i.e., being late autumn or early winter.
compare (5.3.23) "my way of life/is fall'n into the sere, the yellow leaf."
a reference to the remains of a church or, more specifically, a chancel, stripped of its roof and exposed to the elements. The choirs formerly rang with the sounds of 'sweet birds'. Some argue that lines 3 and 4 should be read without pause -- the 'yellow leaves' shake against the 'cold/Bare ruin'd choirs.' If we assume the adjective 'cold' modifies 'Bare ruin'd choirs', then the image becomes more concrete -- those boughs are sweeping against the ruins of the church. Some editors, however, choose to insert 'like' into the opening of line 4, thus changing the passage to mean 'the boughs of the yellow leaves shake against the cold like the jagged arches of the choir stand exposed to the cold.' Noted 18th-century scholar George Steevens commented that this image "was probably suggested to Shakespeare by our desolated monasteries. The resemblance between the vaulting of a Gothic isle [sic] and an avenue of trees whose upper branches meet and form an arch overhead, is too striking not to be acknowledged. When the roof of the one is shattered, and the boughs of the other leafless, the comparison becomes more solemn and picturesque" (Quoted in Smith, p. 148).
a metaphor for death itself. As 'black night' closes in around the remaining light of the day, so too does death close in around the poet.
i.e. 'black night' or 'sleep.' refers to sleep as "The death of each day's life" (2.2.49).
The following is a brilliant paraphrase by early 20th-century scholar Kellner: "As the fire goes out when the wood which has been feeding it is consumed, so is life extinguished when the strength of youth is past." (Quoted in Rollins, p. 191)
i.e., the poet's desires.
i.e., the demise of the poet's youth and passion.
The meaning of this phrase and of the concluding couplet has caused much debate. Is the poet saying that the young man now understands that he will lose his own youth and passion, after listening to the lamentations in the three preceding quatrains? Or is the poet saying that the young man now is aware of the poet's imminent demise, and this knowledge makes the young man's love for the poet stronger because he might soon lose him? What must the young man give up before long -- his youth or his friend? For more on this dilemma please see the commentary below.
Sonnets 71-74 are typically analyzed as a group, linked by the poet's thoughts of his own mortality. However, Sonnet 73 contains many of the themes common throughout the entire body of sonnets, including the ravages of time on one's physical well-being and the mental anguish associated with moving further from youth and closer to death. Time's destruction of great monuments juxtaposed with the effects of age on human beings is a convention seen before, most notably in .
The poet is preparing his young friend, not for the approaching literal death of his body, but the metaphorical death of his youth and passion. The poet's deep insecurities swell irrepressibly as he concludes that the young man is now focused only on the signs of his aging -- as the poet surely is himself. This is illustrated by the linear development of the three quatrains. The first two quatrains establish what the poet perceives the young man now sees as he looks at the poet: those yellow leaves and bare boughs, and the faint afterglow of the fading sun. The third quatrain reveals that the poet is speaking not of his impending physical death, but the death of his youth and subsequently his youthful desires -- those very things which sustained his relationship with the young man.
Throughout the 126 sonnets addressed to the young man the poet tries repeatedly to impart his wisdom of Time's wrath, and more specifically, the sad truth that time will have the same effects on the young man as it has upon the poet. And as we see in the concluding couplet of Sonnet 73, the poet has this time succeeded. The young man now understands the importance of his own youth, which he will be forced to 'leave ere long' (14).
It must be reiterated that some critics assume the young man 'perceives' not the future loss of his own youth, but the approaching loss of the poet, his dear friend. This would then mean that the poet is speaking of his death in the literal sense. Feuillerat argues that , p. 72) This interpretation is less popular because it is now generally accepted that all 154 sonnets were composed before 1600, so Shakespeare would have been no older than thirty-six. However, the sonnets were not initially printed in the order we now accept them, and an error in sequence is very possible.
Sonnet 73 is one of Shakespeare's most famous works, but it has prompted both tremendous praise and sharp criticism. Included here are excerpts from commentaries by two noted Shakespearean scholars, John Barryman and John Crowe Ransom: -- entirely deprived of life, in prospect, and even now a merely objective "that," like a third-person corpse! -- the poet. The imagery begins and continues as visual -- yellow, sunset, glowing -- and one by one these are destroyed; but also in the first quatrain one heard , which disappears there; and from the couplet imagery of every kind is excluded, as if the sense were indeed dead, and only abstract, posthumous statement is possible. A year seems short enough; yet ironically the day, and then the fire, makes it in retrospect seem long, and the final immediate triumph of the poem's imagination is that in the last line about the year, line 4, an immense vista is indeed invoked -- that the desolate monasteries strewn over England, sacked in Henry's reign, where 'late' -- not so long ago! a terrible foreglance into the tiny coming times of the poem -- the choirs of monks lifted their little and brief voices, in ignorance of what was coming -- as the poet would be doing now, except that this poem . Instinct is here, after all, a kind of thought. This is one of the best poems in English.
(John Berryman, )
The structure is good, the three quatrains offering distinct yet equivalent figures for the time of life of the unsuccessful and to-be-pitied lover. But the first quatrain is the boldest, and the effect of the whole is slightly anti-climactic. Within this quatrain I think I detect a thing which often characterizes Shakespeare's work within the metaphysical style: he is unwilling to renounce the benefit of his earlier style, which consisted in the breadth of the associations; that is, he will not quite risk the power of a single figure but compounds the figures. I refer to the two images about the boughs. It is one thing to have the boughs shaking against the cold, and in that capacity they carry very well the fact of the old rejected lover; it is another thing to represent them as ruined choirs where the birds no longer sing. The latter is a just representation of the lover too, and indeed a subtler and richer one, but the two images cannot, in logical rigor, co-exist. Therefore I deprecate . And I believe everybody will deprecate . This term is not an objective image at all, but a term to be located at the subjective pole of the experience; it expects to satisfy a feeling by naming it (this is, by just having it) and is a pure sentimentalism.
(John Crowe Ransom, ). For more on how the sonnets are grouped, please see the .
Shakespeare, William. . Ed. Amanda Mabillard. . 8 Dec. 2012. Berryman, John. . Ed. John Haffenden. New York: Farrar, Straus And Giroux, 1999.
Feuillerat, Albert. . New Haven: Yale University Press, 1953.
Forrest, H. T. S. . London: Chapman & Dodd, Ltd., 1923.
Shakespeare, William. . Ed. H. Rollins. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1944.
