Sonnet 84: Who Is It That Says Most, Which Can Say More
Who is it that says most, which can say more,
Than this rich praise, that you alone, are you,
In whose confine immured is the store
Which should example where your equal grew?
Lean penury within that pen doth dwell
That to his subject lends not some small glory;
But he that writes of you, if he can tell
That you are you, so dignifies his story.
Let him but copy what in you is writ,
Not making worse what nature made so clear,
And such a counterpart shall fame his wit,
Making his style admired every where.
You to your beauteous blessings add a curse,
Being fond on praise, which makes your praises worse.
Line 1:
“Who is it that says most, which can say more,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Says most: Speaks the most eloquently or effusively.
- Say more: Exceed in praise.
Explanation:
The speaker begins by questioning who can offer the highest praise, suggesting that even the most eloquent praise falls short of capturing the beloved’s true worth.
Context:
This line sets the tone for the sonnet, introducing the theme of the inadequacy of language to fully express the beloved’s beauty and value.
Line 2:
“Than this rich praise, that you alone, are you,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Rich praise: Elaborate or extravagant praise.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the highest praise one can offer is simply to acknowledge the beloved’s unique and incomparable nature.
Context:
This line emphasizes the idea that the beloved’s individuality and uniqueness are beyond the reach of conventional praise.
Line 3:
“In whose confine immured is the store”
Difficult words meaning:
- Confine: Boundaries or limits.
- Immured: Enclosed or confined.
- Store: Abundance or wealth.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that within the beloved lies an abundance of qualities that set them apart and make them incomparable.
Context:
This line highlights the beloved’s inherent richness and uniqueness, suggesting that their worth is beyond measure.
Line 4:
“Which should example where your equal grew?”
Difficult words meaning:
- Example: Serve as a model or example.
- Equal: Someone of comparable worth.
Explanation:
The speaker questions where one could find an equal to the beloved, implying that their qualities are so exceptional that no comparison is possible.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that the beloved is unparalleled and beyond comparison.
Line 5:
“Lean penury within that pen doth dwell”
Difficult words meaning:
- Lean penury: Poverty or lack of richness.
- Pen: The poet’s writing instrument.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that any poet who fails to adequately praise the beloved is impoverished in their ability to express beauty.
Context:
This line critiques poets who are unable to capture the beloved’s worth, implying that their work is lacking in richness and depth.
Line 6:
“That to his subject lends not some small glory;”
Difficult words meaning:
- Lends: Provides or adds.
- Small glory: A modest amount of praise.
Explanation:
The speaker argues that a poet who cannot add even a modest amount of praise to their subject is failing in their duty.
Context:
This line emphasizes the importance of poetic praise and the responsibility of poets to honor their subjects.
Line 7:
“But he that writes of you, if he can tell”
Difficult words meaning:
- Tell: Express or describe.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that a poet who can accurately describe the beloved’s unique nature is truly skilled.
Context:
This line highlights the challenge of capturing the beloved’s worth in words and the skill required to do so.
Line 8:
“That you are you, so dignifies his story.”
Difficult words meaning:
- Dignifies: Honors or elevates.
- Story: Poem or narrative.
Explanation:
The speaker claims that simply acknowledging the beloved’s unique identity elevates the poet’s work and adds dignity to it.
Context:
This line underscores the idea that the beloved’s uniqueness is a source of inspiration and honor for the poet.
Line 9:
“Let him but copy what in you is writ,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Copy: Imitate or reproduce.
- Writ: Written or inscribed.
Explanation:
The speaker advises poets to simply reflect the beloved’s inherent qualities in their work, without adding unnecessary embellishments.
Context:
This line emphasizes the value of sincerity and simplicity in poetry, suggesting that the beloved’s true worth is best captured through honest representation.
Line 10:
“Not making worse what nature made so clear,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Making worse: Diminishing or distorting.
- Nature made so clear: The beloved’s natural beauty.
Explanation:
The speaker warns against distorting or diminishing the beloved’s natural beauty through excessive or artificial praise.
Context:
This line critiques the use of elaborate language, suggesting that it can detract from the beloved’s true worth.
Line 11:
“And such a counterpart shall fame his wit,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Counterpart: Representation or reflection.
- Fame his wit: Bring fame to his intelligence or skill.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that a poet who accurately reflects the beloved’s qualities will gain fame and recognition for their skill.
Context:
This line highlights the rewards of sincere and skillful poetry, suggesting that it can bring honor to the poet.
Line 12:
“Making his style admired every where.”
Difficult words meaning:
- Style: Writing style or technique.
Explanation:
The speaker claims that a poet who captures the beloved’s true worth will be admired for their style and skill.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that sincere and skillful poetry can earn widespread admiration and respect.
Line 13:
“You to your beauteous blessings add a curse,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Beauteous blessings: Beautiful qualities.
- Curse: A negative consequence.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the beloved’s beauty comes with a downside: the tendency to seek excessive praise, which can diminish its value.
Context:
This line introduces a note of criticism, suggesting that the beloved’s desire for praise can be a flaw.
Line 14:
“Being fond on praise, which makes your praises worse.”
Difficult words meaning:
- Fond on praise: Overly eager for praise.
- Makes your praises worse: Diminishes the value of praise.
Explanation:
The speaker concludes by stating that the beloved’s eagerness for praise undermines its sincerity and value, making it less meaningful.
