Post by Harry on Jul 7, 2002 21:49:10 GMT -5
When my love swears that she is made of truth
I do believe her though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue;
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed.
But wherefore says she not she is unjust,
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love loves not to have years told.
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.
This is another of the great sonnets. It has special interest because it is one of two sonnets, Sonnet 144 is the other, that were published in a slightly altered form in 1599 in a book called The Passionate Pilgrim. The Passionate Pilgrim was a piracy. It purported to be poetry by Shakespeare, however, aside from Sonnets 138 and 144 and three sonnets from Love's Labour's Lost, the poetry was all written by others. Some of the poems are anonymous, but an author is known for several. G.B. Evans offers the opinion that the versions of 138 and 144 in the Passionate Pilgrim are early drafts by Shakespeare.
The sonnet has an unusual argument. The Poet says that he believes his mistress, though he knows she is untruthful, in order to deceive her into thinking he is still a callow youth. Thus both Poet and Dark Lady are untruthful. But, neither is really deceived. The Dark Lady is as much aware of the Poet's age as the Poet is aware of the Dark Lady's lies. However, both pretend to believe in order to flatter the other and to flatter themselves. And each pretends to believe that the deceptions worked because they want them to. This circle of deception and willful self-deception can go on forever.
I do believe her though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue;
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed.
But wherefore says she not she is unjust,
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love loves not to have years told.
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.
This is another of the great sonnets. It has special interest because it is one of two sonnets, Sonnet 144 is the other, that were published in a slightly altered form in 1599 in a book called The Passionate Pilgrim. The Passionate Pilgrim was a piracy. It purported to be poetry by Shakespeare, however, aside from Sonnets 138 and 144 and three sonnets from Love's Labour's Lost, the poetry was all written by others. Some of the poems are anonymous, but an author is known for several. G.B. Evans offers the opinion that the versions of 138 and 144 in the Passionate Pilgrim are early drafts by Shakespeare.
The sonnet has an unusual argument. The Poet says that he believes his mistress, though he knows she is untruthful, in order to deceive her into thinking he is still a callow youth. Thus both Poet and Dark Lady are untruthful. But, neither is really deceived. The Dark Lady is as much aware of the Poet's age as the Poet is aware of the Dark Lady's lies. However, both pretend to believe in order to flatter the other and to flatter themselves. And each pretends to believe that the deceptions worked because they want them to. This circle of deception and willful self-deception can go on forever.