Sonnet 29 is the lamantations of one who despised himself or herself until he/she saw once again the object of their devotion. Upon seeing this person, their self-worth rises once again in the final couplet.
In line 9, sonnet 29 takes a pattern typified of sonnets and uses the volta to change the mood from that of someone mourning their lot to rejoicing in their good fortune. This is the same pattern that occurs in sonnet 18, as the poem shifts from describing the physical attributes loved one to the eternal character of the loved one.
Both sonnets are also based on love for a specific person and how that person completely changes the speakers' lives.
Sometimes it is difficult to find the volta in a Shakespearean sonnet because he seems to put them in different places. This one is extremely important because it really does change the whole meaning of the poem. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, the speaker is able to find meaning in another's life. (Although I hope that we don't have to always rely on others in order to not beat ourselves up).
ReplyDeleteThe volta is usually my favorite part of a sonnet (enough that I'm sad when there isn't a volta), and this one is particularly dramatic. It's amazing that in just 14 short lines Shakespeare can carry us through such a varying set of emotions.
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