Sonnet 86: Was It The Proud Full Sail Of His Great Verse
Was it the proud full sail of his great verse,
Bound for the prize of all too precious you,
That did my ripe thoughts in my brain inhearse,
Making their tomb the womb wherein they grew?
Was it his spirit, by spirits taught to write
Above a mortal pitch, that struck me dead?
No, neither he, nor his compeers by night
Giving him aid, my verse astonished.
He, nor that affable familiar ghost
Which nightly gulls him with intelligence
As victors of my silence cannot boast;
I was not sick of any fear from thence:
But when your countenance fill’d up his line,
Then lack’d I matter; that enfeebled mine.
Line 1:
“Was it the proud full sail of his great verse,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Proud full sail: The grand and confident style of poetry.
- Great verse: Impressive or lofty poetry.
Explanation:
The speaker begins by questioning whether the grand and confident style of a rival poet’s verse was the cause of his own creative block.
Context:
This line sets the tone for the sonnet, introducing the theme of competition and the speaker’s struggle to match the rival poet’s skill.
Line 2:
“Bound for the prize of all too precious you,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Bound for: Aimed at or directed toward.
- Prize: The beloved, as the object of poetic praise.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the rival poet’s verse is aimed at winning the favor of the beloved, who is described as a precious prize.
Context:
This line highlights the competitive nature of poetry and the beloved’s central role as the object of admiration.
Line 3:
“That did my ripe thoughts in my brain inhearse,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Ripe thoughts: Fully developed or mature ideas.
- Inhearse: Bury or entomb.
Explanation:
The speaker wonders if the rival poet’s grand verse caused his own creative thoughts to be buried or stifled before they could be expressed.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s frustration and sense of inadequacy in the face of the rival poet’s skill.
Line 4:
“Making their tomb the womb wherein they grew?”
Difficult words meaning:
- Tomb: Place of burial.
- Womb: Place of growth or creation.
Explanation:
The speaker laments that the place where his thoughts once grew (his mind) has become their tomb, suggesting that his creativity has been stifled.
Context:
This line emphasizes the speaker’s sense of loss and frustration, as his creative potential is buried by the rival poet’s success.
Line 5:
“Was it his spirit, by spirits taught to write”
Difficult words meaning:
- Spirit: Inspiration or genius.
- Spirits: Supernatural or divine influences.
Explanation:
The speaker questions whether the rival poet’s inspiration, which seems almost supernatural, is the cause of his own creative block.
Context:
This line highlights the speaker’s awe and envy of the rival poet’s seemingly divine inspiration.
Line 6:
“Above a mortal pitch, that struck me dead?”
Difficult words meaning:
- Mortal pitch: Human level of achievement.
- Struck me dead: Overwhelmed or silenced me.
Explanation:
The speaker wonders if the rival poet’s extraordinary skill, which surpasses human ability, has overwhelmed and silenced him.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s sense of being overshadowed and defeated by the rival poet’s superior talent.
Line 7:
“No, neither he, nor his compeers by night”
Difficult words meaning:
- Compeers: Companions or collaborators.
Explanation:
The speaker dismisses the idea that the rival poet or his collaborators are the cause of his creative block.
Context:
This line shifts the focus away from the rival poet and his associates, suggesting that the true cause lies elsewhere.
Line 8:
“Giving him aid, my verse astonished.”
Difficult words meaning:
- Astonished: Stunned or silenced.
Explanation:
The speaker reiterates that neither the rival poet nor his collaborators have directly caused his verse to be silenced.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that the speaker’s creative block is not due to external competition but to an internal cause.
Line 9:
“He, nor that affable familiar ghost”
Difficult words meaning:
- Affable familiar ghost: A friendly spirit or muse that assists the rival poet.
Explanation:
The speaker dismisses the idea that a helpful spirit or muse aiding the rival poet is the cause of his own silence.
Context:
This line continues to shift the focus away from external influences, suggesting that the true cause of the speaker’s block is internal.
Line 10:
“Which nightly gulls him with intelligence”
Difficult words meaning:
- Gulls: Deceives or tricks.
