Sonnet 149: Canst Thou, O Cruel! Say I Love Thee Not
Canst thou, O cruel! Say I love thee not,
When I against myself with thee partake?
Do I not think on thee, when I forgot
Am of my self, all tyrant, for thy sake?
Who hateth thee that I do call my friend,
On whom frown’st thou that I do fawn upon,
Nay, if thou lour’st on me, do I not spend
Revenge upon myself with present moan?
What merit do I in my self respect,
That is so proud thy service to despise,
When all my best doth worship thy defect,
Commanded by the motion of thine eyes?
But, love, hate on, for now I know thy mind,
Those that can see thou lov’st, and I am blind.
Line 1:
“Canst thou, O cruel! Say I love thee not,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Canst thou: Can you (archaic form).
- Cruel: Heartless or unkind.
Explanation:
The speaker begins by addressing his beloved as “cruel” and questioning how she can doubt his love. This line sets the tone for the sonnet, which explores the speaker’s devotion and the beloved’s harshness.
Line 2:
“When I against myself with thee partake?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Partake: Join or side with.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that he sides with his beloved even against his own interests, emphasizing his self-sacrificial love. This line introduces the theme of devotion and self-neglect.
Line 3:
“Do I not think on thee, when I forgot”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Think on thee: Think of you.
- Forgot: Neglect or disregard.
Explanation:
The speaker asks if he does not think of his beloved even when he neglects himself. This line highlights his constant preoccupation with her, even at his own expense.
Line 4:
“Am of my self, all tyrant, for thy sake?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Tyrant: Oppressor or harsh ruler.
Explanation:
The speaker describes himself as a tyrant to himself for the sake of his beloved, emphasizing the extent of his self-sacrifice. This line reinforces the theme of devotion and self-neglect.
Line 5:
“Who hateth thee that I do call my friend,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Hateth: Hates (archaic form).
Explanation:
The speaker asks if there is anyone who hates his beloved that he still calls a friend, suggesting that he aligns himself entirely with her. This line emphasizes his loyalty and devotion.
Line 6:
“On whom frown’st thou that I do fawn upon,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Frown’st: Frown (archaic form).
- Fawn upon: Flatter or show excessive affection.
Explanation:
The speaker asks if there is anyone his beloved frowns upon that he still flatters, further emphasizing his loyalty and willingness to please her.
Line 7:
“Nay, if thou lour’st on me, do I not spend”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Lour’st: Glare or scowl (archaic form).
- Spend: Expend or waste.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that if his beloved glares at him, he punishes himself with grief. This line highlights his self-destructive devotion and the emotional toll of her harshness.
Line 8:
“Revenge upon myself with present moan?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Present moan: Immediate grief or lamentation.
Explanation:
The speaker describes how he takes revenge on himself by grieving, emphasizing his self-punishment in response to her cruelty. This line underscores the theme of self-neglect and emotional suffering.
Line 9:
“What merit do I in my self respect,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Merit: Worth or value.
- Respect: Esteem or regard.
Explanation:
The speaker questions what value he finds in himself, given his complete devotion to his beloved. This line reflects his low self-esteem and self-neglect.
Line 10:
“That is so proud thy service to despise,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Proud: Arrogant or self-important.
- Despise: Scorn or reject.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that he is too proud to reject serving his beloved, emphasizing his unwavering devotion. This line highlights the paradox of his self-neglect and pride in serving her.
Line 11:
“When all my best doth worship thy defect,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Worship: Adore or revere.
- Defect: Flaw or imperfection.
Explanation:
The speaker admits that he worships even his beloved’s flaws, emphasizing his unconditional love. This line underscores the theme of devotion and idealization.
Line 12:
“Commanded by the motion of thine eyes?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Commanded: Controlled or directed.
- Motion: Movement or expression.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that his actions are controlled by his beloved’s eyes, emphasizing her power over him. This line highlights the theme of submission and devotion.
Line 13:
“But, love, hate on, for now I know thy mind,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Hate on: Continue to hate.
- Mind: Thoughts or intentions.
Explanation:
The speaker resigns himself to his beloved’s hatred, acknowledging that he understands her true feelings. This line reflects his acceptance of her cruelty and his own suffering.
Line 14:
“Those that can see thou lov’st, and I am blind.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Can see: Are perceptive or aware.
- Blind: Unable to see or understand.
Explanation:
The speaker concludes by stating that his beloved loves those who can see (are perceptive), while he is blind to her true nature. This line encapsulates the sonnet’s theme of unrequited love and self-deception.
