In line 3 it says, “If snow be white, when then her breasts are dun;” meaning her skin skin is grey and dull in some areas. By using metaphor, Shakespeare is able to show us what her skin looks like without having to say it outright. Using comparisons to describe his mistress is what is being done throughout this sonnet and this use of metaphor is another example of it.
By using metaphor differently than usual, this metaphor is very similar to the simile listed above. Comparing two things that are not the same is not the usual way to make a comparison, but in the case of this sonnet, it works well. By creating familiarity for the reader, one is able to easily picture what a dun breast looks like and that was most likely Shakespeare’s focus.
By using metaphor differently than usual, this metaphor is very similar to the simile listed above. Comparing two things that are not the same is not the usual way to make a comparison, but in the case of this sonnet, it works well. By creating familiarity for the reader, one is able to easily picture what a dun breast looks like and that was most likely Shakespeare’s focus.