- Intelligence: Information or inspiration.
Explanation:
The speaker suggests that even if a spirit provides the rival poet with nightly inspiration, it is not the cause of his own creative block.
Context:
This line reinforces the idea that the speaker’s silence is not due to the rival poet’s advantages but to his own internal struggles.
Line 11:
“As victors of my silence cannot boast;”
Difficult words meaning:
- Victors: Winners or conquerors.
Explanation:
The speaker asserts that neither the rival poet nor his muse can claim credit for silencing him, as the true cause lies within himself.
Context:
This line emphasizes the speaker’s realization that his creative block is self-imposed and not the result of external competition.
Line 12:
“I was not sick of any fear from thence:”
Difficult words meaning:
- Sick of: Afflicted by.
- Thence: From that source.
Explanation:
The speaker states that he is not suffering from any fear or anxiety caused by the rival poet or his muse.
Context:
This line underscores the speaker’s awareness that his silence is not due to fear of competition but to a deeper, internal cause.
Line 13:
“But when your countenance fill’d up his line,”
Difficult words meaning:
- Countenance: Face or presence.
- Fill’d up his line: Completed or enhanced his verse.
Explanation:
The speaker reveals that the true cause of his creative block is the beloved’s presence in the rival poet’s verse, which overshadows his own work.
Context:
This line highlights the speaker’s realization that his silence is due to the beloved’s admiration for the rival poet’s work, rather than the rival poet’s skill alone.
Line 14:
“Then lack’d I matter; that enfeebled mine.”
Difficult words meaning:
- Lack’d I matter: I lacked inspiration or subject matter.
- Enfeebled mine: Weakened my verse.
Explanation:
The speaker concludes by stating that the beloved’s admiration for the rival poet’s work left him without inspiration, weakening his own poetry.
Context:
This final line ties together the sonnet’s central theme: the speaker’s creative block is caused by the beloved’s preference for the rival poet’s verse, rather than the rival poet’s skill or inspiration.
Overall Summary:
In Sonnet 86, Shakespeare explores the themes of competition, jealousy, and creative block. The speaker initially questions whether the rival poet’s grand and confident verse is the cause of his own silence, but ultimately realizes that the true cause is the beloved’s admiration for the rival poet’s work. The sonnet reflects the speaker’s internal struggle and his sense of inadequacy in the face of the beloved’s preference for another poet’s praise. It is a poignant meditation on the challenges of artistic expression and the impact of unrequited admiration.
In-Depth Summary
In Sonnet 86, Shakespeare continues his exploration of poetic rivalry, particularly focusing on a “rival poet” who composes grand, ambitious verses in praise of the Fair Youth. The speaker questions whether it was the rival’s skill—described as a “proud full sail”—that suppressed his own poetic inspiration. The metaphor suggests the rival’s poetry is like a magnificent ship, sailing confidently toward the prize (the Fair Youth). The speaker, however, finds his own creative thoughts entombed within his brain, unable to reach fruition.
The second quatrain introduces a supernatural element. The rival poet is said to be “taught by spirits,” implying divine or supernatural inspiration that elevates his writing “above a mortal pitch.” The speaker wonders if this supposed supernatural aid struck him “dead,” rendering him incapable of composing poetry. However, he immediately refutes this notion—his poetic silence was not caused by fear of the rival’s talent or the supernatural forces guiding him.
In the third quatrain, Shakespeare dismisses the idea that the rival poet’s success is due to a “familiar ghost” whispering intelligence to him at night. He sarcastically suggests that neither the rival nor his supposed ghostly muse can claim victory over his silence. Instead, the speaker reveals the true reason for his poetic struggle: it was the Fair Youth himself.
The final couplet clarifies that when the youth gave his attention to the rival poet’s verses, Shakespeare lost his poetic inspiration. The rival’s success was not what enfeebled him—it was the fact that the Fair Youth preferred the rival’s poetry over his. This suggests that Shakespeare’s creativity was intimately tied to his emotional connection with the youth; without the youth’s encouragement, he found himself unable to write.
