Sonnet 1 by Edmund Spencer compared to Sonnet 130 by Shakespeare

Sonnet 1 by Edmund Spenser and Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare differ greatly in form, tone, content, meaning, and persona. Shakespeare begins with a rather unflattering attribute; "My mistress' are nothing like the sun" while Spenser, praises his love by wishing he were a book she was reading. <Tab/>Sonnet 1 by Spenser follows a rhyme scheme of his own devising (ababbcbccdcdee) that combines interwoven thoughts. In this sonnet he praises his wife's beauty …

…is along the same lines as "Don't judge a book by its color". On the other hand Spenser believes that his wife is the most beautiful being in the universe and he relates that he would do anything just to have her look at him or his book of sonnets which he wrote for her. <Tab/>Shakespeare breaks his own form while Spenser adheres to a strict form and rhyme scheme.