Sonnet · Fair Youth Sonnets

Sonnet 91

Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,

Some in their wealth, some in their body’s force,

Some in their garments though new-fangled ill;

Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse;

And every humour hath his adjunct pleasure,

Wherein it finds a joy above the rest:

But these particulars are not my measure,

All these I better in one general best.

Thy love is better than high birth to me,

Richer than wealth, prouder than garments’ costs,

Of more delight than hawks and horses be;

And having thee, of all men’s pride I boast:

Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take

All this away, and me most wretched make.

What it's about

The speaker flips the usual sources of male pride and boasting—birth, wealth, possessions, status—to argue that love itself is the only measure that matters. But the turn at the end darkens this declaration: that devotion is also his deepest vulnerability. He's only rich as long as the beloved stays.

In plain English

Some people pride themselves on their family name, others on their talents, wealth, strength, fashionable clothes, hunting birds, dogs, or fine horses. Each person finds their own particular source of joy and superiority.

But none of those things matter to me. Your love surpasses all of them—it's worth more than noble birth, richer than money, more splendid than expensive fashion, more thrilling than any sport. Having you makes me prouder than any man alive.

The only thing that terrifies me is that you could leave. If you did, I'd lose everything that makes me proud, and nothing would be left but wretchedness.

Lines that stick

All these I better in one general best.
Thy love is better than high birth to me
Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take / All this away, and me most wretched make.

Themes

love
pride
vulnerability
loss
jealousy

Sonnet 91

What it's about

In plain English

Lines that stick

Themes

Tap any word to see it explained.