By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
‘As an unperfect actor on the stage’, the opening line of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 23, introduces one of Shakespeare’s favourite analogies – the theatrical metaphor – into the Sonnets. But the rest of the poem uses a range of comparisons and images. In this post we’re going to offer some notes towards an analysis of Sonnet 23 and the language and meaning of the poem.
As an unperfect actor on the stage,
Who with his fear is put beside his part,
Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage,
Whose strength’s abundance weakens his own heart;
So I, for fear of trust, forget to say
The perfect ceremony of love’s rite,
And in mine own love’s strength seem to decay,
O’ercharged with burthen of mine own love’s might.