Read the couplet of "Sonnet 130.”

Question

And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,
As any she belied with false compare.

—“Sonnet 130,”
William Shakespeare

Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the couplet?

The speaker thinks that heaven is more beautiful than his mistress.
The speaker declares that his mistress is as special as heaven.
The speaker thinks that his mistress is common compared to other women.
The speaker continues to make unfavorable comparisons of his mistress

Answer 1

The statement that best summarizes the central idea of the couplet is:

The speaker declares that his mistress is as special as heaven.

In this couplet, the speaker asserts that despite the less flattering descriptions of his mistress, he believes her beauty to be unique and rare, comparable to divine qualities.