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Thread: Sonnet #154

  1. #1
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    Post Sonnet #154

    Sonnet #154

    CLIV.

    The little Love-god lying once asleep
    Laid by his side his heart-inflaming brand,
    Whilst many nymphs that vow'd chaste life to keep
    Came tripping by; but in her maiden hand
    The fairest votary took up that fire
    Which many legions of true hearts had warm'd;
    And so the general of hot desire
    Was sleeping by a virgin hand disarm'd.
    This brand she quenched in a cool well by,
    Which from Love's fire took heat perpetual,
    Growing a bath and healthful remedy
    For men diseased; but I, my mistress' thrall,
    Came there for cure, and this by that I prove,
    Love's fire heats water, water cools not love.


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  2. #2

    Sonnet 154

    There are those who feel that this sonnet, and the preceding one, can be interpreted as indicating that Shakespeare was syphilitic and sought a cure for the condition at a spa: even The Arden Shakespeare suggests that the final line hints at venereal disease. I consider this to be complete nonsense. I would be interested to know what other users of the forum feel about this sonnet.

  3. #3
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    I never liked Shakespeare, and he might have gotten his syphilis in Venice, but definitely, this has nothing to do with it. It's utter nonsense. I think the last line is talking about infatuation and lust. That seems more likely to be the disease infused by the little god.
    Last edited by cafolini; 09-29-2011 at 12:07 AM.

  4. #4
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    Scalding baths were a popular treatment for Syphilis in Shakespeare's time. Doesn't mean he had it, but the idea's not unthinkable. You could say Shakespeare's love is great because it's not quenched in the water of the bath, (The baths in general having been prepared by love's fire). There's quite a lot of stupidly intelligent scholarship, though, that doesn't carefully distinguish between Shakespeare using an idea for material, and Shakespeare rubber-stamping a going trope straight into his book.
    Last edited by Stewed; 10-17-2011 at 07:29 PM.

  5. #5
    confidentially pleased cacian's Avatar
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    I do not know this sonnet.
    The word nymph caught my eye for just a minute.
    I was out with some friends and I asked as the word came up to my head:
    does nymph/nympho means very small person?
    They laughed and said no it did not.
    I know what It means now of course.
    It does irritate me just a bit that Shakespear is allowed to mispell words, considering he was supposed to be the genus of Theatrical literature.
    warm'd.
    disarm'd.
    vow'd
    and then spell
    quenched
    diseased
    I do not follow the inconsistancies in spelling.
    Won't make anymore comments I do not think.
    it may never try
    but when it does it sigh
    it is just that
    good
    it fly

  6. #6
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    Needs moar cowbell

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