who is trying to catch something. This line sets up an extended metaphor that will be developed throughout the sonnet.
Line 2:
“One of her feather’d creatures broke away,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Feather’d creatures: Birds or poultry.
Explanation:
The speaker describes the housewife chasing a bird that has escaped. This image symbolizes something fleeting or difficult to capture, which will later be compared to the beloved’s pursuit of her desires.
Line 3:
“Sets down her babe, and makes all swift dispatch”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Babe: Baby or young child.
- Swift dispatch: Quick action or haste.
Explanation:
The housewife sets down her child to quickly chase the bird. This line introduces the idea of neglect, as the housewife prioritizes the bird over her child.
Line 4:
“In pursuit of the thing she would have stay;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Stay: Remain or stop.
Explanation:
The housewife is chasing something she wants to keep, but it is escaping. This line reinforces the theme of pursuing something elusive, which will be compared to the beloved’s behavior.
Line 5:
“Whilst her neglected child holds her in chase,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Neglected: Ignored or abandoned.
- Holds her in chase: Follows her.
Explanation:
The child, feeling neglected, chases after the housewife. This line emphasizes the theme of neglect and the consequences of prioritizing the wrong things.
Line 6:
“Cries to catch her whose busy care is bent”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Busy care: Preoccupied attention.
- Bent: Focused or directed.
Explanation:
The child cries out to the housewife, who is too focused on chasing the bird to notice. This line highlights the emotional impact of neglect.
Line 7:
“To follow that which flies before her face,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Flies: Escapes or moves quickly.
Explanation:
The housewife is chasing something that is constantly escaping, symbolizing the futility of her pursuit. This line reinforces the theme of chasing the unattainable.
Line 8:
“Not prizing her poor infant’s discontent;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Prizing: Valuing or caring about.
- Discontent: Unhappiness or dissatisfaction.
Explanation:
The housewife does not value her child’s unhappiness, prioritizing the bird instead. This line underscores the theme of neglect and misplaced priorities.
Line 9:
“So runn’st thou after that which flies from thee,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Runn’st: Run (archaic form).
Explanation:
The speaker compares the housewife’s pursuit of the bird to his beloved’s pursuit of something that eludes her. This line introduces the application of the metaphor to the beloved’s behavior.
Line 10:
“Whilst I thy babe chase thee afar behind;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Afar: At a distance.
Explanation:
The speaker compares himself to the neglected child, chasing after his beloved who is focused on something else. This line emphasizes his feelings of neglect and longing.
Line 11:
“But if thou catch thy hope, turn back to me,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Hope: Desire or goal.
Explanation:
The speaker pleads with his beloved to return to him once she has achieved her desire. This line reflects his hope for reconciliation and attention.
Line 12:
“And play the mother’s part, kiss me, be kind;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Play the mother’s part: Act with care and affection.
Explanation:
The speaker asks his beloved to show him the care and kindness of a mother, emphasizing his need for affection and attention.
Line 13:
“So will I pray that thou mayst have thy ‘Will’,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Mayst: May (archaic form).
- Will: Desire or the poet’s name (William Shakespeare).
Explanation:
The speaker promises to pray that his beloved achieves her desires, playing on the double meaning of “Will” as both desire and his name. This line reflects his willingness to support her, despite his own neglect.
Line 14:
“If thou turn back and my loud crying still.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Still: Quiet or soothe.
Explanation:
The speaker concludes by asking his beloved to return and soothe his cries of neglect. This line encapsulates his longing for her attention and affection.
Overall Context and Themes:
Sonnet 143 uses an extended metaphor of a housewife chasing a bird to explore themes of neglect, longing, and misplaced priorities. The speaker compares himself to the neglected child, emphasizing his feelings of abandonment as his beloved pursues her own desires. The poem delves into the emotional impact of neglect and the universal longing for attention and affection. The final lines reflect the speaker’s hope for reconciliation and his willingness to support his beloved, despite his own suffering.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 143
Summary
In Sonnet 143, the speaker compares his pursuit of the Dark Lady to a housewife chasing a runaway chicken while leaving her crying child behind. The mistress is so focused on catching her fleeing desire that she neglects the speaker, who follows her like an abandoned child craving attention.
