Analysis of Sonnet 109: O, never say that I was false of heart

William Shakespeare 1564 (Stratford-upon-Avon) – 1616 (Stratford-upon-Avon)



O, never say that I was false of heart,
Though absence seemed my flame to qualify.
As easy might I from my self depart
As from my soul which in thy breast doth lie.
That is my home of love; if I have ranged,
Like him that travels I return again,
Just to the time, not with the time exchanged,
So that myself bring water for my stain.
Never believe though in my nature reigned
All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,
That it could so preposterously be stained
To leave for nothing all thy sum of good;
    For nothing this wide universe I call
    Save thou, my rose, in it thou art my all.


Scheme ABABCDCEFGFHII
Poetic Form
Metre 1101111111 110111110 1101111101 1111101111 1111111111 1111010101 1101110101 111110111 1001101101 1101011111 1111111 1111011111 110111011 1111011111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 591
Words 118
Sentences 5
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 458
Words per stanza (avg) 116
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 01, 2023

35 sec read
58

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". more…

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