Analysis

“Sonnet 130” by William Shakespeare is a witty and heartfelt poem that challenges the stereotypical comparisons used by poets to describe their mistresses. 

The poem follows the strict traditional structure of a sonnet, using a specific structure and rhyme scheme. Its content also follows a linear structure, listing various stereotypical comparisons used in love poetry. The final rhyming couplet concludes the poem with a tender declaration of the speaker’s love for his mistress.

The speaker of the sonnet appears to be a poetic persona of the author. The poem is narrated in the first person. 

The mistress in the poem is a woman who appears to be dark-skinned and dark-haired. The speaker is in a sexual relationship with her and explains that while she cannot live up to poetic ideals she is as perfect as any woman.

The language of the poem is formal, but straightforward. The poem also makes use of various poetic devices such as metaphors and hyperboles, mainly to reject traditional ways of composing a love poem.