Shakespeare’s Sonnet #133 “Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan”
Is’ t not enough to torture me alone,
But slave to slavery my sweet’st friend must be?
Sonnet 133
Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan
For that deep wound it gives my friend and me.
Is’ t not enough to torture me alone,
But slave to slavery my sweet’st friend must be?
Me from myself thy cruel eye hath taken,
And my next self thou harder hast engrossed;
Of him, myself, and thee I am forsaken,
A torment thrice threefold thus to be crossed.
Prison my heart in thy steel bosom’s ward,
But then my friend’s heart let my poor heart bail.
Whoe’er keeps me, let my heart be his guard;
Thou canst not then use rigor in my jail.
And yet thou wilt, for I, being pent in thee,
Perforce am thine, and all that is in me.
Reading of Sonnet 133
The images in the YouTube video are from an original 1609 edition of Shake-speares Sonnets held by the British Library. It is one of only thirteen copies in existence. Images courtesy of the Octavo Corporation.
Text from Original 1609 Quarto
Transcription courtesy of University of Virginia Library:
Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groane
For that deepe wound it giues my friend and me;
I’st not ynough to torture me alone,
But slaue to slauery my sweet’st friend must be.
Me from my selfe thy cruell eye hath taken,
And my next selfe thou harder hast ingrossed,
Of him, my selfe, and thee I am forsaken,
A torment thrice three-fold thus to be crossed:
Prison my heart in thy steele bosomes warde,
But then my friends heart let my poore heart bale,
Who ere keepes me, let my heart be his garde,
Thou canst not then vse rigor in my Iaile.
And yet thou wilt, for I being pent in thee,
Perforce am thine and all that is in me.