Smith, Hallett. . San Marino: Huntington Library, 1981. ______
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| , is to treat of things not as they , but as they ; not as they exist in themselves, but as they to exist to the , and to the ." According to Wordsworth, Sonnet 73, for its "merits of thought and language" is one of Shakespeare's greatest poems. | By William ShakespeareSonnet 73, ‘That time of year thou mayst in me behold’, explores love’s resilience in the face of human transience. William Shakespeare Nationality: English His plays and poems are read all over the world. Key Poem InformationUnlock more with Poetry + Central Message: The enduring power of love can triumph over the melancholy of mortality during old age Themes: Aging , Death , Love Speaker: Unknown, likely a male Emotions Evoked: Compassion , Empathy , Love for Him , Optimism , Passion Poetic Form: Shakespearean Sonnet Time Period: 16th Century Sonnet 73, with profound emotional depth, is a meticulous portrayal of the dynamics of aging, mortality, and love condensed in fourteen lines presenting the intricate poetic brilliance of William Shakespeare.  Poem Analyzed by Julieta Abella B.A. Honors, M.A., and Ph.D. in English Literature Sonnet 73 is part of Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets . Moreover, this sonnet is part of the Fair Youth sequence, a series of poems (from sonnets 1 to 126) that are addressed to an unnamed young man. The Fair Youth sequence has strong romantic language that portrays intense imagery . Particularly, Sonnet 73 focuses on old age and is addressed to a friend (the unnamed young man). Moreover, Sonnet 73 is a Shakespearean sonnet . This means that the poem has three quatrains and a final rhyming couplet . It has an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme , and it is composed in iambic pentameter (except for line 8, that starts with a stressed syllable to emphasize Death). The main theme in Sonnet 73 is the process of aging and how the lyrical voice feels about it. Most of the poem is introspective with a pensive tone , but the final couplet addresses the unnamed young man directly. Log in or join Poetry + to access Poem Printable PDFs.  Sonnet 73 AnalysisThat time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In the four lines, the lyrical voice constructs a metaphor in order to characterize the nature of old age. Throughout these first lines, the lyrical voice relates old age to a particular “time of the year”. First, old age is portrayed as autumn, where “yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang”. The lyrical voice suggests that aging is similar to the moment of the year when the leaves have almost completely fallen, the weather is cold, and the birds left their branches. This metaphor emphasizes the harshness and emptiness of old age. This can be read, especially when the lyrical voice says that “boughs […] shake against the cold” and “Bare ruin’d choirs”. Sonnet 73 portrays the lyrical voice’s anxieties towards aging, and, in the first four lines, the lyrical voice seems to be implying that autumn is the particular time of the year when death occurs. Moreover, the lyrical voice compares his aging process to nature and, particularly, to autumn. In me thou seest the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west, Which by and by black night doth take away, Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest. In the next set of lines, the lyrical voice compares the process of aging to the twilight. As the lyrical voice feels troubled about aging, he/she uses another metaphor to describe how he/she feels towards old age. The lyrical voice says that old age is similar to the twilight, as it can be seen in him/her (“In me thou seest the twilight of such day”). Then, a particular scenario is described, where the sun fades (“As after sunset fadeth in the west”) and night approaches (“Which by and by black night doth take away”). This metaphor emphasizes the gradual fading of youth as the twilight shifts to night “by and by”. Notice that, in the final line, death is directly related to this particular time of the day (“Death’s second self”), and it is described as the one that brings eternal rest (“seals up all in the rest”). As in the first four lines, these lines portray aging as the end of a cycle. In the first four lines, this cycle is represented by the different natural seasons, and in lines 5-8, the cycle is represented by the moments of the day. In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire, That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the death-bed, whereon it must expire, Consumed with that which it was nourish’d by. In these lines, the lyrical voice compares him/herself to ashes. The lyrical voice mentions that there are remains of a fire in him/her (“In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire/That on the ashes of his youth doth lie”). This fire represents youth, and, according to the lyrical voice, it will soon be consumed. Again, this metaphor shows the lyrical voice’s troubled thoughts about aging. Notice the lyrical voice’s emphasis on the consummation of this fire: “As the death-bed wereon it must expire/Consumed with that which it was nourish’d by”. Lines 13-14This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which thou must leave ere long. In the final couplet, the lyrical voice defines a purpose. The lyrical voice notices that his/her love for his/her significant other grows stronger as he/she ages and despite old age. The couplet addresses this young unnamed man from the Fair Youth sequence (“thou”). The lyrical voice tells this young man to strengthen his love and to understand everything that he/she has said throughout (“This thou perceives, which makes thy love more strong”). The possibility of dying in old age emphasizes the need to love even more than before (“To love that well”), taking into account that he or the loved one could soon part from the world. About William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was baptized in 1564 and died in 1616. He was an English poet, playwright, and actor. He is known as the greatest writer of the English language and as the most exceptional dramatist of all time. Moreover, William Shakespeare is often referred to as England’s National Poet, and his works include 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long poems, and other texts and collaborations. Between 1585 and 1592, William Shakespeare started a successful career in London as an actor and writer. Also, he was a part-owner of a company called Lord Chamberlain’s Men. During those years, Shakespeare wrote most of his famous work. His first plays were mostly comedies , but his later works were tragedies , including Hamlet , Othello , King Lear , and Macbeth , as his most remarkable plays. William Shakespeare wrote tragedies until 1608, and after that, he wrote tragicomedies and collaborations with other writers. In 1613, when he was 49 years of age, William Shakespeare retired to Stratford. He died three years later, in 1616. Most of his plays were published during his lifetime. However, they were printed in a variety of qualities and with several variations. Nevertheless, in 1623, John Heminges and Henry Condell, who were Shakespeare’s friends and colleagues, published a more precise text known as the First Folio. The First Folio is a collected edition of Shakespeare’s dramatic works that includes most of the plays recognized as written by Shakespeare. It has a preface with a poem written by Ben Jonson. Poetry + Review Corner16th century, love for him, alliteration, shakespearean sonnet. Log in or join Poetry + to access all PDF Resources for this Poem, and more .  Home » William Shakespeare » Sonnet 73: That time of year thou mayst in me behold  About Julieta AbellaJoin the poetry chatter and comment. Exclusive to Poetry + Members Join ConversationsShare your thoughts and be part of engaging discussions. Expert RepliesGet personalized insights from our Qualified Poetry Experts. Connect with Poetry LoversBuild connections with like-minded individuals.  It should read “When yellow leaves are few then none did hang”. That is natures process.  Every copy I have found of the poem seems to suggest we have the correct wording? Fantastic analysis of the poem! Immensely helpful to both UG & PG students. Lots of thanks, Julieta. You are quite welcome. Glad we are helping! I like shakespeare’s Sonnet 73 for reflecting how aging make us feel. It is as though we wuold always wish to remain young throughout and this contradicts the rules of nature. I prefer shakespeare’s poetry specially tha which is frequently used in judgements by supreme court justices. It Is? I love his poetry, but honestly I prefer his plays! When it comes to literature the man was the frigging don though. Absolute legend. Access the Complete PDF Guide of this Poem  Poetry+ PDF Guides are designed to be the ultimate PDF Guides for poetry. The PDF Guide consists of a front cover, table of contents, with the full analysis, including the Poetry+ Review Corner and numerically referenced literary terms, plus much more. Get the PDF Guide Experts in PoetryOur work is created by a team of talented poetry experts, to provide an in-depth look into poetry, like no other. Cite This PageAbella, Julieta. "Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/william-shakespeare/sonnet-73/ . Accessed 28 July 2024.  Help Center Request an Analysis (not a member? Join now) Poem PDF Guides PDF Learning Library Beyond the Verse Podcast Poetry Archives Poetry Explained Poet Biographies Useful LinksPoem Explorer Poem Generator [email protected] Poem Solutions Limited, International House, 36-38 Cornhill, London, EC3V 3NG, United Kingdom Discover and learn about the greatest poetry, straight to your inbox Unlock the Secrets to Poetry Download Poetry PDFs Guides Complete Poetry PDF Guide Perfect Offline Resource Covers Everything Need to Know One-pager 'snapshot' PDF Offline Resource Gateway to deeper understanding Get this Poem Analysis as an Offline Resource Poetry+ PDF Guides are designed to be the ultimate PDF Guides for poetry. The PDF Guide contains everything to understand poetry.  Analysis Pages- Alliteration
