Sonnet 29

by William Shakespeare

The famous Sonnet 29 (When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes) by William Shakespeare).

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Shakespeare, Read For School, 17th Century

5 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 7, 2012

About the author

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner ("sharer") of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men after the ascension of King James VI and I of Scotland to the English throne. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs, and even certain fringe theories as to whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.
Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. However, in 1623, John Heminge and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that includes 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson, a former rival of Shakespeare, that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".

Reviews

[K. Anna Kraft · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have arranged my takeaway thoughts into a haiku:

"The feeling of love,
All on its own, is a balm
That sooths many woes."

[Haneen A. Hijjawi]

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,

Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth sings hymns at heaven’s gate;

       For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

       That then I scorn to change my state with kings

[Emilija · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore the way this sonnet flows and I remember studying it in school.

[John Yelverton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's definitely an interesting poem and quite deep when you really boil it down. It's not my favorite of William Shakespeare's though, and the rhyming scheme could use a little work.

[Frédérique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sonnet, number 29 out of 154, captures the complexity of human emotions, from jealousy, envy, depression and self-loathing, all of that eventually reaching its zenith and redemption through love and imagery of nature. The first part of the poem is one of insecurity, depression and comparing yourself to others who seem better than you. His mood transcends when talking and thinking about his love, and the speaker realises that he would not want to live his life in any other way (not even like a king) as long as he has her (let's just asume it's a "her").

*

Dit sonnet, nummer 29 van de 154, omschrijft de complexiteit van menselijke emoties, van jaloezie, afgunst, depressie en zelfspot, wat allemaal hun zenith en verlossing bereikt door liefde en natuurbeelden. Het eerste gedeelte van het gedicht gaat over onzekerheid, depressie en jezelf met anderen vergelijken die beter lijken dan jij. Zijn gemoed overstijgt zichzelf wanneer hij praat over zijn geliefde, en de spreker beseft dat hij zich geen ander leven zou wensen (niet eens dat van een koning), zo lang hij haar heeft (we gaan er even van uit dat het een "haar" is).

[ally douglas? · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Themes of self-pity, isolation, despair, love, and wealth
- Only period is at the end of line 14; one long sentence
- Situation of considerable despair and despondency for the speaker
- "In disgrace with fortune and men's eyes" = lacking both money and popularity/comradery
- Tone is emotional and melodramatic
- Apostrophe to his love "Happily I think on thee..."
- Riddled with hyperboles of his loneliness and love for this person
- Personification of fortune and heaven
- Rapt with passiveness, a "woe is me" mentality

[Amelia Bujar · Rating 3 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...

This sonnet to be honest goes pretty deep when you take a second to think about it which made me like this sonnet even more.

This sonnet was interesting and enjoyable as well, but still it didn’t speak to me so much as I wished it would.

The writing style here was pretty okay but I was expecting something more from William Shakespeare.

[Luciana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings."
=
Because thinking about your love brings so much richness to my life
That I would rather have it than be king.>>

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously, these sonnets are super short (duh), but since I had to spend about an hour analyzing each, I think it' justified to add each separately to my reading challenge haha.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also found at poetrysoup.com

[Narendrāditya Nalwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate.

[Alvin Fleurant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply thankful.

[J9 · Rating 3 out of 5]

When life sucks, I think of you and everything gets better. Basic gist of the poem. Love makes everything better.

[Aibhla · Rating 5 out of 5]

judi dench’s recitation of this on graham norton is captivating

[Franciny · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And look upon myself and curse my fate"

[Aditya Mallya · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings"

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to translate to current English. It was good

[Andy Hickman · Rating 2 out of 5]

William Shakespeare, Sonnet 29
“When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,..”
Last line: “That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”

[Faithreading18 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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