Sonnet no 106 by William Shakespeare / summary.

Summary

This video provides an insightful summary of Shakespeare's Sonnet 106. It begins by highlighting Shakespeare's vast contributions to English literature, then delves into the sonnet's exploration of beauty across time. The speaker reflects on how poets of the past praised the beauty of men and women, predicting the current beauty of the poet’s beloved. Despite their descriptions, both past poets and the speaker feel inadequate in fully capturing this beauty, with the speaker lamenting that while they can admire it, they lack the words to properly praise it.

Takeaways

• 📚 William Shakespeare is a renowned playwright who wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and two epic poems, influencing the English language greatly.
• ✍️ His works are categorized into comedies, tragedies, and historical plays, while his sonnets are divided into two types: Petrarchan and Shakespearean.
• 📝 Shakespearean sonnets consist of three quatrains (four lines each) and end with a rhymed couplet (two lines).
• 📅 Shakespeare retired from writing in 1616 and passed away three years later at age 52, with many of his works published posthumously in 1623.
• 🕰️ Sonnet 106 reflects on the descriptions of beauty from the past, stating that ancient poets wrote about the physical beauty of men and women, now seen as predictions of the present.
• ✨ The sonnet explores the theme of immortality, comparing past beauty to the present and suggesting that old praises foreshadow the beauty of Shakespeare's beloved.
• 👁️ The 'divining eyes' of ancient poets allowed them to foresee and describe the beauty of Shakespeare's era, though they lacked the skill to fully capture its essence.
• 🎶 Shakespeare laments that while people in the present can observe beauty, they lack the words to adequately express or praise it.
• 📖 The sonnet emphasizes that the beauty described by poets of the past serves as a prophecy for the present, showing the timeless nature of beauty.
• 🤔 The speaker expresses sadness that despite having eyes to witness such beauty, the tongue fails to provide words worthy enough to praise it.

Q & A

What is Sonnet 106 by William Shakespeare primarily about?

Sonnet 106 explores the idea that past poets have written about beauty, and their descriptions seem to predict the beauty of Shakespeare's beloved in the present. The sonnet also discusses how the present generation can admire beauty but struggles to find the words to adequately praise it.

What does 'chronicles of wasted time' refer to in Sonnet 106?

'Chronicles of wasted time' refers to the past, specifically to the historical accounts and poems written about beauty in previous eras. It suggests that while those descriptions were impressive, they fall short of capturing the true beauty Shakespeare sees in the present.

What is meant by 'beauty making beautiful old rhyme'?

The phrase 'beauty making beautiful old rhyme' refers to how past poets created beautiful poems to praise the physical beauty of men and women. These poems focused on describing features like hands, lips, eyes, and brows.

Who is the subject of Sonnet 106?

The subject of Sonnet 106 is Shakespeare’s beloved, often referred to as the 'Dark Lady' in his sonnets. The speaker compares her beauty to the descriptions of beauty from the past and finds that she embodies all the qualities praised by ancient poets.

What does the poet mean by 'prefiguring' in the context of Sonnet 106?

In Sonnet 106, 'prefiguring' means that the poets of the past were unconsciously predicting the beauty of Shakespeare's beloved. Although they were describing the beauty of their own time, it is as if they were foretelling the beauty that the speaker now observes.

Why does the speaker feel that past poets lacked 'skill enough' to fully praise the beloved's beauty?

The speaker feels that while past poets described beauty, they lacked the complete skill to capture the true essence of the beloved's beauty. He implies that the beauty of the beloved is so extraordinary that even their words were insufficient.

What is the meaning of 'we have eyes to wonder but lack tongues to praise'?

This line means that while the speaker and others can observe and admire the beauty of the beloved, they are unable to find the right words to express how beautiful she truly is. They are overwhelmed by her beauty but feel inadequate in articulating it.

How does the speaker relate the beauty of the beloved to the 'antique pen' poets?

The speaker suggests that the poets of the past ('antique pen') wrote about beauty in such a way that they seemed to predict the beauty of the speaker’s beloved. Their writings foreshadow the physical perfection that the speaker sees in the present.

What role does prophecy play in Sonnet 106?

Prophecy plays a significant role in Sonnet 106, as the speaker believes that the poets of the past, though writing about their own era, were actually predicting the beauty of his beloved. Their descriptions seem prophetic, as if they had a vision of the future.

What emotions does the speaker express in the final lines of Sonnet 106?

In the final lines, the speaker expresses a sense of awe and frustration. He is in awe of the beloved's beauty but also frustrated because, despite his admiration, he feels that he cannot adequately express it with words.