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Themes in Sonnet 73Themes examples in sonnet 73:. "love..." See in text (Sonnet 73) “Love” here could reference multiple ideas that the poem has brought up. The lost “love” could be the speaker, who will die and leave the youth behind. It could also reference the youth’s own life and beauty. This second reading of the line makes the poem a commentary on the ephemerality of all life, not just his own. All men, even the youth, cherish their lives because their lives will inevitably end in death. Subscribe to unlock » "that..." See in text (Sonnet 73) The use of “that” allows the final couplet’s sentiment to resonate on two registers. “That” refers to the speaker himself, the object well loved by the fair youth. The language is vague enough that the specific characters disappear. “That” also refers, more broadly, to all that one “must leave ere long.” In a similar way, we can read “thou” as a hypothetical you, a nod to all. Thus, the couplet offers a universal meditation: as humans, we love most those we must soon leave. "thy love..." See in text (Sonnet 73) The reader’s understanding of “this” affects their reading of “thy love.” If “this” is the speaker’s love for the youth, then “thy love” could refer to the youth’s love for the speaker: the speaker’s portrayal of his consuming love makes the youth love him more. If “this” is the speaker’s aging, then “thy love” could refer to the youth’s self-love or narcissistic love of his beauty: in watching the speaker age, the youth loves his youth even more. “Thy love” could also be a syntactically fraught way of saying my love for you , “thy” characterizes rather than possesses “love”, which would mean that the youth’s ability to perceive the speaker’s internal anguish makes the speaker’s love for him more strong. "rest..." See in text (Sonnet 73) While “rest” furthers the metaphor of sleep, it necessarily describes the oblivion of death as well. The notion that death might be “rest” offers a positive perspective on the speaker’s eventual fate. Indeed, in Sonnet 73 the speaker takes a resigned, rather than combative, stance against his primary foes—time and death. "seals up..." See in text (Sonnet 73) “Seals up” carries connotations of both death and sleep. In death, a coffin “seals up” the deceased. “Seals” also suggests “to seel,” an archaic form that applies specifically to the sealing of eyes to prevent sight. Sight is an important conceit in the poem—“thou mayst in me behold”—and defines the relationship between the speaker and the fair youth. Thus the notion of being blinded in death emphasizes the eventual separation. "against the cold..." See in text (Sonnet 73) The printing press arrived in England in 1476 with printer William Caxton. It was revolutionary technology that allowed writers to reach mass audiences and preserve their work for generations. By juxtaposing print metaphors with winter, the speaker suggests that his printing endeavor has failed. “None” or “few” of his “leaves,” pages of poetry, survive against “the cold;” the “choirs,” collection of leaves in a book, are ruined. In combining images of winter with comparisons to books, the speaker reveals his worry that his poetry will not survive when it is printed; his poetry is just as subject to death as his body. Website navigation Shakespeare's Sonnets - Sonnet 73Download shakespeare's sonnets. Last updated: Fri, Jul 31, 2015 - PDF Download as PDF
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Navigate this workThe poet describes himself as nearing the end of his life. He imagines the beloved’s love for him growing stronger in the face of that death. Stay connectedFind out what’s on, read our latest stories, and learn how you can get involved. Themes and Devices in Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 73” Essay- To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
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William Shakespeare has always been my favorite poet, therefore, if I have an opportunity to analyze his poems, I always do it during my classes. It is always interesting to find something new in the lines which have managed to become close to me and to my understanding of the world. The choice of Shakespeare’s poem for analysis was also because it contains many metaphors. Speaking about figurative analysis, it is important to check whether a poem has metaphors and other devices. Shakespeare’s language has always been full of language devices, therefore any of his poems are great in the analysis. Trying to make the discussion as effective as possible, I chose the poem full of figures and which may be easily considered from this perspective. Speaking about the main metaphor in the poem, it is the old age and the death of the main character. Connecting these life processes with nature, the author creates a great parallel between autumn as the old age of a person and winter death. Imagining autumn, many people think about a close end of something warm. Such a parallel the author draws is not a surprise, as many authors tried to connect winter with the death, however, the idea of old age to present in the form of autumn is a new one. Shakespeare writes, That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruined choirs, where late, the sweet birds sang (Shakespeare, n.d.). These are the first lines of the poem. The author gets acquainted the reader with the main character of an old age, whose life has almost finished. These lines show that the main character wants nothing, he just flows in the stream, and nothing new interests him/her. Describing in such a way human elderly age, Shakespeare shows that people usually know that winter (or the death) is close, and they just wait for it. It is important to try to imagine the autumn discussed by the author and to try to relate the discussion to the human being. The first line, “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” (Shakespeare, n.d.) is the way how the author presents the theme of his discussion and the way how human life is positioned. Reading the poem, people understand from the first lines that the seasons are the periods of human life. Looking at nature, it really seems to express the life cycle of a person when the end of life in autumn with the winter-death. The second stanza represents the very death of the character, In me, thou seest the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west, Which by and by black night doth take away, Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest (Shakespeare, n.d.). “Black night” is the expression which the author presents as the exact description of the death. Therefore, it may be concluded that the author gives effective metaphors in describing the death which may not be avoided. Stating that the winter is the final stage in the life of a person, Shakespeare strengthens his metaphor with calling the death night. Therefore, when winter comes, a person dies, at night, the part of the day which seems the most strange and mysterious for people. Night is the time when all people go away. The mystery of night is used for expressing human death as death and night are the most mysterious issues in human life. When night comes and the moon is absent, nothing is seen. The same is with death, when a person dies, the darkness appears for him/her and cold is everywhere. Therefore, the author refers to winter night expressing death. Unexpectedly, the author speaks about love, This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which thou must leave ere long (Shakespeare, n.d.). It seems that this topic has been chosen for making people love their life. The author wants to say that love is more than death and old age. Reading the poem from these lines, the mood becomes better and it seems that the life is fulfilled with many moments which make it impressive and interesting. The issue of love in the poem is discussed from the point of view of the life cycle as well. Shakespeare states that people have to live when they have an opportunity; people have to understand that life is not that long and it may be too late to enjoy this light feeling. Therefore, the author advises to fall in love as much as possible and to love when people have a chance. Speaking about the effectiveness and the contribution of the figurative language to the poem, it should be stated that the process of grooving older represented by the seasons of the year has always been used by different authors. It is obvious that the life cycle of a person is similar to the weather of the seasons. Applying to this particular metaphor, the author strengthens his discussion. The weather of the autumn and the weather of winter are the main characteristic features which make this poem strong. The importance of figurative language cannot be overestimated. First of all, the metaphor makes the picture clearer. The author does not just say that he discusses an elderly period of human life, he tries to show how it happens. Using the nature, the author does all possible to make people imagine elderly age. Therefore, when it comes to the discussion of the elderly age many people do not understand what it means as being young no one thinks about it. The expression of love is also effective as the author unites three themes when love is mentioned. Therefore, the author tries to create dependence between love, old age and death by means of showing that when people are young they are not interested in their future and only having become older and having appeared on the threshold of death the lost opportunities and the passed love becomes the center of their interest. In conclusion, it should be stated that old age, love and death are the main themes discussed in the poem. The Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73 is impressive because such trivial themes are discussed by means of implementing metaphors. The main purpose of the metaphors is to make the discussion more vivid, to give a reader a clearer picture of the problems considered. Having united love, old age and death, the author wants to show the frequent duration of life. Having become old, people do not want anything and this is the time when people start thinking about their past life and the opportunities they failed to take. Reference ListShakespeare, W. Sonnet 73 . Web. - Robert Browning’s “Love Among the Ruins”
- Language in "Pardon" Poem by Richard Wilbur
- Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Followed the Petrarchan Ideal
- Sexuality in Shakespeare’s Sonnets
- Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare
- Robert Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover”
- Psychological Disposition in Sylvia Plath’s Poems
- Rama and Sita in "The Ramayana" by Valmiki
- The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
- The Sonnet: My Mistress' Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun
- Chicago (A-D)
- Chicago (N-B)
