Shakespeare Sonnet 10, For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any

For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any,

Who for thyself art so unprovident.

Grant if thou wilt, thou art belov’d of many,

But that thou none lov’st is most evident;

For thou art so possessed with murd’rous hate

That ‘gainst thyself thou stick’st not to conspire,

Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate

Which to repair should be thy chief desire.

O change thy thought, that I may change my mind.

Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?

Be as thy presence is, gracious and kind,

Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove.

Make thee another self for love of me,

That beauty still may live in thine or thee.

Shakespeare Sonnet 10 Analysis

In Sonnet 10 Shakespeare scolds a youth by saying it is shameful “For shame” for not admitting he loves anyone “thou bear’st love to any,” and that he does not care about himself “thy self art so unprovident.” He says many love the youth “thou art beloved of many,” yet the youth is selfish and loves no one. “thou none lov’st”.

He says the youth is so filled with hate “possessed with murderous hate” that he does not mind destroying his own house “gainst thy self thou stick’st not to conspire”. He is ruining his house “beauteous roof to ruinate” which should be his ultimate desire to start a family “to repair should be thy chief desire.”

Shakespeare implores the youth to change “change thy thoughts” so that he can also change his opinion of him “that I may change my mind” he asks the youth why he harbors hatred against starting a family “shall hate be fairer” Because he is capable of love and kindness “thy presence is, gracious and kind”. He asks the youth to be kind to himself.

In the last couplet, he requests the youth to have children “make thee another self” out of love for the poet (Shakespeare) so that the youth’s beauty will live on in his children “beauty still may live in thine”