"My Mistress' Eyes"

"My Mistress' Eyes"
William Shakespeare

When reading the title of this poem, the reader might initially think that this poem will be a sappy love poem. However, this poem expresses the speaker's view that other things are more beautiful or appealing than his mistress. The majority of the poem lists his mistress' shortcomings. "Coral is far more red than her lips' "; And in some perfumes is there more delight /Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks"; music hath a far more pleasing sound" (Shakespeare). For a majority of the poem, the reader can imply that the speaker is not fond of his mistress. However, a major shift occurs at the end of the poem. "And yet, by heave, I think my love as rare / As any she belied with false compare" Shakespeare). "And yet" clearly indicates to the reader that the speaker's tone will change. The speaker states that his love for his mistress is rare. His rare love matches with the rarity of the mistress' features as described earlier in the poem. Essentially, Shakespeare used the first twelve lines of the poem to describe unique traits of his mistress in a somewhat backhanded compliment way only to shift in the last two lines to say that he loves this rarity of the woman.