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Thank you very much for your cooperation. Sonnet 73 IntroductionIn a nutshell. You've heard it all before: gather ye rosebuds , live like you're dying , live free, die hard … or something. The point is, we're all quite familiar with the old cliché, thank you very much. So why read another poem about how we should love everyone we love super hard because eventually they're going to croak (and so are we, for that matter)? Because it's Shakespeare , that's why. And Shakespeare has a nasty habit (okay, an awesome habit) of taking a cliché and turning it on its head. If you take Sonnet 73 on the whole, it's a poem about how death makes us love all the more, because we know that love will one day be gone. But if you read the first twelve lines, the poem is almost entirely about how stinkin' awful it is to grow old and crusty and, well, die. Ah, but that's just it. In fact, the sheer inevitability and awfulness of death is what makes us love all the stronger. So yes, we should live free and love hard and all that cheesy, roll-your-eyes jazz. But somehow, when Big Willy says it, we're all ears. This classic sonnet comes to us from Shakespeare's collection of—count 'em—154 sonnets. In 1609, all those sonnets were smushed together in a book and published to instant success. And by instant success, we mean no one read them until way after ol' Shakey died, and even then they weren't that popular. Luckily, over time, these tiny nuggets of swoony verse started to get their due. And Shmoop thinks it's safe to say that by now, these are some of the most famous love poems ever written. Maybe that's because they speak to and redefine so many of the clichés we have come to associate with love. Or maybe it's because when it comes to writing, Shakespeare sure knew how to put quill to parchment. Either way, we Shmoopers are grateful the world over to have Sonnet 73 to stick in our Valentine's Day cards. As long as the recipient doesn't mind a little death imagery with their candy hearts.  Why Should I Care?Have you ever had one of those moments where you sat down to contemplate one of the Big Questions Of Life—you know, something like Time or Life or Death or Love? But, not only did you sit down to contemplate it, you also sat down to write about it. Maybe you were planning on writing a blog post, or sending out an email to a close friend. Maybe you weren't writing by choice; maybe you had to write a personal essay for class, or for one of your college applications, and you decided to tackle one of those weighty topics. Maybe you weren't writing something on paper at all, but instead were making a video, or composing a song. Really, the specifics of how you tried to wrestle with the big questions don't matter much. What does matter is that the moment you actually hunkered down and tried to come to grips with one of these issues, you probably felt that…everything you wanted to say had already been said? Like, every single human being who has ever lived has had to deal with exactly those same issues; what could you possibly hope to add to the conversation? Well, you know what? You'd still feel that same sense of anxiety in that situation if you were William Shakespeare . And that's exactly what makes Sonnet 73 so amazing. In it, we see the artistry of a man who, when confronted with the problem of saying something new about Life, Death, Time, and Love decides to tackles it head-on—by inventing not just one, but—count 'em—three big shiny metaphors to illustrate his ideas. And then he even throws in that couplet at the end, which sums up everything that has come before. On top of that, he introduces a twist that takes the poem in a new and meaningful direction. And don't forget that this isn't the only sonnet where Shakespeare shows off his amazing skills. This is poem 73 out of a 154-poem sequence in which he wows us over and over again. We'd definitely call this guy the hardest working man in show business—except he makes it look so easy. But don't let that discourage you. We think the best lesson to be drawn from Shakespeare's work is that, no matter what medium you're working with, there is always going to be something new you can add to the most important conversation we can have—the one that's been going on since the human race began. As we see it, where there's a will there's a way—and we don't just mean where there's Will Shakespeare. Tired of ads?Cite this source, logging out…, logging out.... You've been inactive for a while, logging you out in a few seconds... W hy's T his F unny?English Studies This website is dedicated to English Literature, Literary Criticism, Literary Theory, English Language and its teaching and learning. Sonnet 73 by William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 73” was composed back in 1600 during the sonnet heydays. This poetic genre was ruling the roost in the literary arena. Every other poet was trying their hands in this genre and reaping popularity. Shakespeare, too, won popularity in writing sonnets. It is considered one of his most popular Shakespearean sonnets. Its uniqueness lies in its imagery and metaphor to convey the themes. Timelessness and unique thematic strands have further enhanced its beauty and music. Paraphrase of “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare| | | | | You can see in me the signs of the passing of time, the aging process. | | | Like the trees shedding their leaves in autumn, I too am losing my beauty and vitality. | | | The bare branches of the trees quiver in the cold wind, just as my frailty is evident in my weakened state. | | | The once lively and melodious birds have flown away, leaving behind only empty and desolate branches. | | | You see in me the end of my life, like the fading light at the end of a day. | | | My life is fading away, like the sun setting in the western horizon. | | | Just as night falls and darkness consumes the light, death will soon consume me. | | | Death is like a twin to itself, that brings an eternal rest to everything. | | | You see in me the remnants of a once burning flame, now reduced to glowing ashes. | | | The flame of my youth has long since burned out, leaving only ashes behind. | | | Like a person on their deathbed, my flame will eventually extinguish. | | | The flame was fed by the same thing that ultimately consumed it. | | | You can see all of this and it makes your love for me even stronger, knowing that it is fleeting. | | | Love me fully, knowing that our time together is limited and will come to an end. |
Literary Devices in “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare| | | | | | “Upon those boughs which shake against the cold” | The repetition of the “b” sound emphasizes the shivering of the tree branches in the cold, creating a vivid image in the reader’s mind. | | | “Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest” | This alludes to the idea that death is not just the end of life, but a peaceful release from the struggles of existence. | | | “In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire” | The repetition of the “o” sound creates a soft, warm tone that reinforces the image of a dying flame. | | | “Consum’d with that which it was nourish’d by” | The repetition of the “s” and “d” sounds creates a harsh, biting tone that reflects the destructive nature of the thing that consumed the flame. | | | “When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang / Upon those boughs which shake against the cold” | The sentence continues across the line break, creating a sense of flow and continuity that mirrors the natural world. | | | “Death’s second self” | The idea of death having a “second self” is an exaggeration that emphasizes the magnitude and inevitability of death. | | | “Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang” | The image of a once-beautiful choir now ruined and empty creates a powerful sense of loss and decay. | | | “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” | The speaker is ironically referring to himself as a symbol of the changing seasons, highlighting the transience and fragility of human life. | | | “The twilight of such day” | The speaker is metaphorically comparing his own life to the fading light at the end of a day, suggesting that his time on earth is drawing to a close. | | | “Where late the sweet birds sang” | The repetition of the “s” sound creates a sense of the birds’ singing, using sound to add texture to the . | | | “Death’s second self” | The combination of the opposing terms “death” and “self” creates a paradoxical phrase that highlights the mysterious and complex nature of death. | | | “To love that well which thou must leave ere long” | The idea of loving something deeply even though it will inevitably be lost is a paradoxical concept that reflects the complexity of human emotions. | | | “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” | The speaker is personifying himself as a symbol of the changing seasons, using human characteristics to describe a natural phenomenon. | | | “In me thou see’st” | The repetition of this phrase creates a sense of unity and continuity, tying the various images together into a cohesive whole. | | | “West / rest” | The repetition of the “est” sound creates a rhyme that adds musicality and rhythm to the poem. | | | “As after sunset fadeth in the west” | The speaker is using a simile to compare the fading light to the setting sun, creating a vivid and tangible image in the reader’s mind. | | | “Those boughs which shake against the cold” | The shaking branches symbolize the frail |
Sound and Poetic Devices in “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare| | | | | | Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang | The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of neighboring words | | | That time of year thou mayst in me behold | The repetition of the same vowel sound in neighboring words | | | As after sunset fadeth in the west | The repetition of the same consonant sound at the end of neighboring words | | | Where late the sweet birds sang… That on the ashes of his youth doth lie | The repetition of the same sounds at the end of lines | | | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG | The pattern of end rhyme in a poem | | | Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang | The choice of words and language used in a poem | | | Sonnet | A type of poem consisting of 14 lines with a specific rhyme scheme and structure | | | Quatrain, Sestet, Couplet | A group of lines within a poem that share a pattern or structure | | | Shakespearean Sonnet | A type of sonnet popularized by William Shakespeare, with a specific rhyme scheme and structure | | | Melancholic, Reflective | The attitude or emotion conveyed by the poem’s language and structure |
Functions of Literary Devices in “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare- Imagery : Shakespeare uses vivid and concrete imagery throughout this sonnet to convey the speaker’s emotions and the main theme of the sonnet. For instance, in line 16, the image of “yellow leaves, or none, or few” hanging from the boughs creates a visual representation of the autumn season. It also means the end of life. Similarly, the image of “bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang” in line 18 uses a metaphor comparing the trees to choir stalls and the birds to singers, creating a sense of loss and emptiness.
