This is a short summary of Shakespeare sonnet 152. 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 152 (Original Text)
In loving thee thou know’st I am forsworn;
–WIKI
But thou art twice forsworn to me love swearing,
In act thy bed-vow broke and new faith torn,
In vowing new hate after new love bearing.
But why of two oaths’ breach do I accuse thee,
When I break twenty? I am perjured most,
For all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee,
And all my honest faith in thee is lost;
For I have sworn deep oaths of thy deep kindness,
Oaths of thy love, thy truth, thy constancy,
And, to enlighten thee, gave eyes to blindness,
Or made them swear against the thing they see.
For I have sworn thee fair: more perjured eye,
To swear against the truth so foul a lie.
Shakespeare Sonnet 152 Modern Text (Translation)
Shakespeare Sonnet 152 Analysis
The poet tells his mistress that in loving her he is breaking a promise “In loving thee thou know’st I am forsworn; But she is breaking two promises by also loving him “But thou art twice forsworn to me love swearing,” he says she is being unfaithful to her husband”In act thy bed-vow broke and new faith torn,” and also her lover whom she hates after swearing she loves him “In vowing new hate after new love bearing.”
He judges himself by asking why he accuses her of breaking two promises “But why of two oaths’ breach do I accuse thee,” when he breaks twenty and he is guilty of perjury (untruths)’When I break twenty? I am perjured most,” because all his vows to her are for the reason of exploiting her “For all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee,” and all his sincerity and truthfulness is lost “And all my honest faith in thee is lost;”
He has sworn several promises about her own kindness “For I have sworn deep oaths of thy deep kindness, and about her own love, her truthfulness and her consistency “Oaths of thy love, thy truth, thy constancy,” and to make her appear beautiful he blinded his own eyes “And, to enlighten thee, gave eyes to blindness,” by making them swear them see the opposite of actual reality “Or made them swear against the thing they see.”
He as sworn that she is beautiful calling his eyes false “For I have sworn thee fair: more perjured eye,” that in spite of swearing to speak the truth, they swear that she is beautiful which is actually a big lie “To swear against the truth so foul a lie.”