Critical Analysis
1. Poetic Rivalry and the Limits of Inspiration
The poem examines the tension between artistic competition and personal emotion. At first, Shakespeare appears to suggest that the rival poet’s skill and possibly supernatural assistance overwhelmed him. However, he ultimately reveals that his struggle was due to emotional discouragement—the Fair Youth’s admiration of the rival poet left him uninspired.
This suggests that poetry is not purely an intellectual endeavor but is deeply tied to emotional validation. Shakespeare is not silenced by the rival’s ability but by the realization that his own poetic efforts are not as valued by the youth.
2. The Supernatural as Satire
The second quatrain plays with the idea that the rival poet is aided by supernatural forces, learning from “spirits” to write “above a mortal pitch.” Shakespeare even suggests that a ghost gives the rival secret knowledge at night. This might be a satirical jab at poets who claim divine inspiration, suggesting that their talent is not entirely their own. However, Shakespeare ultimately dismisses these mystical explanations, implying that poetic greatness comes from a poet’s relationship with his subject, not from supernatural aid.
3. Shakespeare’s Self-Doubt
This sonnet reveals a rare moment of self-doubt from Shakespeare. While he often presents himself as confident in his love and poetic abilities, here he admits that his own poetic inspiration falters when the Fair Youth favors another poet. This humanizes Shakespeare, showing that even the greatest writer of the English language was affected by personal insecurity and competition.
Theme Analysis
1. The Power of Artistic Rivalry
The sonnet explores how competition among poets can both inspire and stifle creativity. The rival poet, with his “full sail” and “great verse,” is portrayed as an intimidating figure, but Shakespeare ultimately concludes that his poetic struggles stem not from fear of competition, but from emotional discouragement.
2. The Role of Inspiration in Art
Shakespeare suggests that poetic greatness does not come from supernatural guidance but from genuine emotional connection. His poetry thrives when the Fair Youth appreciates it, but it falters when the youth turns his admiration elsewhere.
3. The Vulnerability of the Poet
This sonnet highlights the poet’s emotional dependence on his subject. Shakespeare’s creative ability is deeply linked to the Fair Youth’s regard for him. When that regard is given to another poet, he loses his inspiration.
4. The Illusion of Supernatural Assistance
Shakespeare mocks the idea that poetry comes from divine or supernatural sources. Instead, he argues that poetic greatness is rooted in human relationships, particularly the connection between poet and subject.
Literary Devices
1. Metaphor
- “The proud full sail of his great verse”
- The rival poet’s writing is compared to a grand ship, symbolizing his confidence and success.
- “Making their tomb the womb wherein they grew”
- Shakespeare describes his own poetic thoughts as entombed in his mind, unable to develop. The paradox of a tomb being a womb suggests both potential and failure—his ideas are stillborn.
2. Personification
- “Was it his spirit, by spirits taught to write”
- The rival poet’s skill is exaggerated as if he has supernatural teachers guiding him. This personifies poetry as something almost divine, though Shakespeare later mocks this idea.
3. Satire and Sarcasm
- “That affable familiar ghost / Which nightly gulls him with intelligence”
- Shakespeare sarcastically suggests that the rival poet has a ghost feeding him poetic inspiration, mocking the idea that true poetic genius comes from mystical forces rather than real-life inspiration.
4. Irony
- “As victors of my silence cannot boast”
- The rival poet and his supposed supernatural influences cannot truly claim victory because Shakespeare’s silence was not caused by them, but by the Fair Youth’s preference for the rival’s work.
5. Enjambment
- The sonnet flows continuously between lines, reflecting Shakespeare’s stream of thought as he works through his emotions and insecurities.
Conclusion
Sonnet 86 explores poetic rivalry, inspiration, and artistic insecurity. While Shakespeare initially presents the rival poet as a powerful and possibly divinely inspired figure, he ultimately dismisses these ideas. The true source of his poetic silence is not competition or supernatural influence, but the simple fact that the Fair Youth favored another poet’s work.
This sonnet is a deeply personal meditation on the nature of artistic creation. Shakespeare reveals that his poetry is not simply a product of skill, but of emotional encouragement. When that encouragement is withdrawn, his creativity suffers.
