Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (Sonnet 18) / William Shakespeare (1564-1616)/WB Class XII - ENGLISH

 

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (Sonnet 18)

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimmed;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,

Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,

When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.

  So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

  So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Summary of the poem

Sonnet 18 is one of the most famous sonnets written by William Shakespeare. In it, the speaker compares the beauty of his beloved to a summer's day, but ultimately concludes that the beloved is more beautiful and more enduring.

The first quatrain of the sonnet begins with the speaker asking whether he should compare the beloved to a summer's day. He acknowledges that the beloved is lovely, but he also notes that summer's days are often fleeting and can be damaged by rough winds.

The second quatrain continues this comparison, noting that the sun can sometimes be too hot or too dim, and that even the fairest things eventually decline. The speaker suggests that the beloved is different, however, because his beauty is "eternal" and will not fade.

The third quatrain turns to the theme of death. The speaker acknowledges that death will eventually claim the beloved, but he also argues that the beloved's beauty will live on in his poetry. He says that his poems will be "eternal lines" that will give life to the beloved even after he is gone.

The couplet concludes the sonnet with a powerful statement about the power of poetry. The speaker says that as long as men can breathe or eyes can see, his poems will live on and give life to the beloved.

Substance or the poem

The substance of Sonnet 18 is that the speaker's beloved is more beautiful and enduring than a summer's day. The speaker begins by comparing the beloved's beauty to a summer's day, but he quickly notes that summer's days are often fleeting and can be damaged by rough winds. He then goes on to compare the beloved to the sun, noting that the sun can sometimes be too hot or too dim, and that even the fairest things eventually decline. However, the speaker argues that the beloved's beauty is "eternal" and will not fade.

The speaker then turns to the theme of death. He acknowledges that death will eventually claim the beloved, but he also argues that the beloved's beauty will live on in his poetry. He says that his poems will be "eternal lines" that will give life to the beloved even after he is gone.

The couplet concludes the sonnet with a powerful statement about the power of poetry. The speaker says that as long as men can breathe or eyes can see, his poems will live on and give life to the beloved.

In essence, Sonnet 18 is a beautiful and moving poem that celebrates the power of love and the enduring beauty of poetry. It is a reminder that even in the face of death, love and beauty can still triumph.

Central idea of the poem

The central idea of Sonnet 18 is that the power of poetry can immortalize beauty. The speaker compares the beloved's beauty to a summer's day, but he acknowledges that summer's days are fleeting and can be damaged by rough winds. However, he argues that the beloved's beauty is "eternal" and will not fade. He says that his poems will be "eternal lines" that will give life to the beloved even after he is gone.

The couplet concludes the sonnet with a powerful statement about the power of poetry. The speaker says that as long as men can breathe or eyes can see, his poems will live on and give life to the beloved.

The pot says that poetry can transcend death and preserve beauty for all eternity.

 

What idea of immortality do you get from the Sonnet 18?

The idea of immortality in Sonnet 18 is that it can be achieved through the power of poetry.

 The idea of immortality in Sonnet 18 is that poetry can transcend death and preserve beauty for all eternity. It is a reminder that even in the face of death, love and beauty can still triumph.

The speaker is simply saying that his poems will be a lasting testament to the beloved's beauty. They will live on long after the beloved is gone, and they will continue to give life to the beloved's beauty in the hearts of those who read them. The beauty and love are powerful forces that can transcend death. It is also a reminder that poetry is a powerful medium that can capture and preserve beauty for all eternity.

 

Analyse the images used in the poem.

Sonnet 18 is full of vivid imagery that helps to create a sense of the beloved's beauty and the speaker's love for him.

The image of the "darling buds of May." This image suggests the fragility and innocence of the beloved. The buds are young and vulnerable, and they are easily damaged by the "rough winds" of life. This suggests that the beloved is someone who needs to be protected and cherished.

The image of the "eye of heaven." This is a metaphor for the sun, and it suggests the beloved's radiance and power. The sun is the source of all life on Earth, and it is also a symbol of divinity. This suggests that the beloved is someone who is both beautiful and divine.

