Analysis of Sonnet 62: Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye

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



Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye,
And all my soul, and all my every part;
And for this sin there is no remedy,
It is so grounded inward in my heart.
Methinks no face so gracious is as mine,
No shape so true, no truth of such account;
And for my self mine own worth do define,
As I all other in all worths surmount.
But when my glass shows me myself indeed
Beated and chapped with tanned antiquity,
Mine own self-love quite contrary I read;
Self so self-loving were iniquity.
    'Tis thee, myself, that for my self I praise,
    Painting my age with beauty of thy days.


Scheme ABCBDEDEFCGCHH
Poetic Form
Metre 11111111 01110111001 0111111100 1111010011 111110111 1111111101 0111111101 1111001101 111111101 101110100 1111110011 1111000100 111111111 1011110111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 572
Words 111
Sentences 5
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 31
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 440
Words per stanza (avg) 109
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 26, 2023

33 sec read
226

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…

All William Shakespeare poems | William Shakespeare Books

44 fans

Discuss this William Shakespeare poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Sonnet 62: Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/41512/sonnet-62%3A-sin-of-self-love-possesseth-all-mine-eye>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    3
    days
    20
    hours
    25
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Which poet is known for writing "Ode to a Nightingale"?
    A John Keats
    B William Wordsworth
    C Samuel Taylor Coleridge
    D Percy Bysshe Shelley