Shakespeare Sonnet 70

‘That thou art blam’d shall not be thy defect’

Aug 29, 2008

In sonnet 70, the speaker addresses his artist soul, assuaging the pangs it might be feeling from unfair criticism.

First Quatrain: “That thou art blam’d shall not be thy defect”

In the first quatrain of sonnet 70, the speaker addresses his own artist self assuring it that the blame it may incur does not indicate that it is therefore defective. Those who slander always choose what is best, because there is no point in running down what is already unworthy of praise.

Such an attitude may be considered a rationalization, but this speaker, as readers have discovered, is secure in his own self-awareness regarding his art. He knows genuine criticism from mere slander. Whenever a beautiful object appears in nature, its opposite appears to tarnish it. Such is the nature of duality on the earth plane.

Second Quatrain: “So thou be good, slander doth but approve”

The speaker then advises his soul to “be good,” or continue producing good works, worthy art, because “slander doth but approve / Thy worth the greater.” Again, the speaker indicates that scandalous criticism by comparison will only showcase the genuineness of the true artist’s creations.

The worm that seeks out “buds” to suckle seeks “the sweetest,” and the speaker’s art is “pure unstained prime.” It is then a simple matter of logic that such a rare purified art should become a target of unscrupulous critics who endeavor to disparage genuine art in favor of that of an inferior quality.

Third Quatrain: “Thou hast pass’d by the ambush of young days”

The speaker then reminds his artist soul that he is no long a youth starting out in his chosen art field; he is a mature artist, not an adolescent who can be jerked around by fits and starts of high-flown poetic nonsense.

The praise this speaker/poet receives is for the skill he posses; he crafts his sonnets using the best materials and techniques. He does not engage in his art “[t]o tie up envy,” but to produce the best that can be spoken about the spiritual realm as it pertains to the material.

The Couplet: “If some suspect of ill mask’d not thy show”

If unscrupulous shysters did not try to disparage this artist’s creations, he would have to take on the total responsibility of spreading his creations to all those who will, indeed, love his works. While positive criticism works to publicize even the most egregious art, negative or scandalous false criticism can also help publicize the even the best art. The speaker has confidence that his art is genuine and that true art lovers will be able to recognize its worth.

The copyright of the article Shakespeare Sonnet 70 in British Poetry is owned by Linda Sue Grimes. Permission to republish Shakespeare Sonnet 70 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.