William Shakespeare's Sonnet 93: A Literary Analysis
The theme of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 93 is the question of how a person can have different intents than the outward appearance shows, specifically intents of infidelity. The speaker begins by asking longingly if they should continue living with the assumption that their partner is faithful to them. This uncertainty, and detachment is seen throughout the sonnet, which illustrates that the speakers partner could be disloyal to, or even hate the speaker, but their outward appearance continues to show the loving quality of love the speaker’s partner was divinely given.
The sonnet primarily has the theme that looks can be deceiving, especially in a relationship. Shakespeare thoroughly develops this theme through his use of figurative language, including imagery, simile, diction, and allusion. He begins by using the simile “So shall I live supposing thou art true, like a deceived husband. ” The speaker wonders if he should continue to assume his partner is faithful and compares himself to a deceived husband. The use of diction communicates the feeling of hurt and sadness, contributing to the overall theme of longing and confusion. A common metaphor is used in line 4, saying “Thy looks with me, thy heart in other place. ” The partner’s heart is not literally somewhere else, but is figuratively with somebody else, meaning the partner loves somebody else.
The second quatrain begins with “For there can live no hatred in thine eye. ” This personification of hatred communicates the idea of hatred living in one’s eye, living being the human quality. The hatred does not actually live, but no hatred can be displayed in this person's features, and because of this, the speaker cannot tell where their partners allegiance lies. Lines 7-8 state “In many’s looks, the false hearts history is writ in moods and frowns, and wrinkles strange. ” This statement is rich with imagery, and evokes the idea that people are often found to be unfaithful because their outward appearance gives them away.
Throughout the final quatrain and couplet, a religious allusion is used to describe the outward appearance of the speaker’s partner. Beginning in line 9 with “But heaven in thy creation did decree, that in thy face sweet love should ever dwell” This imagery depicts and references God or the heavens creating this person with a loving and beautiful appearance. The speaker continues on describing this subject and their ability to look affectionate no matter what their true thoughts and desires are. This is both a blessing and a curse to the speaker, because their partners face is kind and loving, yet they could be thinking anything with their deceiving looks.
The final couplet continues the allusion to Christianity, comparing the subject to Eve’s apple. In the bible, Eve was enticed by the devil to take from the forbidden fruit of good and evil. The fruit had a sweet outward appearance, and the promise of a full knowledge of good and evil was enticing, but after the fruit was consumed, Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden to live a life of difficulty. Similarly, the subject of the speaker's thoughts looks loving and beautiful, but what is promised from the outward appearance is not delivered because of the subject’s immoral character. This concludes the Sonnet, and strengthens the theme that the looks of the subject do not correlate with what lies in their heart.
