Scholars and critics have created three thematic categories of the 154 Shakespeare sonnets: 1-17 are labeled “the marriage sonnets,” 18-126 are called “the young man sonnets,” and 127-154 are the “dark lady sonnets.” These categories are not ironclad and indisputable, and it can be argued that certain sonnets may be transposed from one category to another.
The “young man sonnets” are especially problematic, because there is no actual imagery of a “young man” in the poems, which, in fact, reflect the speaker’s spiritual dedication to his creativity and writing.
The “dark lady” sonnet sequence begins with sonnet 127 and continues through to the final sonnet 154. These sonnets, while clearly containing imagery of an actual dark-haired, dark-skinned woman, may also be read as “dark mood” sonnets.
First Quatrain: “In the old age black was not counted fair”
The speaker begins sonnet 127, claiming that in earlier times “black was not counted fair.” The statement presents a paradox, because “black” as a color is not fair or light; it is dark, and it would have been dark even “in the old age” or earlier times. But upon reflection and awareness that the term “fair” also means pleasant, attractive, honest, or favorable, the reader understands that the speaker is referring to one or all of those qualities.
The speaker refers to the notion that light-skinned, blonde women were held in higher esteem than dark-skinned, raven-haired women. This fact, of course, simply reflects the part of the world where the speaker resides—in a zone where less sun would encourage less melanin production in human skin and hair.
The object of Petrarchan sonnets, “Laura,” is described as “fair-haired,” and some of the “dark lady” sonnets protest against the idealization of women found in these and earlier highly romanticized poems. The speaker thus asserts that although black used to be denigrated, now it is “beauty’s successive heir.” But also “beauty [is] slandered with a bastard’s shame.”
Second Quatrain: “For since each hand hath put on Nature’s power”
The standard for “beauty” has lost its naturalness, probably because of the use of wigs and hair dye, rouges, lipsticks, and mascara. A woman using these cosmetics can change her true hair color, and that falseness makes a “bastard” of true beauty: “Sweet beauty hath no name, no holy bower.”
The speaker decries anything artificial, as the reader has encountered in earlier sonnets; thus, he now wishes to advocate for what is natural and demand that beauty be based on reality not cosmetics.
Third Quatrain: “Therefore my mistress’ brows are raven black”
The speaker then introduces his lady friend as a raven-haired beauty with dark eyes, and insists that her naturalness was “not born fair” but still “no beauty lack[s].” Her beauty “slander[s] creation with a false esteem.” Her beauty demolishes that notion that the fake blonde is more beautiful than the natural brunette.
The Couplet: “Yet so they mourn, becoming of their woe”
The dark-haired, dark-skinned beauties do not mourn to be light-haired and light-skinned because they are able to demonstrate true, natural beauty that makes people realize that all beauty should be natural and untouched: “every tongue says beauty should look so.”
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