QUICK SUMMARY
Sonnet 87 is Shakespeare’s melancholy meditation on unworthiness and loss. The speaker believes that the beloved is too valuable to belong to him and imagines that their relationship must end. Using the language of legal contracts and ownership, the sonnet suggests that the beloved’s worth exceeds what the speaker deserves. Love becomes something briefly granted but ultimately reclaimed.
Full Poem: Sonnet 87
Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing,
And like enough thou know’st thy estimate:
The charter of thy worth gives thee releasing;
My bonds in thee are all determinate.
For how do I hold thee but by thy granting?
And for that riches where is my deserving?
The cause of this fair gift in me is wanting,
And so my patent back again is swerving.
Thyself thou gav’st, thy own worth then not knowing,
Or me to whom thou gav’st it else mistaking;
So thy great gift, upon misprision growing,
Comes home again, on better judgement making.
Thus have I had thee, as a dream doth flatter,
In sleep a king, but waking no such matter.
Analysis
Sonnet 87 is one of the most somber poems in Shakespeare’s sonnet sequence. The speaker imagines losing the beloved because he believes the beloved’s value exceeds what he deserves. Through imagery drawn from law, contracts, and financial exchange, Shakespeare explores the painful idea that love might be temporary or conditional.
Love as a Contract
The sonnet begins with a farewell. The speaker immediately suggests that the beloved is “too dear” for him to possess.
The word “dear” carries multiple meanings here. It refers both to emotional affection and to high value or cost. The beloved is precious in both senses.
Shakespeare then introduces legal language to describe the relationship. Words such as “charter,” “bonds,” and “estimate” evoke the structure of contracts and agreements.
This metaphor suggests that the relationship operates under conditions similar to ownership or permission.
Possession by Permission
The speaker asks how he can claim the beloved except by the beloved’s consent. His connection to the beloved exists only because the beloved allowed it.
If that permission is withdrawn, the relationship ends.
The speaker describes himself as lacking the “deserving” needed to justify possessing such “riches.”
This comparison reinforces the idea that the beloved’s love was a kind of gift or temporary loan rather than a permanent bond.
A Gift Given in Error
In the third quatrain, the speaker imagines how the relationship began. Perhaps the beloved gave himself without fully understanding his own value.
Alternatively, the beloved may have misunderstood the speaker’s worth.
In either case, the relationship appears to have started under mistaken assumptions.
The phrase “misprision growing” suggests a misunderstanding that has gradually been corrected.
Once the beloved recognizes the error, the gift of love is reclaimed.
The Dream of Love
The final couplet introduces a powerful metaphor. The speaker compares the experience of love to a dream in which he briefly becomes a king.
During sleep, the dream feels real and magnificent. Yet once he awakens, the illusion disappears.
This comparison suggests that the relationship may have been temporary from the beginning.
The speaker experienced a moment of greatness through love, but reality eventually returned.
The Language of Value
One of the central themes of Sonnet 87 is value. Shakespeare repeatedly describes the beloved using economic and legal terms.
The beloved’s worth becomes something measurable and extraordinary. By contrast, the speaker views himself as lacking sufficient merit.
This imbalance creates the emotional conflict of the poem.
Self-Doubt and Unworthiness
Another key theme is the speaker’s sense of unworthiness. He believes that he does not deserve the beloved’s affection.
This self-doubt shapes the entire argument of the sonnet. Rather than blaming the beloved for leaving, the speaker blames himself.
Shakespeare uses this perspective to create a deeply introspective tone.
Love as Temporary Fortune
The dream metaphor suggests that love may sometimes resemble fortune or luck. It appears unexpectedly and brings joy, but it may not last forever.
The speaker accepts that the beloved’s affection may have been a temporary blessing.
This acceptance adds a quiet resignation to the sonnet’s closing lines.
The Power of Illusion
The poem also reflects on how easily human perception can be influenced by hope and imagination.
During the relationship, the speaker may have believed that the love was secure and lasting.
Only later does he recognize how fragile that belief might have been.
Why Sonnet 87 Still Matters
Sonnet 87 continues to resonate because it explores feelings that many people experience in relationships: doubt, insecurity, and the fear of losing someone admired.
Shakespeare expresses these emotions with remarkable honesty and clarity.
The poem captures the moment when love begins to feel uncertain.
Final Thoughts
Sonnet 87 offers a powerful reflection on love, worth, and loss. The speaker imagines that the beloved’s value exceeds what he deserves and prepares to accept separation.
Through metaphors of contracts, wealth, and dreams, Shakespeare explores the fragile nature of human relationships.
The sonnet ultimately portrays love as something precious but uncertain, capable of bringing great joy even if it cannot last forever.