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What do the following "which" and "most" refer to?

“I, measuring his affections by my own, which then most sought where most might not be found, being one too many by my weary self, pursued my humor not pursuing his, and gladly shunned who gladly fled from me.”

I'd appreciate your help.

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    It's a poem (or at least poetic), and, so, is open to interpretation. There is likely also context that's missing. However, the following is possible: (1) which = my affections; (2) most sought = sought to the greatest degree; and (3) most = many people.
    – Jason Bassford
    May 12, 2019 at 9:06
  • You think "most" in "most sought," is an adverb. If so, the relative clause would lack a main verb.
    – Apollyon
    May 12, 2019 at 18:11
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    I've already told you how I interpret it in my previous comment. If you're looking for a literal analysis, you will not find it. As I said, this is either poetry or poetic. It doesn't adhere to regular syntax.
    – Jason Bassford
    May 12, 2019 at 18:15
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    I see now that this is from Shakespeare. You will never succeed in forcing a 21st-century set of grammatical rules onto his 400-year-old poetic writing.
    – Jason Bassford
    May 13, 2019 at 3:51
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    I think the two incidences of "most" have different meanings. Here's how I see it (but I don't have much experience reading Shakespeare, so this might not be right): the first "most" means primarily; the second "most" means most people. The thing that might be hanging you up is "where." Try this: my mood sought, more than anything, a place where nobody, or where few people, would be found.
    – aparente001
    May 13, 2019 at 14:45

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I think the two incidences of "most" have different meanings. Here's how I see it (but I don't have much experience reading Shakespeare, so this might not be right): the first "most" means primarily; the second "most" means most people.

The thing that might be hanging you up is "where." Try this:

my mood sought, more than anything, a place where nobody, or where few people, would be found.

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  • I +1ed this post a while ago, but I thought it worth saying that this answer is very helpful (as well as being accurate, of course). It is obviously well-appreciated by readers and the OP too.
    – Araucaria - Not here any more.
    May 14, 2019 at 12:13

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