Shakespeare Sonnet 150 Analysis: O from what pow’r hast thou this pow’rful might

This is a short summary of Shakespeare sonnet 150. 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 150 (Original Text)

O from what pow’r hast thou this pow’rful might,
With insufficiency my heart to sway,
To make me give the lie to my true sight,
And swear that brightness doth not grace the day?
Whence hast thou this becoming of things ill,
That in the very refuse of thy deeds
There is such strength and warrantise of skill
That in my mind thy worst all best exceeds?
Who taught thee how to make me love thee more,
The more I hear and see just cause of hate?
O, though I love what others do abhor,
With others thou shouldst not abhor my state.
If thy unworthiness raised love in me,
More worthy I to be beloved of thee.

WIKI

Shakespeare Sonnet 150 Modern Text (Translation)

Shakespeare Sonnet 150 modern English translation
– via Sparknotes

Shakespeare Sonnet 150 Analysis

The poet asks his mistress where does she get her power from “O from what pow’r hast thou this pow’rful might,” where in spite of her shortcomings, she can still control his heart “With insufficiency my heart to sway,” which makes him lie on what he sees “To make me give the lie to my true sight, “ to swear that the daylight isn’t bright during the day “ ( an indirect reference to his dark skinned mistress ) “And swear that brightness doth not grace the day?”

He asks how she got the capacity to make bad things look good “Whence hast thou this becoming of things ill,” where her worthless actions and deeds “That in the very refuse of thy deeds” are performed with such strength and skill “There is such strength and warrantise of skill” and in his mind her worst flaws appear better than the best of others to him “That in my mind thy worst all best exceeds? “ and who is it that tutors her to make the poet love her more “Who taught thee how to make me love thee more,”

The more he sees and hears her, the more he gets reason to hate her “The more I hear and see just cause of hate?” and although he loves what others hate “O, though I love what others do abhor,” she should not despise his love the way other people despise him for loving her “With others thou shouldst not abhor my state.”

If her unworthy character has induced love in him for her “If thy unworthiness raised love in me,” then that should make him all the more worthy of her love “More worthy I to be beloved of thee