SONNET 57Being your slave, what should I do but tend Upon the hours and times of your desire? I have no precious time at all to spend, Nor services to do, till you require. Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hourWhilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you,Nor think the bitterness of absence sour When you have bid your servant once adieu; Nor dare I question with my jealous thought Where you may be, or your affairs suppose, But, like a sad slave, stay and think of noughtSave, where you are how happy you make those. So true a fool is love that in your will, Though you do any thing, he thinks no ill.
In Sonnet 57, the speaker expresses the profound submissiveness and devotion he feels towards his beloved. He describes himself as a slave to her desires, indicating that his time and efforts are entirely dictated by her needs. He reflects on the endless hours he spends waiting for her and the pain of absence he experiences when she is not near. His loyalty and longing highlight the emotional turmoil he endures in his love for her.
The speaker acknowledges the jealousy and insecurity that love can incite but chooses to remain passive rather than question her whereabouts or actions. His love makes him foolishly accepting of any situation, as he finds happiness in her mere existence. In acknowledging this dynamic, Shakespeare delves into the complexities of love, revealing how deep devotion can lead to a state of both joy and sorrow.
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