These four sonnets are interesting and very different than the ones we looked at today and Monday. In 78, Shakespeare is acknowledging the fact that other writers are starting to use his OOP as their OOP. He seems to be telling the OOP that he should find the most pride in Shakespeare's work because the work of the other poets is only to advance themselves. Shakespeare tells the OOP that he has no art accept for him, his art and love is true. "But thou art all my art, and dost advance/ As high as learning my rude ignorance."
Sonnet 80 definitely takes on a sadder and more defeated tone. Shakespeare is saying that he finds it hard to write about his OOP when he knows other more skilled poets are writing also and getting more praise. He compares them to boats and says that although the OOP's waters are large enough for two, he is the smaller of the boats and less sea worthy. In a way, because of his love, he is more susceptible to a metaphorical shipwreck. Finally he ends telling the OOP that at least the worst that can be said is that love was his downfall.
81 continues this sad theme, but isn't part of the "rival poet" set. This one reminds me of sonnet 55, telling the OOP that he will live on in Shakespeare's verse. The big difference between 55 and 81 is that in the latter Shakespeare talks about himself falling away and dying versus 55's talk of the OOP's mortality.
The last sonnet for today, 88 reminds me of the vanity of the OOP from the first 17 sonnets. Shakespeare is talking of the seemingly inevitable time when he will be scorned and looked down on by the OOP. I am also reminded of sonnet 36 where Shakespeare wants the best for his love even if that means denouncing himself. "Upon thy side against myself I'll fight/ And prove thee virtuous though thou art forsworn." He is saying that his love is so complete and so strong that to make his lover higher in the world's eyes he will submit to being scorned. "Such is my love, to thee I so belong,/ That for thy right myself will bear all wrong."