Shakespeare Sonnet 82 Analysis, I grant thou wert not married to my muse

This is a short summary of Shakespeare sonnet 82. Continue reading for complete analysis and meaning in the modern text. For the complete list of 154 sonnets, check the collection of Shakespeare Sonnets with analysis. It is highly recommended to buy “The Monument” by Hank Whittemore, which is the best book on Shakespeare Sonnets.

Shakespeare Sonnet 82 (Original Text)

I grant thou wert not married to my muse,
And therefore mayst without attaint o’erlook
The dedicated words which writers use
Of their fair subject, blessing every book.
Thou art as fair in knowledge as in hue,
Finding thy worth a limit past my praise,
And therefore art enforced to seek anew
Some fresher stamp of the time-bett’ring days.
And do so, love; yet when they have devised
What strainèd touches rhetoric can lend,
Thou, truly fair, wert truly sympathized
In true plain words by thy true-telling friend.
And their gross painting might be better used
Where cheeks need blood—in thee it is abused.
–WIKI

Shakespeare Sonnet 82 Modern Text (Translation)

Shakespeare sonnet 82 modern text, translation

-via SparkNotes

Shakespeare Sonnet 82 Analysis

The poet says he admits that the fair lord wasn’t committed by marriage to his poetry “I grant thou wert not married to my muse,” and so he can without thoughts of doing anything wrong “And therefore mayst without attaint o’erlook” feel free to read what other poets say about him “The dedicated words which writers use “and since he is the subject that all books are dedicated to “Of their fair subject, blessing every book.”

He tells the youth that he is intelligent “Thou art as fair in knowledge” as he is beautiful “as in hue,” and that to try and measure the youths value, “Finding thy worth a limit”, the poet finds it hard being limited for words “past my praise” which is why the youth must seek new poets “And therefore art enforced to seek anew” and fresh writings of poetry that is marked by better improvement of style “Some fresher stamp of the time-bett’ring days”

The poet tells him to go ahead and do so and when all these new writers have created their styles “And do so, love; yet when they have devised”and elaboration of poetry influenced by the youths art of speech and eloquence, “What strainèd touches rhetoric can lend, “then he would be better represented because he is beautiful “Thou, truly fair, wert truly sympathized” and has been shown to be so by the original and true words of the poet who is the one to speak the truth “In true plain words by thy true-telling friend.”

And the false and exaggerated praise of other writers “And their gross painting” would suit more those people who need to be praised and beautified “might be better used Where cheeks need blood” because for the youth , these false exaggerations are compared to abuse. “in thee it is abused”