A woman‘s face with nature‘s own hand painted,
Hast thou, the master mistress of my passion;
A woman‘s gentle heart, but not acquainted
With shifting change, as is false women‘s fashion:

An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling,
Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth;
A man in hue all ‘hues‘ in his controlling,
Which steals men‘s eyes and women‘s souls amazeth.

And for a woman wert thou first created;
Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting,
And by addition me of thee defeated,
By adding one thing to my purpose nothing.

    But since she prick‘d thee out for women‘s pleasure,
    Mine be thy love and thy love‘s use their treasure.

Sonnet explained:

In this beautiful sonnet by William Shakespeare, the poet expresses his deep admiration for a woman whom he sees as a masterpiece created by nature herself. He praises her for having a gentle heart untouched by the fickleness of false women’s fashion and describes her captivating gaze as more bright and less deceitful than others. He refers to the subject as a man in controlling all hues, stealing the admiration of both men and women alike.

The poet playfully suggests that the woman was initially created for the pleasure of women until nature, in its adoration, added something extra to her, rendering her unsuitable for the poet’s (God’s) initial purpose. Nevertheless, he asserts that since nature designated her for women’s delight, he will claim her love and the use of that love as his own treasure.

This sonnet beautifully captures the complexities of love, desire, and the nuanced nature of human relationships, showcasing Shakespeare’s mastery of language and emotion.