Shakespeare Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Summary

This excerpt is William Shakespeare's iconic Sonnet 18, where the speaker compares the beloved to a summer's day, only to argue that the beloved is even more beautiful and enduring. Despite the fleeting nature of summer, with its rough winds and the sun's temperamental appearance, the speaker asserts that the beloved's beauty will never fade. Through the 'eternal lines' of the poem, the beloved's beauty is immortalized, living on as long as humanity can read and appreciate the verse. The sonnet emphasizes the power of poetry to preserve beauty beyond time and death.

Takeaways

• 😀 Shakespeare compares the beauty of the person to a summer's day.
• 😀 The subject of the poem is more lovely and temperate than summer.
• 😀 Summer can be harsh with rough winds and short-lived.
• 😀 The sun's heat can be overwhelming, and its beauty sometimes fades.
• 😀 Natural forces and time can cause beauty to decline.
• 😀 The poem suggests that the subject’s beauty is eternal, unlike nature’s fleeting moments.
• 😀 The subject's summer-like beauty will never fade or lose its charm.
• 😀 Death cannot claim the subject, as their beauty will live on in the poem.
• 😀 The subject's beauty is immortalized in the poem’s “eternal lines.”
• 😀 As long as humanity exists and can perceive beauty, the subject’s beauty will live on through the poem.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Sonnet 18?

The main theme of Sonnet 18 is the beauty and eternal nature of the poet's beloved. It contrasts the temporary nature of a summer day with the lasting beauty of the subject of the poem.

How does the poet describe the summer day in the first line?

The poet compares the subject to a summer's day, but immediately implies that the subject is more lovely and more temperate than a summer day.

What is meant by 'rough winds do shake the darling buds of May'?

This line suggests that summer is not perfect; rough winds in May shake the budding flowers, symbolizing the imperfections in life and nature.

What does the poet mean by 'Summer's lease hath all too short a date'?

The phrase refers to the fleeting nature of summer. 'Lease' implies that summer has a limited time, much like a rental contract that eventually expires.

How does the poet describe the sun's power in the poem?

The poet notes that the sun sometimes becomes too hot, and its 'gold complexion' is often dimmed by clouds or other factors, reflecting the sun's impermanence.

What does the poet say about 'every fair from fair sometime declines'?

The poet acknowledges that all beauty fades over time, whether by chance or due to the natural course of aging, making all things eventually less beautiful.

What does the poet suggest about death in the line 'nor shall death brag thou wander in his shade'?

The poet suggests that death will not have power over the subject's beauty, as the subject's beauty will live on in the poem, defying death's ability to diminish it.

What does 'Eternal lines to time thou growest' mean?

This refers to the poem itself, where the poet suggests that through these written verses, the subject's beauty will remain eternal and continue to grow with time.

How long will the beauty of the subject live according to the poem?

The poet suggests that as long as people breathe or see, the subject's beauty will live on through the poem, making it immortal.

What is the significance of the closing lines, 'so long lives this and this gives life to thee'?

The final lines emphasize the idea that the poem itself will immortalize the subject's beauty. As long as the poem exists, the subject’s beauty will continue to live through it.