Sonnet 117

Song Meaning

The speaker confronts accusations of neglect and infidelity, framing them as a test of the beloved's steadfastness. The opening lines lay out the charges: failing to adequately acknowledge the beloved's merits, forgetting to reciprocate affection, and associating with "unknown minds." This paints a picture of a relationship strained by the speaker's perceived wanderings and inattentiveness, suggesting a pattern of "wilfulness and errors." The core tension arises from the speaker's apparent admission of fault, yet simultaneously positioning these failings as a deliberate, albeit harsh, experiment. The speaker acknowledges "frequent been with unknown minds" and "hoisted sail to all the winds," actions that seem designed to move away from the beloved. However, the purpose, according to the speaker, was not genuine betrayal but to "prove / The constancy and virtue of your love." The most striking aspect of the craft here is the speaker's complex rhetorical strategy. They invite judgment and punishment – "Bring me within the level of your frown" – but explicitly forbid a final, destructive "waken'd hate." This suggests a desire for a controlled confrontation, one that allows the beloved's love to be validated through its endurance of the speaker's self-admitted transgressions. The speaker is essentially saying, "Judge me, but know that my distance was a way to measure your unwavering affection." This sonnet's effectiveness lies in its audacious framing of betrayal as a proof of loyalty. The speaker doesn't deny their actions but reinterprets their intent, turning a potential breakup into a demonstration of the beloved's profound and unshakeable devotion. It’s a risky maneuver, placing the burden of proof not on their own fidelity, but on the beloved's capacity to withstand their self-inflicted absence and seemingly erratic behavior.