Despite feeling overlooked, the speaker does not condemn her but rather pleads for her to return to him once she has caught what she is chasing. He asks her to “play the mother’s part,” showing kindness and affection toward him. The closing couplet contains a wordplay on “Will”, reinforcing the theme of sexual longing and desire.
Critical Analysis
This sonnet is a reversal of traditional love dynamics—rather than portraying the mistress as an object of pursuit, Shakespeare compares her to the pursuer. The speaker presents himself as the neglected child, evoking pity rather than desire or jealousy.
However, the metaphor is complex and ironic. While the speaker wants to be the woman’s priority, he acknowledges that she is chasing after another lover, just as he chases after her. This creates a chain of unfulfilled desires, reinforcing the theme of unrequited love and endless pursuit.
The tone of the sonnet is less bitter than some earlier Dark Lady sonnets. Instead of anger or condemnation, there is a sense of longing, vulnerability, and resignation.
Theme Analysis
- The Futility of Desire
- The sonnet depicts a never-ending chase, where everyone wants something that eludes them.
- The mistress chases another lover, while the speaker chases her, creating a cycle of unfulfilled longing.
- This reflects the paradox of love—often, we desire what we cannot have.
- Neglect and Emotional Abandonment
- The housewife-child metaphor highlights emotional neglect—the speaker feels like a child left behind.
- This suggests that love is not only about passion but also about care and attention, which the speaker desperately seeks.
- Role Reversal and Gender Dynamics
- Traditional love poetry often depicts women as the pursued, but here, the mistress is the one chasing someone else.
- This inverts power dynamics, making the speaker weak and dependent, rather than dominant and assertive.
- The “motherly” plea at the end suggests that the speaker seeks nurturing love rather than just physical desire.
- The Power of “Will” (Sexual Wordplay)
- The phrase “So will I pray that thou mayst have thy ‘Will’” is a pun on Shakespeare’s own name, as well as a double entendre for sexual desire.
- “Will” can mean desire, sexual appetite, or even a specific lover (another “Will”).
- This wordplay reinforces the theme of sexual longing, while also hinting that the mistress may be involved with multiple lovers.
Literary Devices
- Extended Metaphor (Housewife-Chicken-Child Analogy)
- The entire sonnet is built on the image of a housewife chasing a runaway bird, while her crying child is left behind.
- This mirrors the speaker’s position—he is like the neglected child, while the mistress is too busy chasing another lover to notice his suffering.
- Irony
- The reversal of roles (mistress as the chaser, speaker as the abandoned child) creates dramatic irony—we expect the lover to pursue the beloved, but here, the beloved is the one who pursues another.
- The child-mother relationship also carries ironic undertones, as the speaker pleads for motherly affection from a woman he desires sexually.
- Alliteration & Rhythm
- The repeated “C” sounds in “cries to catch her whose busy care is bent” create a sense of urgency and movement, mimicking the chase.
- The alternating long and short vowel sounds throughout the sonnet mirror the stop-start rhythm of pursuit and abandonment.
- Repetition of “Run”
- The word “run” appears multiple times, emphasizing the theme of endless pursuit.
- This repetition makes the chase feel frantic and exhausting, reinforcing the inevitability of unfulfilled desire.
Conclusion
Sonnet 143 presents love as an endless cycle of longing and neglect, where everyone pursues something that remains just out of reach. The housewife-child metaphor gives the poem a sense of emotional vulnerability, rather than just sexual frustration.
The speaker pleads for his mistress’s attention, but his resignation to his position as the “crying child” suggests that he knows he may never receive the love he desires. The final wordplay on “Will” adds a layer of sexual innuendo, implying that the mistress’s desires may be spread among multiple lovers.
Ultimately, this sonnet captures the helplessness of unrequited love, where the speaker is not only ignored but also painfully aware of his own insignificance in the mistress’s affections.