The image of the "eternal lines." This image suggests that the beloved's beauty will be preserved through the speaker's poetry. The poems will be a lasting testament to the beloved's beauty, and they will continue to give life to the beloved's beauty in the hearts of those who read them.

These are just a few of the many images that are used in Sonnet 18. These images help to create a vivid and memorable portrait of the beloved, and they also help to convey the speaker's love and admiration for him.

 

Discuss the time vs love conflict as presented by the poet in the poem.

The conflict between time and love is a central theme in Sonnet 18. The conflict between time and love in the poem is a conflict between the forces of change and the forces of permanence. Time is a destructive force that can wither away even the most beautiful things. However, love is a creative force that can transcend time and preserve beauty for all eternity.

The speaker of the poem believes that love is stronger than time. He argues that his poems will be a lasting testament to the beloved's beauty, and that they will continue to give life to the beloved's beauty in the hearts of those who read them.

The conflict between time and love is a universal one. We all know that time is a powerful force that can change everything. However, we also know that love is a powerful force that can transcend time. Sonnet 18 is a beautiful and moving poem that celebrates the power of love to triumph over time.

Do you think the poem “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day” is a sonnet? Prove it.

Yes, I do think the poem "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" is a sonnet. It has all the characteristics of a Shakespearean sonnet, including:

14 lines: The poem has 14 lines, which is the standard length for a sonnet.

Iambic pentameter: The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which means that each line has 10 syllables with five pairs of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Rhyme scheme: The poem has a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. This is the standard rhyme scheme for a Shakespearean sonnet.

Turn: The poem has a turn, which is a change in the speaker's argument or tone that usually occurs in the ninth line. In this poem, the turn occurs in line 9, when the speaker says "But thy eternal summer shall not fade."

Couplet: The poem ends with a couplet, which is a two-line stanza that often provides a summary or conclusion to the poem. In this poem, the couplet reinforces the speaker's argument that the beloved's beauty will live on forever.

In addition to these formal characteristics, the poem also has the thematic qualities that are often associated with sonnets. Sonnets typically explore themes of love, loss, beauty, and time. "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" explores all of these themes, and it does so in a way that is both beautiful and moving.

 

Discuss, why Shakespeare has called his friend more temperate than the summer season.

In the first quatrain, the speaker compares the beloved to a summer's day, but he immediately qualifies this comparison by saying that the beloved is "more lovely and more temperate" than a summer's day. The word "temperate" here means "moderate" or "not extreme." This suggests that the beloved's beauty is not as fleeting or as subject to change as the beauty of a summer's day.

The speaker goes on to explain why he believes the beloved is more temperate than a summer's day. He says that summer's days are often "shake[n] by rough winds" and that the sun can sometimes be "too hot" or "too dim." This suggests that the beauty of a summer's day is not always stable or reliable.

In contrast, the speaker argues that the beloved's beauty is "eternal" and will not fade. He says that the beloved's beauty is "not trimmed" by "chance" or "nature's changing course." This suggests that the beloved's beauty is not subject to the same forces of change and decay as the beauty of a summer's day.

The speaker's comparison of the beloved to a summer's day is a way of expressing his love and admiration for the beloved. He is saying that the beloved's beauty is both radiant and enduring. He is also saying that the beloved's beauty is something that he will cherish forever.

Line Questions:

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”-Whom does the poet compare to a summer’s day? What adjective does the poet use for the person compared to? What are the shortcomings of the summer’s day?

In the poem "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?", the poet William Shakespeare compares the beauty of his friend to a summer's day. He uses the adjective "lovely" to describe the person he is comparing to the summer's day.

The shortcomings of the summer's day that the poet mentions are that it can be "too hot" or "too dim", and that it can be "shaken by rough winds". These shortcomings suggest that the beauty of a summer's day is not always stable or reliable.

In contrast, the poet argues that the person he is comparing to the summer's day is "more lovely and more temperate". This suggests that the person's beauty is not as fleeting or as subject to change as the beauty of a summer's day.