Context:
This final line ties together the sonnet’s central theme: the beloved’s beauty is so profound that it defies conventional praise, and their desire for excessive praise can detract from its true worth.
Overall Summary:
In Sonnet 84, Shakespeare explores the themes of sincerity, the limitations of poetic praise, and the dangers of excessive admiration. The speaker argues that the beloved’s unique and incomparable beauty is best captured through honest and simple language, rather than elaborate or artificial praise. He critiques poets who fail to adequately honor the beloved and warns against the beloved’s tendency to seek excessive praise, which can diminish its value. The sonnet celebrates the power of sincere and skillful poetry while cautioning against the pitfalls of vanity and insincerity. It is a meditation on the nature of true beauty and the challenges of capturing it in words.
In-Depth Summary
In Sonnet 84, Shakespeare continues his meditation on the nature of poetic praise and its limitations. He opens with a rhetorical question: Who can say more than the simple truth that you alone are yourself? The poet suggests that no praise can exceed the fundamental statement that the Fair Youth’s greatness is unique and unmatched. Any attempt to embellish this truth would be redundant and unnecessary.
The poet further argues that a writer who fails to bring even the slightest honor to his subject is poor indeed. However, when writing about the Fair Youth, a poet need only state the obvious—that the youth is himself—to elevate his work. The youth’s natural excellence is so profound that any writer who faithfully reflects it will gain admiration and fame, not because of his poetic skill, but because of the subject’s inherent greatness.
Shakespeare then advises against distorting or diminishing the youth’s perfection through poetic embellishment. The best a poet can do is faithfully “copy” what nature has already created. If a poet merely records the youth’s qualities truthfully, his writing will be celebrated, and his style will be admired.
However, in the final couplet, the tone shifts. Shakespeare introduces a paradox: the Fair Youth, despite his natural beauty and virtue, is cursed by his fondness for excessive praise. This eagerness for flattery diminishes the quality of the praise itself, implying that admiration should come naturally rather than be sought after.
Critical Analysis
Sonnet 84 builds on previous sonnets in which Shakespeare critiques the excessive poetic embellishment used by rival poets. Here, he argues that the best way to praise the Fair Youth is simply to acknowledge that he is incomparable. Any attempt to overstate his qualities is both unnecessary and potentially damaging.
A key theme in the sonnet is the idea that poetry should reflect, not distort, reality. Shakespeare presents an ideal of poetic integrity—rather than inventing exaggerated praises, a poet should serve as a mirror, accurately capturing the youth’s perfection. This aligns with Renaissance ideals of art as a means of representing truth rather than mere flattery.
The final couplet adds complexity to the poem. While the speaker has spent the sonnet advocating for sincere, unembellished praise, he ends with a criticism of the Fair Youth himself. By seeking excessive praise, the youth ironically devalues it. This closing remark suggests that the sonnet is not only about poetry but also about vanity and the dangers of craving admiration.
Theme Analysis
1. The Power and Limits of Praise
Shakespeare asserts that true praise should be simple and honest, rather than exaggerated and artificial. He suggests that the best praise of the Fair Youth is the mere statement of his unique existence.
2. Art as Reflection of Nature
The poet argues that art should faithfully reflect reality rather than embellish it. A poet’s role is to capture truth, not to distort it for the sake of literary effect.
3. The Rival Poet and Literary Integrity
Like previous sonnets in the Rival Poet sequence, Sonnet 84 critiques writers who use excessive poetic flourishes. Shakespeare suggests that true poetic excellence lies in capturing reality rather than manufacturing elaborate praise.
4. The Dangers of Vanity
The final couplet introduces a subtle critique of the Fair Youth. By seeking admiration, he diminishes the sincerity of the praise he receives. This suggests that an obsession with flattery can weaken the very admiration one hopes to earn.
Literary Devices
1. Rhetorical Question
- “Who is it that says most, which can say more, / Than this rich praise, that you alone, are you?”
- This question emphasizes that the highest praise is the simple recognition of the youth’s unique existence.
2. Metaphor
- “In whose confine immured is the store / Which should example where your equal grew?”
- The youth’s greatness is metaphorically described as being “immured” (enclosed), suggesting that all ideal qualities are contained within him and that no equal can be found elsewhere.
3. Contrast (Antithesis)
- “Lean penury within that pen doth dwell / That to his subject lends not some small glory.”
- The idea of poetic poverty (lean penury) versus the ability to glorify a subject contrasts effective and ineffective poets.
4. Paradox
- “You to your beauteous blessings add a curse, / Being fond on praise, which makes your praises worse.”
- The youth, despite his natural beauty, harms himself by desiring excessive praise, which ultimately devalues it.
5. Personification
- “And such a counterpart shall fame his wit, / Making his style admired everywhere.”
- Fame is personified as something that can elevate a poet’s reputation.
6. Enjambment
- The continuous flow of ideas from line to line without pauses reinforces the argument that true praise is simple and direct, rather than overly structured.
Conclusion
Sonnet 84 is a meditation on the nature of poetic praise and artistic integrity. Shakespeare argues that the highest praise is simple truth—the Fair Youth is incomparable, and no poet should attempt to exaggerate this fact. By faithfully reflecting the youth’s natural excellence, a poet ensures that his work will be admired.
However, the final couplet introduces an ironic twist: the youth’s obsession with praise diminishes the very admiration he seeks. This turns the sonnet into not just a critique of poetic excess, but also a commentary on vanity and the human desire for flattery.