Overall Context and Themes:
Sonnet 149 explores the themes of unrequited love, self-neglect, and emotional suffering. The speaker’s devotion to his beloved is unwavering, even in the face of her cruelty and rejection. The poem delves into the paradox of his self-sacrificial love and his awareness of her harshness, highlighting the emotional toll of unreciprocated affection. The sonnet’s vivid imagery and emotional intensity make it a powerful exploration of the complexities of love and human relationships.
In-Depth Summary
In Sonnet 149, the speaker passionately questions how his beloved could possibly doubt his love when he has sacrificed everything for her. He argues that he has abandoned his own self-interest, even to the point of taking her side against himself. He disregards friendships with those who dislike her and flatters those she favors, showing complete submission. Even when she treats him cruelly, he punishes himself rather than retaliating against her. He admits that he has no sense of self-worth outside of his devotion to her, blindly worshipping even her flaws. In the final couplet, he bitterly accepts that she only loves those who can “see”—suggesting that she desires those who are perceptive and discerning, while he, blinded by love, remains unworthy of her affection.
Critical Analysis
This sonnet continues Shakespeare’s exploration of love’s destructive power in the Dark Lady sequence (Sonnets 127-152). Here, the speaker portrays himself as completely subjugated, having surrendered his autonomy to an unkind lover. The tone is desperate, self-deprecating, and laced with bitterness.
The sonnet highlights self-abasement in love, where the speaker loses his sense of self in obsessive devotion. His rhetorical questions suggest frustration—he recognizes the irrationality of his actions but cannot stop himself. The poem also explores one-sided love, as the speaker acknowledges that his mistress does not return his affection.
A turning point occurs in the final couplet, where the speaker realizes a painful truth: his beloved favors those who are not blinded by love. This revelation adds an ironic twist—his devotion, which he sees as proof of his love, is precisely what makes him undesirable to her. The poem ends in resigned despair, as the speaker finally understands that his blindness to her faults does not earn her love but rather solidifies his rejection.
Theme Analysis
1. Love’s Power to Destroy Self-Identity
- The speaker has completely lost himself in his love for the Dark Lady. He betrays his own interests, relationships, and self-respect to win her favor, questioning: “Do I not think on thee, when I forgot / Am of myself?”
- This reflects the danger of obsessive love, where one’s sense of identity dissolves into servitude.
2. Blind Devotion vs. Indifference
- The speaker idolizes his mistress, even worshipping her faults:
“When all my best doth worship thy defect.” - However, this devotion is one-sided—he suffers endlessly, while she remains indifferent.
3. The Irony of Love and Perception
- The final line reveals a cruel irony: “Those that can see thou lov’st, and I am blind.”
- The speaker’s blind love makes him unworthy, while those who perceive his mistress’s flaws are the ones she desires.
4. Love as Tyranny
- The beloved is portrayed as a tyrant, ruling over the speaker with an arbitrary and unkind power.
- The phrase “Commanded by the motion of thine eyes” suggests that her slightest glance controls his entire being.
Literary Devices
1. Rhetorical Questions
- The sonnet is filled with questions that emphasize the speaker’s frustration and irrational devotion:
“Canst thou, O cruel! Say I love thee not, / When I against myself with thee partake?” - These questions reinforce his self-destructive behavior and highlight the absurdity of his suffering.
2. Irony
- The ultimate irony lies in the speaker’s blindness—his unwavering love, which should be an asset, is actually a flaw in his mistress’s eyes.
- His realization in the final couplet is tragically ironic:
“Those that can see thou lov’st, and I am blind.” - The more he loves, the less desirable he becomes.
3. Personification
- Love is portrayed as a force that enslaves and blinds the speaker.
- The mistress, in turn, is depicted as a tyrant whose mere glance commands his actions.
4. Metaphor
- Blindness as devotion: The speaker equates his inability to see his mistress’s flaws with literal blindness.
- Love as enslavement: He is “commanded” by her eyes, showing his lack of agency.
5. Juxtaposition (Contrast)
- The poem contrasts sight vs. blindness to underscore the speaker’s suffering:
- “Those that can see thou lov’st, and I am blind.”
- Those who see clearly are loved, while those blinded by love are rejected.
6. Enjambment
- Many lines flow into the next, mirroring the speaker’s rushed, desperate emotional state.
- Example:
“Do I not think on thee, when I forgot / Am of myself, all tyrant, for thy sake?” - This technique reinforces his obsessive, tangled thoughts.
Conclusion
Sonnet 149 is a raw and painful meditation on unreciprocated love, self-destruction, and blind devotion. Shakespeare captures the irrational suffering of love, where the speaker sacrifices everything for a cruel mistress who does not return his affection. The final revelation—that she only loves those who “see,” while he is “blind”—adds a tragic irony, as his unwavering devotion ultimately leads to rejection. The poem is a masterful exploration of love’s power to consume, distort, and ultimately wound.
