1. Sonnet 127
By Lonnie Edlin

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.
=

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. Therefore my mistress’ eyes are raven black
This line means that the speaker’s mistress’s eyes are
black.

11. Her eyes so suited, and they mourners
seem
This line means that her eyes look so
good and everyone knows it.

12. At such who, not born fair, no beauty lack,
This line means
that the mistress
was not treated
fairly, but she is
beautiful.

13. 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.

14. Yet so they mourn becoming of their woe;
This line means that everyone was
jealous of the woman.

15. That every tongue says beauty should look
so
This line means that everyone wanted to
look as good as she did.

16. Citations
Akhenaten. "Slave Auction." Nairaland. N.p., 5 Jan. 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-586363.0.html>.
The angle in town. N.d. Marble Sculpture. Louvre.
Black, Kareem. Mark Henry. 2009. Fan Pop. Fanpop inc., 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.fanpop.com/spots/professional-wrestling/images/2286939/title/
mark-henry-photo>.
Black peace sign. 2010. Peace Sign Pictures. peacesignpictures.com, 2010. Web.
24 Feb. 2012. <http://peacesignspictures.com/Black-peace-sign.html>.
Crying. 2010. motifake. motifake.com, 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.motifake.com/137216>.
Darrow, David R. Black Man in Golden Neckshirt. 27 Feb. 2011. Darrow Art.
WordPress, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. <http://www.darrowart.com/wp/
?cat=4>.

17. Citations (Cont.)
Dolphin, Sarah Daniel. Spring Beauty Trends Report. N.d. TC Media. S.E.N.C,
2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ellecanada.com/beauty/
spring-beauty-trends-report/a/27863/2>.
Friendship Between Opposites-Black and White. 2011. Dreamstine. Dreamstime,
2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. <http://www.dreamstime.com/
royalty-free-stock-image-friendship-between-opposites-image6959926>.
Glen. I Am a Jealous God. 1 Mar. 2011. The King's English. N.p., n.d. Web. 27
Feb. 2012. <http://kingsenglish.info/2011/03/01/i-am-a-jealous-god/>.
Lewinsky, Jordan. Change. 27 Apr. 2011. International 50. N.p., 27 Apr. 2011.
Web. 27 Feb. 2012. <http://intentional50.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/
change/>.

18. Citations (Cont.)
No Need For Makeup. 9 Aug. 2011. N.p., 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.davidwygant.com/blog/
you-look-your-best-when-you-don’t-look-your-best/7370/>.
Sad and Ashamed White Man. 2012. Shutter Stock. Shutterstock, 2012. Web. 28 Feb.
2012. <http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-2388866/
stock-photo-sad-person-isolated-on-white.html>.
Slavery in North America. N.d. My Black History 101. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.myblackhistory101.com/slavery-in-north-america/>.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Black Slavery. 1852. Painting. Uncle Sam's Cabin.
Ugly Man. 11 Jan. 2009. Uncyclomedia Commons. Wikia, 27 Jan. 2009. Web. 27 Feb.
2012. <http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ugly_man_2.jpg>.

19. Citations (Cont.)
Yaaban, Nin. Tell Me What Girl Wouldn't Find This Attractive? 15 Nov. 2011.
Somalia Online. N.p., 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.somaliaonline.com/community/showthread.php/
60029-Crying-Men-Attractive-Or-A-Turn-Off>.