Explanation: Imagery is a literary device that refers to the use of descriptive language to create sensory experiences for the reader. Shakespeare uses imagery in “Sonnet 73” to create a powerful emotional effect, immersing the reader in the speaker’s feelings of aging, decay, and mortality. Using such images of time, life and death, Shakespeare has shed an effective light on transience of life and how a person should enjoy this temporary time. - Metaphor : Several metaphors used in this sonnet sheds light on the theme of aging and mortality. For example, in line 22, the phrase “Death’s second self” shows the use of the metaphor of death as a twin or a shadow, emphasizing its inevitability and finality. Similarly, in line 24, the image of “the ashes of his youth” is a metaphor for the speaker’s lost youth and vitality.
Explanation: The literary device of metaphor compares two unlike things to highlight a particular similarity or characteristic. Shakespeare uses metaphors in this sonnet to explore the theme of mortality and the passage of time. By comparing the speaker’s aging process to various images, such as the fading of light after sunset or the slow burning of a dying fire, Shakespeare creates a sense of melancholy and inevitability that drives the emotional impact of the poem. Themes in “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare- Mortality: The poem “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare shows the theme of mortality. The speaker, who happens to be poet himself, reflects on the inevitability of his death. Using powerful imagery to describe the aging process, he compares himself to a tree with few leaves, and the twilight after sunset that fades into black night. This theme is also apparent in lines 7-8: “Which by and by black night doth take away, / Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.” Lines 7-8 show the thematic connection between darkness and death, as expressed through the gradual disappearance of light with the advent of night and death portrayed as an entity that brings eternal repose to all beings.
- Transience: “Sonnet 73” explores the theme of the transience of life, and the fleeting nature of youth and beauty. The speaker compares himself to a slow dying fire consumed by that which once nourished it. This theme is clear in lines 9-12 which express the speaker’s description of youthful period with “the glowing of such fire,” “on the ashes of his youth,” and “the death-bed whereon it must expire,” highlighting the fading nature of their inner vitality and passion. They further elaborate that this fire is consumed and ultimately extinguished by the very elements that once nurtured it, indicating a sense of inevitable decline and transience.
- Nostalgia: “Sonnet 73” demonstrates a sense of nostalgia. The speaker of the sonnet looks back on his life and reflects on the things he has lost. He describes the tree with “bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang” (line 4), invoking a sense of sadness and loss amonth readers. The couplet This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong, / To love that well which thou must leave ere long” also demonstrates this nostalgia.
- Love: “Sonnet 73” also celebrates the power of love to endure beyond death. The speaker acknowledges that his lover sees him as he truly is, and this knowledge strengthens their love. Shakespeare declares that when th youth sees him, it “makes thy love more strong.” The poem ends on a hopeful note, with the speaker urging his lover to cherish their time together: “To love that well which thou must leave ere long” (line 14).
Literary Theories and Interpretations of “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare- New Criticism / Formalism Theory : This literary theory focuses on the formal aspects of the poem, such as its structure, language, and imagery . “Sonnet 73” can be seen as a reflection about the transience of life and the inevitability the old age and death. The speaker uses vivid images of life and death to show the passing of time and its effects on nature and himself. The sonnet also explores the theme of mortality and the significance of love in the face of impending loss. Evidence of verses: Whereas first four verses from 1 to 4 depict the autumn season and the decay of nature, symbolizing the aging process, next four from 5 to 8 use imagery of twilight and night to convey the approaching darkness of death. However, verses from 9 to 12 compare the speaker’s fading fire to a dying flame, emphasizing the fleeting nature of life. Explanation: This interpretation focuses on the poem’s formal elements and the universal themes it explores, highlighting the skillful use of imagery and the impact of language in conveying the speaker’s contemplation of mortality and the enduring power of love.
- Reader-Response Theory : Reader-response literary theory emphasizes the role of the reader in interpreting a text. “Sonnet 73” demonstrates the reader’s personal experiences and emotions that play a critical role in understanding the sonnet. It evokes feelings of nostalgia, the fear of aging, or the bittersweet beauty of love. Therefore, each reader’s interpretation could vary based on their own backgrounds and perspectives. Evidence of verses: The reader’s response could get influenced by personal experiences of witnessing the passage of time, the fading of vitality, or the recognition of the temporary nature of life and relationships as verses 5 to 9 shows amply. Explanation: This interpretation acknowledges the subjectivity of the reader’s response and highlights the emotional resonance of the poem, allowing individuals to connect with the themes of aging, loss, and love in their unique ways.
- Marxist Theory : Applying Marxist literary theory to “Sonnet 73” involves examining the sonnet’s social and economic context. The poem could be interpreted as a critique of the hierarchical and exploitative nature of society, where time and mortality affect individuals differently based on their socioeconomic status. The speaker’s reflection on aging and impending death highlights the disparity between the wealthy, who may have more resources to face these challenges, and the poor, who may suffer more profoundly. Evidence of verses: The social and economic implications of aging and mortality are not explicitly mentioned in the sonnet but can be inferred from the broader social critique of Shakespeare’s works through last five verses. Explanation: This interpretation analyzes the sonnet in terms of the power dynamics and social inequality present during Shakespeare’s time, suggesting that the poem reflects the unequal experiences of aging and mortality based on socioeconomic factors.
- Psychoanalytic Theory : Psychoanalytic literary theory focuses on the unconscious mind and its influence on human behavior. “Sonnet 73” show the speaker contemplating about aging and mortality, showing both as the manifestation of his unconscious desires and fears related to the fear of abandonment or the longing for immortality. The sonnet becomes a reflection of the his inner psychological landscape. Evidence of verses: The sonnet may be seen as an expression of the speaker’s unconscious fears and desires related to aging, death, and love as shown in the first six verses. Explanation: This interpretation delves into the psychological dimensions of the poem, examining the unconscious motivations behind the speaker’s reflections on mortality and the emotional complexities tied to love and loss.
Essay Topics, Questions and Thesis Statements about “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare- Topic: Imagery and Metaphors and Their Functions in “Sonnet 73”
Question: How does use imagery and metaphor in “Sonnet 73” to convey the theme of the passing of time and the inevitability of death?Thesis statement: Through his use of vivid imagery and metaphorical language, Shakespeare skillfully conveys the idea that time is fleeting and that death is inevitable, despite the speaker’s attempts to hold onto life. - Topic: Shifting Tone of “Sonnet 73”
Question: How does the tone of “Sonnet 73” shift from the beginning to the end of the poem, and what effect does this have on the reader’s interpretation of the poem?Thesis statement: Shakespeare’s use of a gradually shifting tone, from resigned acceptance to hopeful resignation, creates a powerful emotional effect that invites the reader to reflect on the transience of life and the importance of cherishing what we have. - Topic: Shakespearean Context of “Sonnet 73” in Sequence of Sonnets
Question: How does “Sonnet 73” fit into the larger context of Shakespeare’s sonnet sequence, and what does it reveal about his views on love, aging, and mortality?Thesis statement: Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 73” serves as a poignant meditation on the themes of love, aging, and mortality that are central to his sonnet sequence, revealing his deep understanding of human nature and his ability to capture the complexities of the human experience in his poetry. - Topic: Love and Relationships in “Sonnet 73”
Question: What role does the speaker’s relationship with his beloved play in “Sonnet 73,” and how does this contribute to the poem’s overall meaning?Thesis statement: Through the speaker’s relationship with his beloved, Shakespeare explores the interplay between love, aging, and mortality, demonstrating how the awareness of the inevitability of death can deepen our appreciation of life and our connections with those we love. Short Questions-Answers about “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare - How does the speaker’s use of paradox in the first quatrain of “Sonnet 73” convey the idea of impending death?
