Sonnet 141

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Sonnet 141 by William Shakespeare In faith, I do not love thee with mine eyes, For they in thee a tholusand errors note; But 'tis my heart that loves what they despise, Who, in despite of view, is pleas'd to dote. Nor are mine ears with thy tongue's tune delighted; Nor tender feeling, to base touches prone. Nor taste nor smell desire to be invited To any sensual feast with thee alone: But my five wits nor my five senses can Dissuade one foolish heart from serving thee, Who leaves unsway'd the likeness of a man, Thy proud heart's slave and vassal wretch to be: Only my plague thus far I count my gain, That she that makes me sin awards me pain

In Sonnet 141, William Shakespeare describes a woman whose appearance ("his eyes note a thousand errors in her appearance") does not elicit love, nor does her. Her voice is not pleasing to the ear (“Nor are mine ears with thy tongue's tune delighted”); her skin not pleasing to touch (“Nor tender feeling”); and there is an unpleasant taste and smell to her (“Nor taste, nor smell, desire to be invited”). Yet his heart remains affectionately attached to her.

The theme of the sonnet is the dichotomy between the poets physical senses and wits (intellect) on the one hand and his heart on the other. Acknowledging that there is nothing physically attractive about the woman and that intellectually he cannot find a good reason for the relationship, the poet nevertheless is emotionally attracted to the woman.

He seems to feel this emotional attachment is a punishment, but he gets some gratification from the relationship, which is contrary to his judgment and causes him anguish and despair.

The film title 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) is drawn from this sonnet.

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Sonnet 141

In faith, I do not love thee with mine eyes, For they in thee a thousand errors note; But ‘tis my heart that loves what they despise, Who, in despite of view, is pleas’d to dote, Nor are mine ears with thy tongue’s tune delighted; Nor tender feeling to base touches prone. Nor taste nor smell desire to be invited To any sensual feast with thee alone: But my five wits nor my five senses can Dissuade one foolish heart from serving thee, Who leaves unsway’d the likeness of a man, Thy proud heart’s slave and vassal wretch to be: Only my plague thus far I count my gain, That she makes me sin awards me pain. THEME: Man’s true intellect and reason are awakened as is his faith by spiritual introspection, but the earthly desires of the heart, and Man’s pride do not easily yield, and one must keep up the battle between Soul and ego until all sensuality and pride are vanquished.

GLOSSARY Shakespeare text and easier to interpret language:

In faith, I do not love thee with mine eyes, For they in thee a thousand errors note; But ‘tis my heart that loves what they despise, Who, in despite of view, is pleas’d to dote, My love is true and constant, and my eyes truly see the faults and temptations in this world, but the desires of my heart, in contemptuous disregard of my eyes truthful perceptions of love and sin, are content to dote upon temptation.

Nor are mine ears with thy tongue’s tune delighted; Nor tender feeling to base touches prone. Nor taste nor smell desire to be invited To any sensual feast with thee alone:

Neither my ears which hear truth are tempted by the tune of physical sounds, nor is the tender loving of my heart attracted by base physical allures, nor taste, nor smell desire to be invited to any sensual feast where unity with thee alone is sufficient.

But my five wits nor my five senses can Dissuade one foolish heart from serving thee, Who leaves unsway’d the likeness of a man, Thy proud heart’s slave and vassal wretch to be:

Neither my reasoning intellect nor my five senses have the power to deter one foolish heart from serving as an example of thy will, who leaves one reduced to an egotistical man whose likeness is that of a slave and a groveling servitor to his prideful heart and earthly desires.

Only my plague thus far I count my gain, That she makes me sin awards me pain.

My error-strewn life I count as my gain, and that which leads me to sin rewards me with the instructive judgment of suffering.

