What does mistress mean in Sonnet 130?

Today, when we use the word “mistress,” it’s usually to refer to a woman who is dating a married man. In Shakespeare, though, it was more general, like “my love” or “my darling.” The speaker jumps right into his anti-love poem, letting us know that this lady’s eyes aren’t like the sun.

How does Shakespeare describe the lady he loves?

In “Sonnet 130,” Shakespeare describes the woman he loves as a real person instead of exaggerating her beauty. At first, his description seems almost insulting. He says that her eyes are dull — not bright like the sun. Her lips are more pale than coral.

What does the poet say about his mistress eyes?

1My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; 2Coral is far more red than her lips’ red; 3If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; 4If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

What does the speaker say about the mistress who is she contrasted with?

In William Shakespeare’s (1564 – 1616) “Sonnet 130”, published 1609 in his book “Shakespeare’s Sonnets”, the speaker talks about his mistress who does not correspond with the ideals of beauty. The speaker compares her with beautiful things, but he cannot find a similarity.

What gender is mistress?

In modern times, the word “mistress” is used primarily to refer to the female lover of a man who is married to another woman; in the case of an unmarried man, it is usual to speak of a “girlfriend” or “partner”. The term “mistress” was originally used as a neutral feminine counterpart to “mister” or “master”.

What is the tone of my mistress eyes?

The tone of the poem is mocking. The tone becomes one of reassurance in the last two lines. The speaker talks about how his true love comes from his mistress’ human attributes. He understands that she is not a goddess or the “ideal woman,” but to him she is everything.

Why then her breasts are dun?

Sonnet 130: My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

What is the tone of the poem my mistress eyes?

What does my mistress when she walks treads on the ground mean?

His mistress isn’t a goddess, she doesn’t fly or soar or float along. She just walks (treads) like a normal person, on the ground. A pretentious poet might say: “My love walks like a goddess,” but we would know that it isn’t true. Has he ever seen a goddess?

What is the attitude of his mistress to the work?

Ans: The attitude of his mistress to the work is that she weeps when she sees doing the task. She tells him that such hard work had never before done by anyone so noble as Ferdinand.

What is the role of a mistress?

A mistress is a relatively long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner, especially when her partner is married.