In the first quatrain of “Sonnet 73,” the speaker uses paradox to describe the effects of aging on his body. He compares his body to a “bare ruined choirs” and a “death-bed,” using language suggestive of decay and decline. Yet, he notes that his “death” is still some way off, and that he still has some time to appreciate the beauty of the world. By juxtaposing the images of decay and decline with the idea of life and beauty, the speaker creates a sense of impending doom that pervades the entire sonnet. This sense of doom is further reinforced by the metaphors of the “black night” and the “ashes of his youth” that appear later in the poem, suggesting that death is always just around the corner. - How does the speaker’s use of metaphor in the second quatrain of “Sonnet 73” emphasize the fleeting nature of life?
In the second quatrain of “Sonnet 73,” the speaker uses a metaphor to describe the passing of time. He compares his life to a “swift-footed time” that is “winged” and “unsubstantial,” using language that emphasizes the fleeting and transitory nature of life. This metaphor is further developed in the third quatrain, where the speaker describes himself as a “fire” that is slowly burning out. By using metaphors that evoke movement and change, the speaker underscores the idea that life is constantly in motion and that time is always slipping away. This sense of movement and transience is further reinforced by the rhythm and meter of the poem, which create a sense of forward momentum. - How does the speaker’s use of enjambment in “Sonnet 73” create a sense of urgency?
Throughout “Sonnet 73,” the speaker uses enjambment to create a sense of urgency and momentum. Enjambment is the technique of running one line of poetry into the next, without pause or punctuation. By using enjambment , the speaker creates a sense of forward motion that mirrors the passing of time and the inevitability of death. For example, in the second quatrain, the line “Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang” runs into the next line, “In me thou seest the twilight of such day,” without pause or punctuation. This creates a sense of urgency and momentum that underscores the idea that time is slipping away and that death is approaching. - How does the final couplet of “Sonnet 73” offer a glimmer of hope in the face of mortality?
The final couplet of “Sonnet 73” offers a glimmer of hope in the face of mortality by suggesting that the speaker’s love for his beloved will transcend death. The speaker notes that, even as he approaches the end of his life, his beloved will remember him and cherish his memory. He concludes by stating that his beloved’s love will give him a kind of immortality, allowing him to live on even after death. This idea of love as a kind of immortality is a recurring theme in Shakespeare’s sonnets, and it offers a powerful counterpoint to the sense of doom and despair that pervades much of “Sonnet 73.” By suggesting that love can conquer death, the speaker offers a message of hope and resilience that is both poignant and uplifting. Related posts:- “Morning Glory” by Naomi Shihab Nye
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While William Shakespeare’s reputation is based primarily on his plays, he became famous first as a poet. With the partial exception of the Sonnets (1609), quarried since the early 19th century for autobiographical secrets allegedly encoded in them, the nondramatic writings have traditionally been pushed... - Renaissance
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 Sonnet 73 Shakespeare | Summary, Theme, Line by Line Analysis | That time of year thou mayst in me behold Shakespeare Sonnet 73 Table of Contents IntroductionWilliam Shakespeare ’s Sonnet 73 is intensely personal and marks the poet’s personal depression, under the ruinous effect of time, only to be relieved by the thought of his dear love. Along with despondency, it celebrates the consolatory effect of love. Sonnet 73 SummaryFirst quatrain (lines 1-4). You (the friend) may behold in me (the poet) that time of year when none or few yellow leaves hang upon those boughs which shake against the cold wintry wind. The sweet birds sang late on them but these are (now) as bare as ruined choirs (cathedrals). Critical Comment The poet’s anticipation of his own decay: The poet speaks of the time when he will appear as pale and dry as the world of nature in a cold, biting winter. He compares himself to the leafless, barren branches of the trees that were erstwhile lovely and melodious. N.B. The entire quatrain marks the poet’s profundity of depression at the perception of his failing health and strength and impending death. Second Quatrain (Lines 5-8)You may see in me the twilight of such a day as fade in the west after sunset and which black night, death’s second self, that seals up all in rest, takes away. He will then look like the quickly fading! twilight of the day, as the sun approaches to set in the west. Like the dark night-time, engulfing daylight absolutely, death, too, will bring him to the utter oblivion of night. N.B. The poet implies here the approach of death to him. His sense of depression seems to deepen. His mood is of gloom and melancholy. Third Quatrain (Line 9-12)You may see in me the glowing of such fire that, consumed with that by which it was nourished, lies on the ashes of its youth as the death-bed whereon it must expire. The poet’s friend will note in him the mark of a quickly approaching end, like that of the fireplace which lies extinguished in the ashes of the logs that once gave light and heat. N.B. The poet here implies that his lost youthful energy and vitality have well consumed him and drawn him to death. His tone here is deeply distressful and despondent Concluding Couplet (Lines 13-14)You perceive this, which makes you love stronger in order to love well that which you must leave ere long. This will, however, as felt by the poet, lead the friend to love him more as one that is to pass away soon. N.B. The couplet marks a total change in the tone. There is a happy transition from depression to consolation. What is the Theme of Sonnet 73?Sonnet 73 is the poet’s plaintive reflection on the decay of his vigour and manhood and anticipation of his death. He sadly imagines the time when he will cease to have his manly strength and power. He will then become as awful as the decadent state of nature after the end of spring. He fancies ruefully the state of the growing dusk and the dying hearth in his own body. In his gloomy mood, the poet is, however, inspired with his consciousness of his friend’s love, which is certain to grow with the growing decay of his body. Sonnet 73 Line by Line AnalysisLines 1-4 : That time of year-the wintry season. The poet, perhaps, refers to the winter of 1592-93. Thou-the poet’s beloved friend. Thou mast…..behold-the friend may perceive in the poet. N. B. “Mayst” indicates a strong possibility. When yellow… few- when there are a very few yellow leaves or none at all. Yellow leaves-leaves grown gray with age, under the touch of time. The implication is also of the poet’s age. The yellow leaves’ is indicative of old age. Cf. Macbeth ” …..my way of life Is fallen into the sear, the yellow leaf.” Do hang…those boughs- are seen on the branches of the trees. The state of decadence is emphasized. There is a total decay in the world of nature. Shake……the cold-tremble in the fierce wintry wind. When yellow……etc. The description here is of a severe winter, probably the winter of 1592-93. Bare- desolate. Ruin’d- in a state of utter decadence. Choirs- large cathedrals. Bare ruin’d choirs- the empty cathedrals in a state of utter ruins. The branches of the trees look as desolate and decadent as the big empty cathedrals which are in a state of utter ruins. N.B. The imagery, suggested here, is vivid and reminiscent of the roofless shells of the monastic churches which could be found all over England in the later part of the sixteenth century. Several figures of the speech, such as personification, the figures of metaphor and polysyndeton are well used. Late- only recently, in spring. The sweet birds- lovely birds. Where late…..sang- the birds used to sit upon those boughs and sing sweetly a few days before. N.B. The devastation caused by winter, is aptly brought out with all its poignancy and severity. This is made more moving by implying a contrast with the liveliness of spring. The poet, of course, refers to his own age and the physical decay that overpowers him. His tone is distinctly despondent Lines 5-8 : The twilight-the time when the sun is just setting in the western sky. After sunset fadeth- alter the setting of the sun, the light fades away. In me thou…..etc. – The poet passes on to another imagery to describe his personal pale and awful state. The picture here is of the time just after the dying day through the western horizon. The poet, too, bears in him the last flickers of life. By and by- gradually. This is a vivid description of the gradual end of daylight. Black night- dark night causing blackness all over. Which by and by…..etc. – The previous imagery is developed. The darkness of the night gradually envelops the whole place and the light of the day is soon to pass away. Similarly, the darkness of death gradually surrounds the poet, and his life will pass away ere long. Death second self- night is the image of death. It is as dark as death. Cf. Shelley’s To Night : “Thy brother Death