Verified Document

Poem Shall I Compare Three To A Summer Day By Shakespeare Essay

Shakespeare Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day

The explication of Shakespeare's sonnet, "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day" has been done ad nauseum. A quick web search will pull up a million websites dedicated to Shakespearean sonnets, and each of these domains will have its own, slightly different interpretation and analysis of the oft-cited and much praised Sonnet 18. But the reality is the poem says what it says and while some will debate the finer points of the poem (the language, the historical relevance, the imagery, the themes, the dangling modifiers, etc.), the overall meaning is straightforward and easy to apprehend, especially when compared to some of the more unintelligible Shakespearean sonnets (number 108 comes to mind). So, what is the overall meaning of the poem? Allow me to answer that question by doing another, painstakingly banal, explication of "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day.

The first line of the sonnet is a question to both the reader and the muse of the poem. One can suggest that there's a seductive quality to it as it offers intrigue and suspense about the prospect of an exciting metaphorical compliment. "Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day?" Shall I compare you (the subject...

Parts of this document are hidden

View Full Document
svg-one

"Rough winds do shake the darling buds," meaning winds have a ravaging effect on the beautiful flowers of late spring/early summer. Line four - "And summer's lease hath too short a date" - points out that summer is too short. Line five -- "Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines" -- summer is too hot under the rays of the sun. Line six -- "And often in his gold complexion dimm'd" -- summer's gold complexion, again referring to the sun, is dimmed by clouds (presumably). So, in summation, summer is too rough on flowers, too short, too hot, and often marred by clouds. Summer is not without its faults, it's not perfect.
Line Seven kind of recapitulates this idea, that summer has its faults, that it is fallible. But speaking more generally -"And every fair…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Mabillard, Amanda. An Analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18. Shakespeare Online. 2000.

(11/11/2011) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/18detail.html >.

Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. NY: Riverhead Books, 1998.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

English Law Negligence in Hospital Care The
Words: 1888 Length: 6 Document Type: Case Study

English Law Negligence in Hospital Care? The Case of Jenny Wants a Penny Duty of care is defined in different ways depending on the specific circumstances involved in any one case, according to precedents set in various tort cases. In one of the most famous of these cases, Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] UKHL 100, Lord Atkin set out the principle that all members of society owe a duty of care to their "neighbors"

English I Agree With the Statement That
Words: 1224 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

English I agree with the statement that English is the world's most important language. The importance lies in the breadth of English spoken, rather than the depth. In addition, English is already understood to be the world's de facto second language. Removing English from dominance would require the emergence of another language whose prominence could match it. Lastly, English is the most important language and will continue to be because of

English Civil War As a Background to Milton's Paradise Lost
Words: 2305 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

English Civil War as a Background for Milton's Paradise Lost Political Foundations in Milton's Paradise Lost: Ties to the English Civil War Paradise Lost is an epic tale of defeat and the consequences which come from breaking with the proper form of divine rule. In his work, John Milton pits Satan and his army against God in Heaven, illustrating the notorious Christian battle within particularly political contexts. The English Civil War did

English for Oral Communication -Problems Faced Oral
Words: 2756 Length: 9 Document Type: Essay

ENGLISH FOR ORAL COMMUNICATION -Problems faced oral presentation ways overcome problems Sales Marketing staffs. Problems faced in oral presentation and how to overcome them Many a time sales and marketing staff members are required to give oral presentations to existing and potential clients. These presentations may range from short to long while others include visual aids and are in slide format, they can also be done individually or by a group of

English Poems the Problem Regarding Racial Equality
Words: 1004 Length: 3 Document Type: Thesis

English Poems The problem regarding racial equality can be traced as far back as the African-American slave trade of the 1400s. But even after the Civil War and the Reconstruction of the United States, there is no denying the fact that a racial tension still exists between "whites" and "blacks." Many authors, artists, and poets have portrayed this tension, sometimes even going as far back as inspiring their audience through language

English As a Global Language Languages Provide
Words: 1555 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

English as a Global Language Languages provide the ease of communication that either make them highly rich or leave them severely deprived of depth. The success and popularity of a language is dependent on many factors including the ease with which it can be acquired and the richness which allows for better comprehension. Some of the world languages that are quickly losing their power and are at the brink of extinction

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now