not fade. The speaker lists some negative things about summer: it is short, rough winds in summer disturb the buds, sometimes the sunshine makes the temperature too hot and other times sun often hides behind clouds. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. is een van de bekendste van de 154 sonnetten van William Shakespeare.Het thema is de vergankelijkheid van aardse schoonheid en de eeuwigheid van de poëzie. Sonnet 18 is a poem in which the speaker praises the beloved's beauty by comparing it to a summer's day. 100% average accuracy. The speaker begins by comparing the man’s beauty to summer, but soon the man becomes a force of nature himself. So long as men can breathe or eyes can see. [2] There is an irony being expressed in this sonnet: it is not the actual young man who will be eternalized, but the description of him contained in the poem, and the poem contains scant or no description of the young man, but instead contains vivid and lasting descriptions of a summer day; which the young man is supposed to outlive. And often is his gold complexion dimm’d; The speaker does not think that the comparison is appropriate because his friend is more beautiful and temperate. [4], "Ow'st" in line ten can carry two meanings, each common at the time: "ownest" and "owest". The speaker begins by asking whether he should or will compare "thee" to a summer day. Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; The opening line, "Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" Summer, for example, is said to have a "lease" with "all too short a date". Instead, he attributes that quality to his beloved, whose beauty will never fade, even when ‘death brag thou waander’stin his shade‘, as he will immortalize his lover’s beauty in his verse. He is widely regarded as the greatest English writer of all time, and wrote 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and 38 plays, though recently another play has been found and attributed to William Shakespeare. The next eleven lines are devoted to such a comparison. The speaker in Sonnet 18, one of Shakespeare’s most famous poems, begins by rhetorically asking the young man, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (1). Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Overview: Published in 1609 in Shakespeare's collection of 154 sonnets, Sonnet 18 is, arguably, the best known and most well-loved of all. Sonnet 18 of Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? The poem opens with the speaker putting forward a simple question: can he compare his lover to a summer’s day? And then he drops the idea as he believes that his friend is too perfect to be compared with the summer. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” By the way, this line is not a rhetorical question, which is another kind of pragmatic figure. While William Shakespeare’s reputation is based primarily on his plays, he became famous first as a poet. Elise has been analysing poetry as part of the Poem Analysis team for neary 2 years, continually providing a great insight and understanding into poetry from the past and present. Learn about Speaker in Sonnet 18 ... It’s just that: rhetorical. Although in Sonnet 130, Shakespeare is mocking the over-flowery language, in Sonnet 18, Shakespeare’s simplicity of imagery shows that that is not the case. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. This line outlines the metaphor for the whole poem, which compares the woman the speaker loves to a summer day. Theories about his death include that he drank too much at a meeting with Ben Jonson, and Drayton, contemporaries of his, contracted a fever, and died. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. The poet William Shakespeare thinks that his love is cannot be compared. As summer is occasionally short, too hot, and rough, summer is, in fact, not the height of beauty for this particular speaker. The imagery is the very essence of simplicity: "wind" and "buds." Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day is number 18 of Shakespeare's Sonnets. Thou art more lovely and more temperate: The speaker starts by asking or wondering whether to compare his muse with a summer’s day. This admiration is illustrated by the poetic persona by juxtaposing summer’s day limitations to the efficiencies of his object of admiration. In lines 3–8, the speaker continues to think about his comparison. As with the other sonnets in this group, this poem has been widely misunderstood to be comparing a paramour to a summer’s day. Based on the Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet, Shakespeare’s sonnets differ from the norm by addressing not only a young woman – which was the norm in Italy – but also a young man, known throughout as the Fair Youth. In sonnet 18 Shakespeare begins with the most famous line comparing the youth to a beautiful summer’s day “shall I compare thee to a summer’s day “where the temperature and weather is perfect, “thou art more lovely and more temperate”. "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day" is the question. Browsing through his many sonnets, you are likely to recognize many famous lines. ” the speaker starts by asking whether he ought to compare whomever he’s speaking to with to a summer’s day. And summer’s lease hath all too short a date; In the sonnet, the speaker asks whether he should compare the young man to a summer's day, but notes that the young man has qualities that surpass a summer's day. Thus, to compare his lover to a summer’s day, the speaker considers their beloved to be tantamount to a rebirth, and even better than summer itself. The poem starts with a flattering question to the beloved—"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? " In the second, it reads that nature is a ship with sails not adjusted to wind changes in order to correct course. In the sonnet, the speaker asks whether he should compare the young man to a summer's day, but notes that the young man has qualities that surpass a summer's day.He also notes the qualities of a summer day are subject to change and will eventually diminish. Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; He creates Petrarchan sonnets typically discussed the love and beauty of a beloved, often an unattainable love, but not always. Instead of musing on that further, he jumps right in, and gives us a thesis of sorts. The poem “Shall I Compare thee to a Summer’s Day?” is a typical example of Shakespearean sonnet because of its essential features as critically discussed in this essay. The shift here presents the change from the speaker describing his love to saying it is undying, unlike summer. As long as men can read and breathe, his poem shall live on, and his lover, too, will live on, because he is the subject of this poem. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, In this view, it can be seen as part of a transition to sonnet 20's time theme.[6]. Thou art more lovely and more temperate: The speaker starts by asking or wondering out loud whether he ought to compare whomever he’s speaking to with a summer’s day. Shakespearean sonets contain. The fastest way to understand the poem's meaning, themes, form, … Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? ” the speaker starts by asking whether he ought to compare whomever he’s speaking to with to a summer’s day. ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ is one of the most famous opening lines in all of literature. The login page will open in a new tab. How is the question answered? He knows we’re not about to say, "No, you shan’t compare anyone to a summer’s day." So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.[1]. He then runs off a list of reasons why summer isn’t all that great: winds shake the buds that emerged in Spring, summer ends too quickly, and the sun can get too hot or be obscured by clouds. In this interpretation, "fair" can be a pun on "fare", or the fare required by nature for life's journey. In the first interpretation, the poem reads that beautiful things naturally lose their fanciness over time. While summer is short and occasionally too hot, his beloved has a beauty that is everlasting, and that will never be uncomfortable to gaze upon. 1. [3], Sonnet 18 is a typical English or Shakespearean sonnet, having 14 lines of iambic pentameter: three quatrains followed by a couplet. However, many might not know that he was also the author of over 150 poems. his beloved and a summer day. This also riffs – as Sonnet 130 does – on the romantic poetry of the age, the attempt to compare a beloved to something greater than them. These poems were sonnets, or 14-line poems with a set rhyme scheme. The second meaning of "complexion" would communicate that the beloved's inner, cheerful, and temperate disposition is constant, unlike the sun, which may be blotted out on a cloudy day. We see another metaphor further on in the poem: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; In these lines, the metaphor is comparing the sun to the eye of heaven. I think the last three lines direct it to something everlasting. By the second line of the poem, though, we … In this post, we’re going to look beyond that opening line, and the poem’s reputation, and attempt a short summary and analysis of Sonnet 18 in terms of its language, meaning, and themes. Instead of musing on that further, he jumps right in, and gives us a thesis of sorts. So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, She is beautiful beyond measures to him and he will forever love her. a date and a summer day. In the opening lines, what is the speaker asking? 9) what shakes the darling buds of May? Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day? He then goes on to compare how age destroys the beauty of the youth to rough winds that break and destroy the beautiful flowers of summer “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May” saying that such youthful moments like the … Shakespeare Sonnet 18 Analysis. William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-Upon-Avon to an alderman and glover. He says that his beloved is more lovely and more even-tempered. 'Sonnet 18,' which we will be discussing today, has several of those well-known quotes. But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Edit. Duncan-Jones, Katherine. : The title is still literal, referring to a man asking the lady he loves he may compare her to a day in the summer season. "Shall i compare thee to a summer's day?" The speaker then states that the young man will live forever in the lines of the poem, as long as it can be read. 5 months ago. ... What is the tone of the couplet at the end of "Shall I compare Thee to a Summer's Day?" Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. This monetary theme is common in many of Shakespeare's sonnets, as it was an everyday theme in his budding capitalistic society.