came, and cried Wouldst thou me’?” This sort of comparison between sleep and death is common in Shakespeare. Cf. Hamlet “To die: to sleep; No more and by a sleep to say we end.” Seals up- covers, ends, consumes. That seals up all in rest- death brings to complete rest and peace all human activities and aspirations. There is an irony here. N.B. The sonnet which is particularly rich in the poet’s imagery bears out a happy instance of his command over vivid, warm images Lines 9-12 : The glowing of such fire- the spark of the embers. Ashes of his youth- the remains of the poet’s youthful passions. The ashes of the log only remain, when it is burnt out. The ashes of the poet’s youthful desire remain after the end of his youth. That on….lie – the embers are dying out, consumed by that which fed and gave them brilliance. The poet’s youth once gave him warmth and radiance. But now out of his youth has come the decadence of his age. N.B. The poet’s tone is reflective and pensive, while his imagery is apt and pointed. This is common in the most affecting sonnets dealing with his mood of depression and frustration. Cf. Sonnet 30 “I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought, And with old woes new wail my dear times waste” Lines 13-14 : This thow perceivst- the friend will perceive in the poet this shadow of death, this mark of decay. Which- this shadow of mark. Makes thy…..strong- enhances the intensity of the friend’s love for the poet. To love….well- the friend feels himself inclined to love more sincerely. Which… leave – the friend will soon be separated from the poet because of the latter’s impending death. This thou……etc. – The poet finds consolation in his mood of utter dejection and depression from the thought of his friend’s love. His sense of loss is gone and mood of depression, removed. Cf. “But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, All losses are restor’d, and sorrows end.” ( Sonnet 30 ) N.B. The concluding couplet is ennobled by the poet’s conviction of the increasing love of his friend for him. The inspiring effect of this love is emphasized here as in the Sonnet 29 . “For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.” The poet’s tone here is idealistic and optimistic.  Hello, Viewers! Besides being the Founder and Owner of this website, I am a Government Officer. As a hardcore literary lover, I am pursuing my dream by writing notes and articles related to Literature. Drop me a line anytime, whether it’s about any queries or demands or just to share your well-being. I’d love to hear from you. Thanks for stopping by! 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Leave a Comment Cancel replySave my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.  Thesis Statement Examples Sunday, June 16, 2013 No comments:Post a comment. Martin Indyk, veteran diplomat who pursued Mideast peace, dies at 73The diplomat, historian and educator helped steer Middle East policy under two presidents and pushed for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Martin S. Indyk, a diplomat, historian and educator who helped steer Middle East policy under two presidents, advocated a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and served as a director of multiple think tanks, died July 25 at his home in New Fairfield, Conn. He was 73. The cause was esophageal cancer, said his wife, Gahl Hodges Burt. Born in England and raised in Australia, Mr. Indyk moved to Washington in his early 30s, founded an influential research institute focused on Middle East policy and joined the Clinton administration shortly after becoming a U.S. citizen. “I like it when you’re around, Martin,” President Bill Clinton, a former Arkansas governor, once joked in his Southern drawl, “because you and I both have funny accents.” Mr. Indyk became the first Jewish U.S. ambassador to Israel, serving from 1995 to 1997. He assumed the post again from 2000 to 2001 at a time when Clinton was trying to forge a settlement between the Israeli government and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat . From 2013 to 2014, Mr. Indyk served as President Barack Obama’s special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. He was a key figure in those peace talks, but their breakdown dashed his dreams of achieving a durable Middle East peace. “He’ll be remembered for his commitment to the cause of Israeli-Palestinian peace, which in the end broke his heart,” said David Ignatius, a Washington Post columnist who knew Mr. Indyk for nearly four decades. “All of his efforts had basically been spurned by both sides. … His life’s work had ended up not producing the thing he dreamed of.” Mr. Indyk had been consulted by the Biden White House as a key strategist on efforts to achieve normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia — overtures sidelined by the deadly October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas militants, and then by Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza . At various times, Mr. Indyk drew indignation from opposite ends of the Israeli political spectrum and from voices outside Israel. He was “too pro-Israeli in the eyes of Israel’s critics, and at the same time too tough on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for many Israelis,” as the Forward newspaper put it in 2013. He largely blamed Arafat and the Palestinians for the collapse of the 2000-2001 talks, but he also faulted the Israeli policy of building and expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank. Some Israelis and U.S. Jewish groups were particularly incensed by his call in late 2000 for Israel to share control of Jerusalem with the Palestinians. “One way or the other, Israelis and Palestinians will have to find a way to coexist,” Mr. Indyk wrote in December 2001 in an online chat with readers on The Post’s website. “The best way for both sides to work this arrangement out is through negotiations that lead to an agreement, if not for a marriage, then at least for an amicable divorce,” he continued. “But that can’t happen unless the basic principle is reasserted by the Palestinian side: no resort to violence in the effort to resolve the issues in dispute. [Arafat] has not fulfilled that obligation.” More recently, in an interview with Foreign Affairs magazine on Oct. 7 — the day Hamas launched its cross-border rampage that killed about 1,200 people — Mr. Indyk criticized “a total system failure” by Israel to anticipate the attack. He also blamed underlying Israeli “hubris” for a mistaken belief “that sheer force could deter Hamas, and that Israel did not have to address the long-term problems,” even though “many people told the Israelis that the situation with the Palestinians was unsustainable.” Now, he said, “I fear that Hamas’s intention is to get Israel to retaliate massively and have the conflict escalate: a West Bank uprising, Hezbollah attacks, a revolt in Jerusalem.” In a 2009 memoir, “Innocent Abroad: An Intimate Account of American Peace Diplomacy in the Middle East,” Mr. Indyk acknowledged some hubris of his own in thinking the Middle East peace process in the mid-1990s was “irreversible.” He wrote: “The climb up that mountain seemed so natural and destined that I never thought of looking down to contemplate how easily and how far we could fall.” He was especially critical of what he viewed as the naiveté of President George W. Bush, whom he slammed for a misguided attempt to stabilize the Middle East through a disastrous U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. The result, he wrote, was to strengthen the hand of terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda. Mr. Indyk, who served under Democratic presidents and aligned most closely with liberal Israeli leaders, also wrote a diplomatic history, “Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy” (2021), which offered a generally admiring look at the 1970s Arab-Israeli peace efforts of the Republican former national security adviser and secretary of state. Unlike Kissinger, Mr. Indyk was largely an “implementer” of policy, “rarely a principal,” Ignatius said. “But because he was a strategic thinker, he ended up shaping the view of the principals to an unusual extent.” Grasp of politics and policyMartin Sean Indyk was born in London on July 1, 1951, to a family of religiously and politically liberal Jewish immigrants from Poland. He moved with his family to Australia and grew up with two siblings in the Sydney suburb of Castlecrag. His father was a surgeon. He graduated from the University of Sydney in 1972, writing his political science thesis on the domestic and external factors affecting U.S. policy toward Israel, then moved to that country to attend the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After returning to Australia, he received a doctorate in international relations from Australian National University in 1977 and worked as a Middle East analyst for Australia’s intelligence service, during a period when Israel and Egypt signed a landmark peace treaty and the shah of Iran fled an Islamic revolution. He was increasingly unhappy in Australia, where he saw colleagues mesmerized by a prominent horse race just as the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel were nearing completion. “It’s pathetic,” Mr. Indyk told a colleague, according to the Australian Financial Review. “The Middle East is being transformed, and all they’re interested in is the Melbourne Cup.” After