Introduction: “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any by William Shakespeare first appeared in 1609 in the collection “Shakespeare’s Sonnets.” This sonnet is distinguished by its direct and passionate plea from the speaker to their beloved to acknowledge their feelings of love. The main idea of the sonnet is to express the speaker’s frustration and disappointment with their beloved’s denial of their love, arguing that such denial is a shame and a contradiction to their own actions and behavior.
Text: “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any,
Who for thy self-art so unprovident.
Grant, if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many,
But that thou none lov’st is most evident:
For thou art so possessed with murderous hate,
That ‘gainst thy self thou stick’st not to conspire,
Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate
Which to repair should be thy chief desire.
O! change thy thought, that I may change my mind:
Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?
Be, as thy presence is, gracious and kind,
Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove:
Make thee another self for love of me,
That beauty still may live in thine or thee.
Annotations: “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
| Line | Text | Annotation |
| 1 | For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any, | The speaker urges their beloved to stop denying their love, using “for shame” to imply that such denial is shameful. |
| 2 | Who for thyself art so unprovident. | The speaker criticizes their beloved for being so self-destructive and careless about their own well-being. |
| 3 | Grant, if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many, | The speaker acknowledges that their beloved may be loved by many others. |
| 4 | But that thou none lov’st is most evident: | However, the speaker insists that their beloved does not love anyone, including themselves. |
| 5 | For thou art so possessed with murderous hate, | The speaker accuses their beloved of being filled with hatred and destructive impulses. |
| 6 | That ‘gainst thyself thou stick’st not to conspire, | The speaker suggests that their beloved is plotting against their own happiness and well-being. |
| 7 | Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate | The speaker compares their beloved’s body and mind to a beautiful building and suggests that they are trying to destroy it. |
| 8 | Which to repair should be thy chief desire. | The speaker argues that their beloved should be focused on preserving and improving their own well-being. |
| 9 | O! change thy thought, that I may change my mind: | The speaker pleads with their beloved to change their attitude so that the speaker can change their own feelings. |
| 10 | Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love? | The speaker asks rhetorically whether hatred is a better dwelling place than love. |
| 11 | Be, as thy presence is, gracious and kind, | The speaker urges their beloved to be as gracious and kind as they appear to be. |
| 12 | Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove: | Alternatively, the speaker suggests that their beloved should at least be kind to themselves. |
| 13 | Make thee another self for love of me, | The speaker asks their beloved to become a better person for the sake of their love. |
| 14 | That beauty still may live in thine or thee. | The speaker suggests that by improving themselves, their beloved can ensure that their beauty and worth will endure. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
| Literary/Poetic Device | Definition | Explanation in Sonnet 10 |
| Alliteration | Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words | Example: “For shame deny,” emphasizing the harshness of denial and self-destruction. |
| Anaphora | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses | Example: “For thou,” repeated to stress the speaker’s accusatory tone towards the subject. |
| Antithesis | Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in a balanced structure | Example: “Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?” contrasting hate and love. |
| Apostrophe | Direct address to someone absent or something non-human | The speaker addresses an unnamed individual as “thou,” urging a change in attitude. |
| Assonance | Repetition of vowel sounds within words | Example: “Thou none lov’st” (long “o” sound), creating a melodic effect and emphasizing the isolation in love. |
| Conceit | An extended metaphor with complex logic | Example: The speaker compares the beloved’s beauty to a “beauteous roof,” which should be maintained but is being ruined. |
| Couplet | Two consecutive rhyming lines | Example: “Make thee another self for love of me, / That beauty still may live in thine or thee.” Summarizing the speaker’s plea. |
| Enjambment | Continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond a line | Example: “Or to thyself at least kind-hearted prove: / Make thee another self…” extending thought across lines. |
| Hyperbole | Exaggeration for emphasis | Example: “Murderous hate,” exaggerating the self-destructive emotions of the subject. |
| Imagery | Visually descriptive language | Example: “Beauteous roof to ruinate,” evoking an image of physical beauty deteriorating. |
| Metaphor | Comparison between two things without using “like” or “as” | Example: “Beauteous roof” is a metaphor for the subject’s physical beauty. |
| Oxymoron | Combination of contradictory terms | Example: “Murderous hate” combines the ideas of self-harm with the normally outward-directed emotion of hate. |
| Personification | Giving human traits to non-human entities | Example: “Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?” Love and hate are personified as lodgers in the heart. |
| Pun | Play on words with multiple meanings | Example: “Make thee another self,” suggesting both procreation and creating a new persona. |
| Repetition | Repeating words or phrases for emphasis | Example: “For shame” and “For thou” are repeated to emphasize the moral appeal and accusation. |
| Rhetorical Question | A question asked for effect rather than an answer | Example: “Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?” This question challenges the beloved’s emotional choices. |
| Synecdoche | A part representing the whole | Example: “Another self” refers to a child or continuation of the subject’s legacy. |
| Tone | The attitude or mood conveyed by the writer | The tone is reproachful and pleading, as the speaker tries to convince the subject to change. |
| Volta | The turn in argument or shift in tone in a sonnet | Example: Occurs in line 9: “O! change thy thought,” where the speaker shifts from criticizing to offering a solution. |
| Iambic Pentameter | A metrical pattern with five feet of unstressed/stressed syllables per line | Example: The entire sonnet follows this rhythmic structure, typical of Shakespearean sonnets. |
Themes: “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
- Theme 1: Self-Love and Self-Preservation: Sonnet 10 delves into the profound theme of self-love and self-preservation. The speaker, exasperated by their beloved’s self-destructive tendencies, implores them to “repair” their “beauteous roof” (lines 7-8), a vivid metaphor for their physical and mental well-being. This urgent plea underscores the critical importance of self-care and self-preservation as foundational elements of a fulfilling life. The speaker’s concern for their beloved’s well-being reveals a deep-seated understanding that neglecting one’s own needs ultimately leads to a decline in overall happiness and fulfillment.
