Whose Shoes Would You Choose? A Comparison of Shakespeare and John Mayer

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Whose Shoes Would You Choose? A Comparison of Shakespeare and John Mayer

“My love is strengthen'd though more weak in seeming;

I love not less, though less the show appear;”

1. These first two lines of Shakespeare's sonnet #102 deal with an aspect of love he does not usually touch on: relationships, or more specifically, the idea of a serious, committed relationship. The relationship he speaks of isn't a blossoming romance, but a relationship that has reached the sometimes dreaded “comfort zone.” A very similar idea is approached in John Mayer's “Comfortable”, in which the singer longs for the comfort of a past love. In these pieces, the two respective writers discuss the advantages to a relationship in this stage, and how sometimes it's better than a newer love. Why wouldn't these writers prefer those newer stage of love, when everything is bright and perfect and new? In the newer stages, serious conflicts have not arisen and a person's flaws and quirks haven't really had a chance to surface yet, so wouldn't you tend to like the person more? Maybe not.

2. This idea could perhaps be compared to buying shoes. There's a certain level of excitement with buying new shoes. They're all shiny and clean, and it's a thrill every time you put them on. You can't wait to show them off, to wear them with everything. They become your favorites. And then, after a few months of wearing them, they get more broken in, and while you may not be so quick to show them off, and they may be a little dirtier and less shiny, they're even more special to you, because these shoes have been places with you and have withstood many miles of walking, jumping, running, whatever. They make your feet feel good, and that makes you feel good, and so months later, you're even more thrilled at your good fortune of finding this outstanding pair of shoes. The same is true for the relationships described in these two pieces. Shakespeare describes a love that has “grown ripe like the summer.” In the beginning, he and his lover were quick to show off their love for each other, and revel in the newness of everything. This is common in new loves; the two involved spend every possible minute together, and are constantly singing the praises of each other to other people.

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