teaching foreign policy at Macquarie University in Sydney, Mr. Indyk immigrated to the United States in 1982 and went to work in Washington as a research director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israeli lobbying group. Three years later, he founded the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and spent eight years as its executive director. A prolific writer who was quick to grasp the significance of developments in the Middle East, Mr. Indyk raised the influence of his think tank, in part by recruiting a bipartisan group of luminaries to its advisory board, including Democratic former vice president Walter Mondale and senior Republican diplomat Lawrence Eagleburger . He also became a fixture on television and in foreign policy journals. Even before Clinton announced his candidacy for president, Mr. Indyk offered to advise him on Middle East policy, and he ended up briefing both President George H.W. Bush and Clinton during the 1992 campaign, the Australian Financial Review reported. In 1993, a little more than a week after becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, Mr. Indyk joined the White House National Security Council, serving as an adviser to Clinton on Arab-Israeli issues. His two stints as ambassador to Israel began under Labor Party governments, with which Mr. Indyk had greater affinity. In the interim — from 1997 to 2000, partly coinciding with Netanyahu’s first term as prime minister — he served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs. In September 2000, when he was ambassador to Israel, Mr. Indyk was stripped of his security clearance and investigated by the FBI after he was accused of improperly handling classified information, including by typing up confidential reports on an unclassified laptop during airplane flights. There were no indications that any secrets were compromised, and his clearance was restored the next month. Mr. Indyk also drew scrutiny in 2014 when the New York Times reported that Qatar, an oil-rich Persian Gulf emirate that has hosted Hamas’s leader and helped fund Gaza’s government, had made a $14.8 million donation to the Brookings Institution the year before, when Mr. Indyk was on hiatus from the think tank and working as the Obama administration’s special envoy for Middle East peace. The donation was for a Brookings affiliate in Qatar and a project on U.S. relations with the Islamic world. The think tank denied that Mr. Indyk benefited personally from the donation or that it compromised the institution’s scholarship in any way. After his turn as special envoy, he served as executive vice president of Brookings. At the time of his death, he was the Lowy Distinguished Fellow in U.S.-Middle East Diplomacy at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. His first marriage, to Jill Collier, ended in divorce. In 2013, he married Gahl Hodges Burt, a former aide to Kissinger and a White House social secretary during the Reagan administration. In addition to his wife, of New York, survivors include two children from his first marriage, Jacob Indyk of Fair Haven, N.J., and Sarah Indyk of Denver; two stepchildren, Christopher Burt of McLean, Va., and Caroline Burt of Los Angeles; a brother; a sister; and five grandchildren. When he was first named ambassador to Israel, Mr. Indyk told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that maintaining a strong relationship between Israel and the United States had been his “life’s work.” The need for that bond became clear, he said, when the 1973 Yom Kippur War broke out while he was preparing to study in Jerusalem, and he ended up volunteering on a kibbutz in southern Israel. “It taught me just how fragile Israel’s existence was,” he told the committee, “and how central the United States is to war and peace in the Middle East.”  |
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Quick answer: A thesis statement about "Sonnet 73" should make a specific claim about the work that can be supported with direct evidence. There are many claims one could make in a thesis about ...
Themes in Sonnet 73, analysis of key Sonnet 73 themes. Not to be Captain Obvious or anything, but Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 emphasizes that time is divided into the past, the present, and the future.
The best Sonnet 73: That time of year thou mayst in me behold study guide on the planet. The fastest way to understand the poem's meaning, themes, form, rhyme scheme, meter, and poetic devices.
Discussion of themes and motifs in William Shakespeare's Sonnet 73. eNotes critical analyses help you gain a deeper understanding of Sonnet 73 so you can excel on your essay or test.
Notes that time of year (1): i.e., being late autumn or early winter. When yellow leaves... (2): compare Macbeth "my way of life/is fall'n into the sere, the yellow leaf." Bare ruin'd choirs (4): a reference to the remains of a church or, more specifically, a chancel, stripped of its roof and exposed to the elements. The choirs formerly rang with the sounds of 'sweet birds'.
Sonnet 73 is part of Shakespeare's 154 sonnets.Moreover, this sonnet is part of the Fair Youth sequence, a series of poems (from sonnets 1 to 126) that are addressed to an unnamed young man. The Fair Youth sequence has strong romantic language that portrays intense imagery.Particularly, Sonnet 73 focuses on old age and is addressed to a friend (the unnamed young man).
In Sonnet 73, the speaker ruminates on his own advancing age, imagining the youth's perspective on his age. The sonnet takes on an elegant structure, with each quatrain expressing a fresh metaphor for the cycle of a human life.
The reader's understanding of "this" affects their reading of "thy love." If "this" is the speaker's love for the youth, then "thy love" could refer to the youth's love for the speaker: the speaker's portrayal of his consuming love makes the youth love him more.
Sonnet 73, one of the most famous of William Shakespeare's 154 sonnets, focuses on the theme of old age.The sonnet addresses the Fair Youth.Each of the three quatrains contains a metaphor: Autumn, the passing of a day, and the dying out of a fire.Each metaphor proposes a way the young man may see the poet.
Toggle Contents Act and scene list. Shakespeare's Sonnets ; Sonnet 1 In this first of many sonnets about the briefness of human life, the poet reminds the young man that time and death will destroy even the fairest of living things. Only if they reproduce themselves will their beauty survive. The young man's refusal to beget a child is therefore self-destructive and wasteful.
Introduction. Sonnet 73 is arguably one of the most popular poems because its theme is developed uniquely using metaphorical language. The subject matter of this sonnet is adulthood and its impact on human beings.
The main argument of Sonnet 73 is that, in loving someone whom he knows to be in the "twilight" of his life, and who is very obviously mortal, the beloved demonstrates that his love is "more strong."
It is important to try to imagine the autumn discussed by the author and to try to relate the discussion to the human being. The first line, "That time of year thou mayst in me behold" (Shakespeare, n.d.) is the way how the author presents the theme of his discussion and the way how human life is positioned.
"Sonnet 73" compares aging to autumn, twilight, and a dying fire. The dying fire is the most final, as the embers are considered "ashes of youth," and life is over once they are gone.
Summary The poet indicates his feeling that he has not long to live through the imagery of the wintry bough, twilight's afterglow, and a fire's dying embers. Al
Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare. Sonnet 73 Learning Guide by PhD students from Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley
Functions of Literary Devices in "Sonnet 73" by William Shakespeare. Imagery: Shakespeare uses vivid and concrete imagery throughout this sonnet to convey the speaker's emotions and the main theme of the sonnet. For instance, in line 16, the image of "yellow leaves, or none, or few" hanging from the boughs creates a visual representation of the autumn season.
While William Shakespeare's reputation is based primarily on his plays, he became famous first as a poet. With the partial exception of the Sonnets (1609), quarried since the early 19th century for autobiographical secrets allegedly encoded in them, the nondramatic writings have traditionally been pushed...
Explore insightful questions and answers on Sonnet 73 at eNotes. Enhance your understanding today!
Poem analysis of William Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 through the review of literary techniques, poem structure, themes, and the proper usage of quotes.
Introduction. William Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 is intensely personal and marks the poet's personal depression, under the ruinous effect of time, only to be relieved by the thought of his dear love. Along with despondency, it celebrates the consolatory effect of love.
sonnet 73: The old Mans Poem. Al metergh much than fifteen centuries f in all in passed by, the William Shakespe ars sonnets be still the shopworn di poetiseness for the modern poetic that atomic number 18 still utilize now.
Martin S. Indyk, a diplomat, historian and educator who helped steer Middle East policy under two presidents, advocated a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and served as a ...