Read Shakespeare's "Somet130" My mistress' eyes are nothing like the Coral is far more red, than he If snow be while why the her If hairs be wires, black wires g I have seen roses damaskd red an. white such roses see I in her cheeks And insort nertumes is there more delight Than in the breathal from my mistress reeks llong rear her speak, yet well I know mat music hath a far more pleasing sound I grant I never saw a goddess go - My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground And yet by heaven I think my love as rare. As any she belied with false compare oorts an idea of truth embedded net 130 ? "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun' "If hairs be wires black wires grow on her head. 1 have seen roses damaskd, red and white' "And yet by heaven I think my love as rare'

The idea of truth embedded in Shakespeare's Sonnet 130, which begins "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun," is that **true love doesn't need exaggerated comparisons or idealized portrayals.** The poem satirizes the conventional Petrarchan sonnet, which typically lauded the beloved with hyperbolic similes comparing her features to the sun, coral, snow, and other beautiful things.<br /><br />Shakespeare, by pointedly *denying* these comparisons ("My mistress' eyes are *nothing* like the sun"), highlights the absurdity of such overblown praise. He uses witty deflation to portray his mistress realistically, acknowledging her imperfections. This unconventional approach ultimately strengthens his declaration of love in the final couplet: "And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare / As any she belied with false compare." The truth lies not in the idealized images of conventional poetry, but in genuine appreciation for who a person truly is.<br /><br />The lines you quoted all contribute to this central idea:<br /><br />* **"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun"**: This immediately establishes the poem's rejection of conventional poetic hyperbole.<br />* **"If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head"**: This continues the deflationary humor, acknowledging the plainness of his mistress's hair.<br />* **"I have seen roses damask'd, red and white"**: This sets up a comparison that is then denied, further emphasizing the poem's rejection of idealized imagery.<br />* **"And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare"**: This crucial line asserts the genuine and deep nature of his love, despite (or perhaps because of) his refusal to embellish her qualities.<br /><br />Therefore, the poem argues for a love grounded in reality and honesty, rather than one built on artificial and exaggerated comparisons.<br />