Comparing and Contrasting Sonnet 130 and Ars Poetica Essay

Change what you manipulate by changing how you see (Huie). This quote relates to praise cxxx, by William Shakespe ar and Ars Poetica, by Archibald Mac Leish. Sonnet single hundred thirty is about the faults of his harlot, but realizes by the end of the rime, that his savor is all that matters. This man did not see his mistress as an ugly woman, but instead saw her as some unmatched whom he chicanes dearly. In a different way, Ars Poetica states that a rime should not mean, but be (MacLeish 23). People who read a verse may try to interpret its real meaning, but there is really postcode to interpret. A metrical composition should just mean what it says. Although some(prenominal) Sonnet 130, by William Shakespeare and Ars Poetica,by Archibald MacLeish have similar themes such as simplicity, and similar devices such as using imagery to describe beauty and nature, they have different meanings, since one song bets to expect a considerable amount from a mistress, and the ot her poem expects nothing of a poem.One similarity between Sonnet 130 and Ars Poetica is their themes of wanting nothing but simplicity in a poem and a mistress (stated in the last couplet), and love and adoration. When reading Sonnet 130 one strength think that this man spends his time complaining about his mistress, and clearly dosent love her, however, by the end of the poem he realizes that his mistress may not be beautiful, but their love is beautiful, and that is all that matters. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare (Shakespeare 13). In Ars Poetica, MacLeish explains that a poem should be wordless (7) and a poem should be motionless in time (9). One might be conf utilise by what the poem is actually trying to say, but he ended the poem by saying, a poem should not mean, but be (23), which was a clearer statement.As was said before, a poem is not something people should over analyze, it should just make you feel the way it does. Almost ike a painting or sculpture, a poe m is not a puzzle, but a mood or a feeling. Both poems seem to have different views on what to expect from a mistress/poem. In Sonnet 130, Shakespeare expects a great deal of things from his mistress. There are twelve lines discussing the disappointment of his mistress eyes, lips, hair, cheeks, breath, voice, and how she walks. Lines such as her eyes are nothing like the sun (Shakespeare 1), her lips are less red than coral, and her hairs are like black wires growing on her head, show how displeased he is at these unattractive qualities. Ars Poetica is alone different in this way. MacLeish says, A poem should be palpable and mute (1), and Dumb as disused medallions to the thumb (3).These words demonstrate how he believes that poetry should be different than what society expects them to be. He wants nothing of a poem, but just believes that poems should be whatever they want to be. Another similarity between Sonnet 130 and Ars Poetica would be that they both use imagery to compare beauty and nature. Sonnet 130 used this device, to demonstrate the nature of beauty through imagery. I have seen roses damaskd, red and white, but no such roses see I in her cheeks (Shakespeare 5). This compares his mistress cheeks to the beauty of a rose.Ars Poetica has many lines that use imagery, one of which compares words to the flight of birds, a poem should be wordless as the flight of birds (MacLeish 7). Both writers did an spick job using imagery to enhance the readers understanding and use descriptive words to make the poem more(prenominal) beautiful and interesting sounding. Ars Poetica and Sonnet 130 are similar in the way that they both have a similar theme of simplicity and adoration. Ars Poetica wanting a poem be in its simplest terms and wanting it to mean only just what it says.Although in Sonnet 130 Shakespeare does seem to expect a lot from a mistress, he states at the end of the poem, that he wants nothing more than the mistress he has. Another similarity is th at they both compare beauty and nature. This device was used purely to entice the reader, and make it easier for the reader to understand. One essential difference between both poems, would be that in Ars Poetica, the poet strongly believes that a poem should be wordless and simple, almost careless. However, in Sonnet 130, Shakespeare spends most of the poem taking about his mistress unattractive qualities and seems quite expectant of a number of things. Analyzing these key similarities and differences are what help the reader understand the poem in a more analyitical way.