 

“Nor shall death brag thou wand ‘rest in his shade

When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st”-Who Who are referred to as ‘Eternal lines? Who will never be perished? How does the poet confirm such bold assertion through lines?

 

In the last couplet of Sonnet 18, the speaker refers to his poems as "eternal lines." He says that these poems will live on for as long as men can breathe or eyes can see. This means that the beloved's beauty will never be perished, as it will be preserved in the speaker's poems.

The poet confirms this bold assertion through the use of imagery and metaphor. He compares his poems to "eternal lines" that will "grow'st" to Time. This suggests that the poems will be immortal and will not be affected by the passage of time.

The poet also uses the metaphor of "shade" to suggest that death will not be able to touch the beloved. He says that the beloved will not "wand ‘rest" in death's shade, because the poems will keep the beloved alive in the hearts of those who read them.

In essence, the poet is saying that his poems will be a lasting testament to the beloved's beauty.

 

“And every fair from fair sometime declines”- what does the two ‘fair’ refer to? How does the fair sometime decline? How does the poet prove his friend is superior to a summer’s day?

In the line "And every fair from fair sometime declines", the two "fair" refer to beauty and the beloved.

 The poet is saying that even the most beautiful things eventually decline or fade. This is because all things are subject to the passage of time and the forces of nature.

The poet proves his friend is superior to a summer's day by arguing that the friend's beauty is eternal. He says that the friend's beauty is "not trimmed" by "chance" or "nature's changing course." This suggests that the friend's beauty is not subject to the same forces of change and decay as the beauty of a summer's day.

In essence, the poet is saying that his friend's beauty is something that will last forever. It is a beauty that is not subject to the forces of time or nature.

 

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”- What does the rough winds do? What does the phrase ‘summer’s lease’ suggest? what are the deficiencies of the summer’s season?

 

The line "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May" describes the destructive power of the wind. The wind can shake the delicate buds of May, causing them to fall to the ground and die. This suggests that the wind is a force of nature that can be destructive, even to the most beautiful things.

The phrase "summer's lease" suggests that summer is a temporary season. It is a time of beauty and growth, but it is also a time that is limited. This is in contrast to the beloved, whose beauty is said to be "eternal".

 

The deficiencies of the summer's season are that it is:

Fleeting: Summer is a short season, and it is always passing away.

Subject to change: The weather can change quickly in summer, from hot to cold, sunny to rainy.

Vulnerable to damage: The beauty of summer can be damaged by the wind, rain, or other natural forces.

In contrast, the beloved's beauty is said to be "eternal". This means that it is not subject to the same forces of change and decay as the summer season. The beloved's beauty will last forever, even after the summer has passed.

 

….. this gives life to thee”-Who is ‘this’ referred to? Who is ‘thee’ here? How does ‘this’ give life to thee?

 

In the line "So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee", the word "this" refers to the speaker's poems. The word "thee" refers to the beloved.

The speaker is saying that his poems will give life to the beloved even after the beloved is gone. This is because the poems will preserve the beloved's beauty and memory for as long as men can breathe or eyes can see.

The speaker's belief in the power of poetry is a powerful one. It is a reminder that beauty and love are powerful forces that can transcend death. It is also a reminder that poetry is a powerful medium that can capture and preserve beauty for all eternity.

In essence, the speaker's poems are a way of keeping the beloved alive. They are a way of ensuring that the beloved's beauty and memory will never be forgotten.

 

What is referred to as the ‘Eye of heaven’? Why according to the poet is his friend’s beauty superior to that of summer?

 

In the first line of Sonnet 18, Shakespeare refers to the sun as the "Eye of heaven." The sun is often seen as a symbol of God or the divine, and Shakespeare is using this imagery to suggest that the beauty of his friend is something that is divine or otherworldly.

The poet believes that his friend's beauty is superior to that of summer because it is more enduring and more perfect. The beauty of summer is fleeting and subject to change, but the beauty of his friend is said to be "eternal." This means that it is not subject to the same forces of change and decay as the beauty of summer.

 

Ganesh Sir 9088611116

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)