Song Meaning
This sonnet opens with a declaration of unwavering devotion, painting a picture of a love so profound that vows were sealed with tears. The narrator swears their love was absolute, directly linking the endurance of their oaths to the beloved's perceived perpetual warmth and purity. It's a powerful initial statement of absolute commitment, suggesting a love that was meant to be eternal, mirroring the supposed unchanging nature of the beloved.
The central tension arises from the beloved's transformation, which directly invalidates the narrator's sworn allegiance. The lyrics reveal a stark contrast between the initial state of the beloved and their current condition, described as "faithlesse to thy selfe, and Old." This decay is not just physical but seems to represent a loss of virtue or essence, causing the narrator's own vows to "incessantly grew Cold."
The most striking craft lies in the extended metaphor of the beloved's eyes. Initially described as "Ebon Bowes," suggesting dark, alluring beauty, they are now "alter'd White." The narrator then uses the "glorious Light / Of both those Stars" (referring to the eyes) as a former basis for their oath, but notes only "the Gellie's left." This vivid, almost clinical description of aging eyes, where the sparkle is gone and only the "jelly" remains, powerfully illustrates the beloved's decline and the subsequent loss of the narrator's sworn duty.
This writing hits hard because it grounds abstract vows in tangible, physical change. The narrator isn't just breaking a promise; they are responding to a fundamental shift in the object of their affection, a decay that renders their original oaths moot. The shift from "Ebon Bowes" to "alter'd White" and the chilling "Gellie's left" creates a visceral sense of loss and betrayal, making the narrator's final declaration of freedom from their vows feel earned rather than capricious.
View Artist