- Theme 2: The Transformative Power of Love: Beyond its plea for self-preservation, Sonnet 10 also explores the transformative power of love. The speaker firmly believes that love can profoundly alter both the beloved and themselves (line 9). They envision a scenario where the beloved, by embracing love, can “make thee another self” (line 13), suggesting a metamorphosis of character and a newfound sense of purpose. This optimistic outlook highlights the potential for love to heal wounds, inspire growth, and ultimately lead to a more meaningful existence.
- Theme 3: The Pain of Unrequited Love: The speaker’s frustration and disappointment with their beloved’s denial of love are palpable throughout the sonnet. The lines “For thou art so possessed with murderous hate” (line 5) and “Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?” (line 10) convey the intense pain and anguish associated with unrequited love. The speaker’s passionate pleas and rhetorical questions reveal the emotional turmoil they experience as a result of their beloved’s indifference.
- Theme 4: The Importance of Honesty and Authenticity: Sonnet 10 also emphasizes the significance of honesty and authenticity in relationships. The speaker urges their beloved to “deny that thou bear’st love to any” (line 1), suggesting that pretending to feel love when they do not is detrimental to both parties involved. The poem implies that genuine feelings and open communication are essential for building strong, enduring relationships. By highlighting the importance of honesty, the sonnet serves as a reminder that true intimacy and connection can only be achieved through authenticity and vulnerability.
Literary Theories and “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
| Literary Theory | Reference Lines | Analysis |
| Psychoanalytic Theory | “Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?” (line 10) | The speaker’s internal conflict between love and hate suggests repressed desires or unresolved conflicts. |
| New Historicism | “For thou art so possessed with murderous hate” (line 5) | The speaker’s portrayal of hatred reflects the Elizabethan era’s preoccupation with violence and social unrest. |
| Feminist Theory | “That beauteous roof to ruinate” (line 7) | The focus on the beloved’s physical beauty reinforces traditional gender roles and expectations. |
Critical Questions about “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
· How does the speaker use shame to motivate change in the beloved?
- In the opening line, “For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any,” the speaker invokes shame as a powerful emotional tool to push the beloved towards self-reflection. The phrase “For shame” directly appeals to the beloved’s sense of guilt, suggesting that the act of denying love is something to be ashamed of. This tactic frames the speaker’s argument from the outset, positioning love not just as a desirable feeling, but as a moral responsibility. The question emerges: Is the beloved’s refusal to love rooted in selfishness or in fear? The speaker implies it’s the former by calling the beloved “unprovident” (line 2), suggesting a lack of foresight that ultimately leads to self-destruction.
· What role does the concept of self-destruction play in the speaker’s argument?
- The sonnet frequently references the beloved’s self-destructive tendencies. In lines 5-6, the speaker claims, “For thou art so possessed with murderous hate, / That ‘gainst thy self thou stick’st not to conspire,” suggesting that the beloved’s refusal to love is tantamount to self-harm. This notion of conspiring against oneself is crucial to understanding the sonnet’s emotional intensity. The speaker accuses the beloved of ruining their own beauty and potential by refusing love, positioning the refusal not as a passive choice but as an active destruction of the self. The question is: Does the beloved understand their own role in this downfall, or is it the speaker’s projection?
· How does the metaphor of a “beauteous roof” function in the sonnet?
- In lines 7-8, the speaker uses the metaphor of a “beauteous roof” to describe the beloved’s physical appearance and potential, claiming that the beloved is seeking to “ruinate” this beauty rather than repair it. The imagery of a roof that needs repairing but is instead being destroyed suggests neglect and waste. This raises the question: Is the speaker more concerned with the beloved’s inner qualities or with preserving external beauty? By asking the beloved to “repair” their beauty, the speaker implies that love is the key to this restoration, tying physical preservation to emotional openness.
