rbn+mistress

Here's an example of a paragraph of "your own analysis":
Shakespeare's sonnets are typically written to one of three different people: a rival poet, a young lover, or a "dark" mistress. In this poem the speaker is addressing an older woman, or the mistress. The poem is essentially a list of all the ways this woman is not typically beautiful. At first, then, the poem seems like an insult. The woman's eyes are dull and "nothing like the sun." They lack a sparkle. Likewise, her hair is "wiry" and her breath "reeks." Reading the first twelve lines one would think this is not a love poem at all. Yet, the last two lines of the poem offer a dramatic shift in tone. The speaker admits his love is "rare" and, in spite of all her faults, he loves this woman deeply and with open eyes. In this way the poem reveals a practical side of love, showing that real love need not fit some storybook stereotype. Instead, love will actually be stronger, truer, and rarer if one can accept the flaws of another and love him or her despite these imperfections, and perhaps because of them.

TIP: When writing these paragraphs:

 * Try to include specific lines of the poems as support for your ideas
 * Be sure to explain how the poem reveals a unique "side" or aspect of your chosen theme
 * Use your best language. Proofread!
 * Try to include 6-8 sentences.