QUOTATION: Love is too young to know what conscience is,
Yet who knows not conscience is born of love?
Then, gentle cheater, urge not my amiss,
Lest guilty of my faults, thy sweet self prove.
For, thou betraying me, I do betray
My nobler part to my gross body’s treason;
My soul doth tell my body that he may
Triumph in love: flesh stays no farther reason,
But rising at thy name doth point out thee
As his triumphant prize. Proud of this pride,
He is contented thy poor drudge to be,
To stand in thy affairs, fall by thy side.
No want of conscience hold it that I call
Her “love” for whose dear love I rise and fall.
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British poet. Love is too young to know what conscience is (l. 1–14). . .
2006-06-28 07:43:07 · 7 answers · asked by Inquisitive 5 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
By the way- I'm not in school and this isn't homework. Thanks in advance.
2006-06-28 07:43:47 · update #1
This is more than a quote, it's a whole sonnet (151, to be precise)!
This is one of Shakespeare's most sexually explicit sonnets, as you'll notice one of the strongest themes is imagery of rising and falling (of the penis). My interpretation of the basic train of thought: Cupid (love) may not be aware (conscious), but it makes me so. If she (a woman he's in lust, but probably not love, with, who is not his wife) encourages his attraction, it causes it causes his body's gross physical drive for sex to overcome his moral resistance, and he gets turned on and willing to do whatever she asks (especially if she asks for sex). Therefore he is justified in calling her "love" because it's Cupid's fault he's the victim of his sex drive.
You can also find some interesting analyses with a google search for "sonnet 151". One of the best is: http://www.shakespeares-sonnets.com/151comm.htm
2006-07-02 17:42:33 · answer #1 · answered by Ms. Tyrrell 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's not exactly clear what Shakespeare was talking about, because there's no background information available for this sonnet. However, if it's somewhat literally interpreted, it sounds as if the person speaking (the man) is unable to control his sexual feelings for the woman and has given up trying, and blames love for "having no conscience" (regrets) in the matter. He tells her he is content to be a prisoner of his body's response to the woman, even though he does not really love her and has little or no intention of making any sort of feelings permanent.
In other words, he's a guy, he's turned on, he's not interested in commitment and he says it's because he can't help himself, proving once again that not much has changed in 500 years!
:)
2006-06-28 08:00:21 · answer #2 · answered by Christin K 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the jist is, love is blind or it has no conscience. He talks about even when the person is betraying him he betrays himself for still loving them. He says that even the mention of his loves name makes him excited and is a "triumphant prize". Then finally he talks about how love can make u do anything-"whose dear love I rise and fall" I haven't a clue if this is right but I gave it my best shot..
2006-06-28 07:51:36 · answer #3 · answered by flowers_inthewindow 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A passion that is just being seen, and the questions that a new love invokes inside of the speaker to himself and his lover. At least I think so lol.
2006-06-28 07:50:23 · answer #4 · answered by Kota 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pop says it means, "Hey babe, ya wanna boogie?" And he oughta know.
2006-06-28 08:42:23 · answer #5 · answered by mompopandapplepie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's one on his sonnets. CLI in roman numerals.
2006-06-28 07:50:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
he is talking about losing your virginity
2006-06-28 07:47:00 · answer #7 · answered by whateva 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