COMMENTARY on Sonnet's suggested deeper interpretation:

In contrast to eyes that “see not what they see” (Sonnet 137. 2), the eyes in Sonnet 141 have changed. These “in thee a thousand errors note”, but they do not alter the inner “faith”, which seems now to be awakened. The eyes of Sonnet 141 are also not those of Sonnet 137 which “ have err’d, And to this false plague are they now transferr’d” (Sonnet 137.13, 14). The eyes of Sonnet 141 now “despise” the false “thousand errors” to which formerly “the judgment of my heart is tied” (Sonnet 137.8). In Sonnet 141, the heart is attracted to temptations and “loves what they [eyes] despise”. There is a contrast to the previous declaration of Sonnet 137.1 in which the eyes were “blind” to those “eyes” of Sonnet 141 which now are able to distinguish between “faith” and the “thousand errors” which exist. “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Jb. 42:5-6 Sonnet 141 goes on to state: “nor are mine ears with thy tongue’s tune delighted; nor tender feeling to base touches prone. Nor taste nor smell desire to be invited To any sensual feast with thee alone:” Just as stated in Job, there is an awakening, a perception which is beyond the physical, material senses. “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.” Jb. 42:5 “Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty.” Is. 33:17 These are eyes which are “in faith” and perceive that which the physical eyes cannot. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” He. 11:1 This faith does not come by hearing delightful words of the human tongue. “nor are mine ears with thy tongue’s tune delighted” The “faith” in which the Poet describes as being invested with in line one is further described thus: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Ro. 10:17 “Nor tender feeling to base touches prone” means that sensual experience is eschewed in favor of soft, loving sensations of a spiritual nature. “Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.” Song 4:11. These Biblical verses show that the physical senses have an aspect which transcends earthly, material sensualities. One may have the wit to reason and the heightened senses or sensibilities to perceive a higher truth, but a heart which “is pleased to dote” is still mired in base habits, and “loves what they [the opened eyes] despise,” and “leaves unswayed the likeness of a man”. In Sonnet 141 is a “foolish heart” that has sold the divinity of Man made in the likeness of God to one who is made in the “likeness of a man”. He is still of “the wide world’s common place” (Sonnet 137.10) the slave of a “proud heart”, a wretched servitor that “loves what they despise”. In spite of this, the poet says that “only my plague thus far I count my gain, That she that makes me sin awards me pain.” (Sonnet 141.13,14) “She” is the “sovereign mistress over wrack” (Sonnet 126.5) who keeps her “audit” but the poet with eyes now opened truly sees “For they in thee a thousand errors note”. The Poet keeps his own audit now and because of his “plague” can count his “gain”. The “false plague” to which the poet’s “eyes, corrupt by over partial looks” (Sonnet 137.14, 5) where condemned, seems to have been lifted, or healed by “faith”. “Blessed is the man whom thou Chasteneth, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law.” Ps. 94:12

 Related Passages from St. Augustine:

“But what do I love, when I love thee? Not beauty of bodies, nor the fair harmony of time, nor the brightness of the light, so gladsome to our eyes, nor sweet melodies of varied songs, nor the fragrant smell of flowers, and ointments, and spices, not manna and honey, not limbs acceptable to embracements of flesh. None of these I love, when I love my God; and yet I love a kind of light, and melody and fragrance, and meat, and embracement, when I love my God, the light, melody, fragrance, meat, embracement of my inner man;...”* (Compare to Sonnet 141.4-8)

“My will the enemy held, and thence made a chain for me, and found me. For a froward will, was lust made; and lust served, become custom; and custom not resisted, became necessity. But that new will which had begun in me, freely to serve Thee, and wish to enjoy Thee, O God, the assured pleasantness, was not yet able to overcome my former willfulness, strengthened by age. Thus did my two wills, one new, and the other old, one carnal, the other spiritual, struggled within me; and by their discord, undid my soul” (IBID P. 159) “Lust served became custom” or habit which is not easily lodged.”

When reading Sonnet 141, it is clear that the eyes are newly awakened, as is “faith”, however, “the heart that loses what they despise”... “is pleased to dote”. St. Augustine explains that his “new will” struggled with his old “carnal” will, which is like the will or desires of the “foolish heart” in Sonnet 141 to obstinately, “in despite of view”, to go the way it “pleased”. The result is that he is left in “the likeness of a man”, or as Augustine states it, the struggle of wills “undid my soul” (supra). So the Poet finally considers the “plague” as “gain”. This can only be so if his afflictions have a refining influence on his life. “That she makes me sin awards me pain”.

  Bible Passages Suggested By Sonnet 141:

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” 1 Pe. 1:7

“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope” Ro. 5:3-4

[edit] See also

Shakespeare's sonnets