Sonnet 127By Lonnie Edlin

In the old age black was not counted fair,

This means that back in the day, black people did not have the same rights as white people did.

Or if it were, it bore not beauty’s name.

This line means that even if people did give black people respect, no one called them beautiful. White people did not like how they looked and did not think that they looked how people were supposed to look.

But now is black beauty’s successive heir,

This line means that now in time, people do think that black people are beautiful, and they do look like humans. They do have a bad reputation because of all the names they got called, but people still consider them people.

And beauty slandered with a bastard shame.This line means that the blacks were discriminated and treated badly because they white people. I think Shakespeare is trying to so that the white people felt embarrassed after they did all the bad things to the black people.

For since each hand hath put on nature’s pow'r,

This line means that everyone has disgusted the world by doing terrible things to black people, just because of there skin color. I think Shakespeare really wants people to know about their mistake.

Fairing the foul with art’s false borrowed face,

This line means that people have been doing bad things to people who are a work of art, and so is everyone.

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Sweet beauty hath no name, no holy bow'r,

This line means that being beautiful means that you are nice to the world and appreciate everything.

But is profaned, if not lives in disgrace.

This line means that in order to be beautiful, you have to be nice to everyone and respect things.

Therefore my mistress’ eyes are raven black

This line means that the speaker’s mistress’s eyes are black.

Her eyes so suited, and they mourners seem

This line means that her eyes look so good and everyone knows it.

At such who, not born fair, no beauty lack,

This line means that the mistress was not treated fairly, but she is beautiful.

Sland'ring creation with a false esteem.

This line means that she was raised with no rights, but she needs to have a better control of her actions.

Yet so they mourn becoming of their woe;

This line means that everyone was jealous of the woman.

That every tongue says beauty should look so

This line means that everyone wanted to look as good as she did.

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