· What is the significance of the sonnet’s closing couplet in the speaker’s plea?
- The final couplet, “Make thee another self for love of me, / That beauty still may live in thine or thee,” presents a solution to the self-destruction described earlier in the poem. The speaker encourages the beloved to “make another self,” likely referring to the idea of procreation, but it could also suggest an emotional rebirth. The couplet ties the continuation of the beloved’s beauty either to themselves or to the legacy they could create. The critical question here is whether the speaker’s plea is driven by personal desire (love of me) or a more altruistic concern for the preservation of beauty. The ambiguity of whether this is a selfish request or one for the beloved’s benefit adds complexity to the speaker’s motivations.
Literary Works Similar to “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
- John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet XIV: Batter my heart, three-person’d God”: Similar in its plea for transformation, Donne’s sonnet uses religious imagery to urge God to break and remake him, paralleling Shakespeare’s appeal for change in the beloved.
- Sir Philip Sidney’s “Astrophel and Stella” (Sonnet 1): Like Shakespeare’s Sonnet 10, this work explores unrequited love and the poet’s emotional turmoil, using persuasive rhetoric to express deep longing and a desire for reciprocation.
- Edmund Spenser’s “Amoretti LXXV” (“One day I wrote her name upon the strand”): Spenser’s sonnet addresses themes of immortality through love and beauty, similar to Shakespeare’s focus on preserving beauty and legacy through love and potential procreation.
- Christina Rossetti’s “Remember“: Rossetti’s poem reflects on themes of love, loss, and remembrance, much like Shakespeare’s sonnet, which focuses on legacy and the enduring nature of beauty through emotional or physical reproduction.
- George Herbert’s “Love (III)“: Herbert’s poem presents an intimate dialogue between the speaker and Love personified, echoing the internal conflict between love and self-destruction found in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 10.
Representative Quotations of “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” | The speaker urges their beloved to acknowledge their feelings of love. | Psychoanalytic Theory: The speaker’s insistence on their beloved’s feelings suggests a desire for recognition and validation. |
| “Who for thyself art so unprovident” | The speaker criticizes their beloved for their self-destructive behavior. | Feminist Theory: The speaker’s concern for their beloved’s well-being can be interpreted as a reflection of patriarchal societal norms. |
| “For thou art so possessed with murderous hate” | The speaker accuses their beloved of being filled with hatred. | New Historicism: The reference to hatred reflects the Elizabethan era’s preoccupation with violence and social unrest. |
| “Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate” | The speaker compares their beloved’s body and mind to a building and suggests that they are trying to destroy it. | Psychoanalytic Theory: The image of destruction suggests underlying anxieties and fears. |
| “O! change thy thought, that I may change my mind” | The speaker pleads with their beloved to change their attitude. | Feminist Theory: The speaker’s submissive tone can be seen as a reflection of patriarchal power dynamics. |
| “Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?” | The speaker asks rhetorically whether hatred is a better dwelling place than love. | Psychoanalytic Theory: The contrast between hate and love suggests internal conflict and unresolved issues. |
| “Be, as thy presence is, gracious and kind” | The speaker urges their beloved to be kind and gracious. | New Historicism: The emphasis on kindness and grace reflects Elizabethan ideals of courtly love. |
| “Make thee another self for love of me” | The speaker asks their beloved to become a better person for the sake of their love. | Feminist Theory: The speaker’s desire for their beloved to change suggests a belief in the transformative power of love. |
| “That beauty still may live in thine or thee” | The speaker suggests that by improving themselves, their beloved can ensure that their beauty and worth will endure. | Psychoanalytic Theory: The focus on beauty and self-preservation suggests underlying anxieties about mortality and decay. |
| “For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” | The speaker’s repetition of this phrase emphasizes the importance of honesty and authenticity in relationships. | New Historicism: The emphasis on honesty reflects Elizabethan values of truthfulness and integrity. |
Suggested Readings: “Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any” by William Shakespeare
- Emerson, Oliver Farrar. “Shakespeare’s Sonneteering.” Studies in Philology, vol. 20, no. 2, 1923, pp. 111–36. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4171848. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
- Schalkwyk, David. “‘She Never Told Her Love’: Embodiment, Textuality, and Silence in Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Plays.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 45, no. 4, 1994, pp. 381–407. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2870963. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
- Bates, Ernest Sutherland. “The Sincerity of Shakespeare’s Sonnets.” Modern Philology, vol. 8, no. 1, 1910, pp. 87–106. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/432499. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
- “Sonnets.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 48, no. 5, 1997, pp. 743–48. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2871362. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
- Crosman, Robert. “Making Love out of Nothing at All: The Issue of Story in Shakespeare’s Procreation Sonnets.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 41, no. 4, 1990, pp. 470–88. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2870777. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.