I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
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 possess'd,
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,
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 remember'd such wealth brings
...That then I scorn to change my state with king.
Plot
- speaker is depressed
- feels shunned from world
- jealous of others' mentality, socialness, skill, and freedom
- kicks himself
- things turn around
- remembers his true love
- realizes his life is as he wishes
Representation of Modern English
Iambic Pantameter
- like most of Shakespeare's sonnet
- ten syllables in each line
- even number of syllables stressed
.........."And look upon myself and curse my fate,"
- three quatrains, followed by a couplet
Sonnets and poems often had ABAB CDCD EFEF GG method, as far as rhyming goes.
When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, .....A
I all alone beweep my outcast state ........................B
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries .....A
And look upon myself and curse my fate, ...............B
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope, ....................C
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd, .......D
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope, ..............C
With what I most enjoy contented least; .......................D
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising, ................E
Haply I think on thee, and then my state, ..........................F
Like to the lark at break of day arising ..............................E
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate; ............F
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings .............G
That then I scorn to change my state with kings. ................G
Human Condition
- speaker is depressed
- shows jealousy towards others' priviliges
........"like him with friends possess'd" (line 6)
........"Wishing me like to one more rich in hope" (line 5)
- speaks of his emotions
- his love brings his life together
Religion
- heaven is decieving to him
- speaker feels unheard
- eventually "sings hymns at heaven's gate;"
- felt rejected from society
- wanted to express his feelings
- hoping to alter people's opinions towards him.
