What does If snow be white why then her breasts are dun?

Answer 1

This phrase is from Shakespeare's Sonnet 130, where the speaker is contrasting his beloved's appearance with traditional poetic conventions. The speaker is acknowledging that his beloved may not fit the idealized beauty standards of the time, but he loves her regardless. The line "If snow be white why then her breasts are dun" is highlighting the imperfections and uniqueness of his beloved, celebrating her individuality over generic comparisons to idealized beauty.

Answer 2

Ah, Shakespeare, always making us ponder life's greatest mysteries. In simpler terms, this line from Sonnet 130 is basically saying, "If snow is white, why are her breasts a different color?" It's a poetic way of highlighting the imperfections and realness of the speaker's lover, rather than comparing her to unattainable standards of beauty. So, in a nutshell, Shakespeare is just keeping it real about love and beauty in his own sassy way.

Answer 3

In less flowery speech: "Her breasts are not nearly as white as snow is, in fact, they're really more a sort of brownish color." It's from one of Shakespeare's sonnets, in which he mocks the tendency of poets speaking of a pretty woman to come up with outrageous comparisons that would, if true, be more indicative of a serious medical condition than the height of beauty.

Answer 4

This line is addressed to a "dark lady" in Shakespeare's Sonnet 130. The speaker is pointing out the difference between traditional love poetry's exaggerated descriptions of beauty and the real, imperfect beauty of his lover. In other words, he is saying that his lover doesn't need to conform to traditional beauty standards to be loved.