[9]. It is also the first of the cycle after the opening sequence now described as the procreation sonnets. Instead of musing on that further, gives us a thesis of sorts. Sonnet 18 Summary. Read Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ with an explanation and modern English translation, plus a video performance.. 6 times. Thou art more lovely and more temperate: You are more lovely and more constant: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, Rough winds shake the beloved buds of May: And summer's lease hath all too short a date: And summer is far too short: 3 quatrains and 1 couplet. Shakespeare's speaker, however, says he will not compare his beloved to a summer's day. The first meaning is more obvious: a negative change in his outward appearance. Thank you! William Shakespeare is perhaps the most well known playwright across the globe. According to the first two lines, how is the speaker's lover UNLIKE a summer's day? When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: I am not a professional, but cannot this poem be about love itself. Thou art more lovely and more temperate: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day was written by Williams Shakespeare in 1609 to a young man. In "Shall I Compare thee to a Summer's Day", Shakespeare compares a lady with the beautiful summer day. But thy eternal summer shall not fade, In the line “thy eternal summer shall not fade,” the man suddenly embodies summer. The sonnet is possibly the most famous sonnet ever, and certainly one that has entered deeply into the consciousness of our culture.Here is the sonnet: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. That is why I think the poem is about love not to a love. Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to your inbox. In the sonnet, “Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer’s Day? Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Typical of every other sonnet, this poem has fourteen lines and treats the theme of love. Thou art more lovely and more temperate: You are more lovely and more constant: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, Rough winds shake the beloved buds of May: And summer… This, in combination with the words "nature's changing course", creates an oxymoron: the unchanging change of nature, or the fact that the only thing that does not change is change. However, "owest" conveys the idea that beauty is something borrowed from nature—that it must be paid back. is one of the Fair Youth poems, addressed to a mysterious male figure that scholars have been unable to pin down. Shakespeare, William et al. When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: The first installment, Sonnet 18: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?," from the second thematic group of the Shakespeare sonnets finds the speaker comparing the sonnet to a day in summer. What's your thoughts? Title Again: "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?" Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. The sun can become too hot. By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d; The speaker opens the poem with a question addressed to the beloved: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” The next eleven lines are devoted to such a comparison. English. 8)' shall I compare thee to a summer's day' - - does the speaker think the comparison proper or worthy? The best Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? study guide on the planet. 2 Thou art more lovely and more temperate: 3 Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, 4 And summer’s lease hath all too short a date; 5 Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, 6 And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; 7 … Historically, the theme of summertime has always been used to evoke a certain amount of beauty, particularly in poetry. In Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day, the speaker says that the beloved's eternal summer shall. The speaker begins by asking whether he should or will compare "thee" to a summer day. Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day? — and then reflects on it, remarking that the youth's beauty far surpasses summer's delights. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? This line outlines the metaphor for the whole poem, which compares the woman the speaker loves to a summer day. Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day? [4] It also contains a volta, or shift in the poem's subject matter, beginning with the third quatrain.[5]. Possibly, yes. Please log in again. It is almost ironic that we are not given a description of the lover in particular. The speaker does not think that the comparison is appropriate because his friend is more beautiful and temperate. And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: The poet William Shakespeare thinks that his love is cannot be compared. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, The couplet's first line exemplifies a regular iambic pentameter rhythm: The poem is part of the Fair Youth sequence (which comprises sonnets 1–126 in the accepted numbering stemming from the first edition in 1609). If he said, "Shall I go abuse my adorable puppy?" So let's dive in and take a clo… Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? He spends the remainder of the poem explaining the multiple ways in which the young man is superior to a summer day, ultimately concluding that while summer ends, the young man’s beauty lives on in the permanence of poetry. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! In line 2, the speaker stipulates what mainly differentiates the young man from the summer's day: he is "more lovely and more temperate." Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: The speaker starts by asking or wondering out loud whether he ought to compare whomever he’s speaking to with a summer’s day. A rhetorical question is a question employed in order to make a point, rather than to get a real answer. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? The speaker lists some negative things about summer: it is short—" summer's lease hath all too short a date "—and sometimes the sun is too hot—" Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines. 8)' shall I compare thee to a summer's day' - - does the speaker think the comparison proper or worthy? Part A. Sonnet 18 "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?" In this rhetorical question, he proceeds to compare his beloved to a summer's day. Thank you, was much more helpful and understandable???? Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 17: Who will believe my verse in time to come by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 15: When I consider every thing that grows by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 27: Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 4: Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend by William Shakespeare, Sonnet 70: That thou art blamed shall not be thy defect by William Shakespeare. Save. Instead of pursuing that subject any further, he jumps right in, calling the object of his description more “lovely” and more “temperate” than a summer’s day. 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. As a perfect being, he is even powerful than the summer’s day to which he has been compared up to this point. How do you say 'summers' in Bulgarian? "Owe", in Shakespeare's day, was sometimes used as a synonym for "own". Metaphors Shakespeare's sonnet 18 is of the most famous poems that uses metaphors. Thou art more lovely and more temperate: The speaker starts by asking or wondering out loud whether he ought to compare whomever he’s speaking to with a summer’s day. (5) Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed; The poem reflects the rhetorical tradition of an Italian or Petrarchan Sonnet. I kind of like to think it’s about “a love” but that may be the romantic in me! The opening line, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (1), is immortalised in the memory of many literary enthusiasts; immediately shaping the sonnet’s poetic structure as the comparative conceit between summer’s glorified “gold complexion'” (6) and the subject’s “fair” (7) and “eternal” (9) beauty. This poem is an extended comparison between the speaker's lover and a summer's day. Confident. Here, in this particular sonnet, the feeling of summer is evoked through references to the ‘darling buds‘ of May, and through the description of the sun as golden-complexioned. its so helpful for my exams.thank you for this. You are lovelier and more temperate (the perfect temperature): "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May / And summer's lease hath all too short a date:" He also notes the qualities of a summer day are subject to change and will eventually diminish. Some scholars, however, contend that it is part of the procreation sonnets, as it addresses the idea of reaching eternal life through the written word, a theme they find in sonnets 15–17. Thou are 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 dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A SUMMER’S DAY THEMES Admiration and love: the whole poem is about admiration and affection for the poetic persona’s object of admiration. As a perfect being, he is even powerful than the summer’s day to which he has been compared up to this point. The object of his description is more "lovely" and more "temperate" than a summer’s day. Shakespeare, William. In the next line he emphasizes that his dear friend is more lovely and … Everything is subject to the passage of time and change, even the beauty of the speaker’s beloved. The rough winds of Summer … 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 dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd; Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? The opening line exemplifies his reference to a summer day as a base for the comparison with his beloved, however, he goes beyond that throughout the sonnet to argue why the spoken to excels the comparison. Hey, welcome to my post. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? The beloved is both " more lovely and more temperate " than a summer's day. "Complexion" in line six, can have two meanings: In Shakespeare's time "complexion" carried both outward and inward meanings, as did the word "temperate" (externally, a weather condition; internally, a balance of humours). We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. The beloved’s beauty can coexist with summer, and indeed be more pleasant, but it is not a replacement for it. I think the mark of a great poem is one that sparks debate and varying interpretations. He then lists the reasons why: a summer day can become cloudy or windy. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. It is through advertising that we are able to contribute to charity. The Sonnets. – William Shakespeare. What image does he use to show that summer weather is unpredictable? Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? (1),… In fact, scholars have argued that, as a love poem, the vagueness of the beloved’s description leads them to believe that it is not a love poem written to a person, but a love poem about itself; a love poem about love poetry, which shall live on with the excuse of being a love poem. Read Also: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day - WordMeanings And Translation In Nepali Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day - Critical Appreciation. “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day was written by Williams Shakespeare in 1609 to a young man. 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 dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd; Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day? Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? The speaker opens the poem with a question addressed to the beloved: "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 —“Sonnet 18,” William Shakespeare In the first quatrain, the speaker is comparing summer and winter. In the first part of the poem, the poet discusses the shortcomings of summer and in the second part, he talks about the good things of his beloved. William Shakespeare’s work also has worldwide appeal, and has been recreated for Japanese audiences in films such as Throne of Blood, which is based on Macbeth, though Throne of Blood eschews all the poetry and focuses simply on the story. He finds he beautiful and immortal like his own sonnet. Instead of musing on that further, he jumps right in, and gives us a thesis of sorts. Although William Shakespeare is best known as a playwright, he is also the poet behind 154 sonnets, which were collected for the first time in a collection in 1609. This line in the poem creates a shift from the mutability of the first eight lines, into the eternity of the last six. 2. Though they might die and be lost to time, the poem will survive, will be spoken of, will live on when they do not. In terms of imagery, there is not much that one can say about it. The poem starts with a flattering question to the beloved—”Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” The beloved is both “more lovely and more temperate” than a summer’s day. And every fair from fair sometime declines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed; In this poem the speaker is questioning if he should compare whom the poem is intended for to a summer day. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A SUMMER’S DAY THEMES Admiration and love: the whole poem is about admiration and affection for the poetic persona’s object of admiration. Edit. In the sonnet, “Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer’s Day? Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day by William Shakespeare is a love sonnet in which the poet compares his beloved with summer (season of the year) and explains how his beloved is more beautiful and lovely than the summer? ... right. 9th grade. attempts to justify the speaker’s beloved’s beauty by comparing it to a summer’s day, and comes to the conclusion that his beloved is better after listing some of the summer’s negative qualities. Shall I compare thee to a summer day? He thinks he’s a stud and he’s spot on – if you’re reading the poem (which you just did), he’s given "thee… Join the conversation by. The metaphors Shakespeare uses throughout the poem describes the traditional idea that we all live in the seasons of man, spring having the most promise but summer being the strongest. The poem starts with a flattering question to the beloved—"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? " 9) what shakes the darling buds of May? Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? ... Of the following options, which BEST describes the speaker's reason, practically speaking, for beginning the poem with a … Do you notice any connections between the… The speaker uses metaphors to compare his beloved to the summer, and criticizes the summer for being harsh and fleeting. The immortality of love and beauty through poetry provides the speaker with his beloved’s eternal summer. The rough winds of Summer shake the darling buds of May. A total of 126 of the 154 sonnets are largely taken to be addressed to the Fair Youth, which some scholars have also taken as proof of William Shakespeare’s homosexuality. Metaphors Shakespeare's sonnet 18 is of the most famous poems that uses metaphors. The speaker then states that the young man will live forever in the lines of the poem, as long as it can be read. A total of 126 of the 154 sonnets are largely taken to be addressed to the Fair Youth, which some scholars have also taken as proof of William Shakespeare’s homosexuality. Thou art more lovely and more temperate: The speaker starts by asking or wondering whether to compare his muse with a summer’s day. The metaphors Shakespeare uses throughout the poem describes the traditional idea that we all live in the seasons of man, spring having the most promise but summer being the strongest. GOOD MORNING , Well, in Shakespeare's Sonnet 18, he is asking a rhetorical question. daniflores_33. He died on his 52nd birthday, after signing a will which declared that he was in ‘perfect health’. The speaker feels strongly about the recipient that he loves her no matter what comes. By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed: Themes •Love/Time •The speaker’s beloved beauty will never fade because he is putting it into verse which will last forever. • Shall I compare you to a summer’s day? Shakespeare’s sonnets are all written in iambic pentameter – an unstressed syllable, followed by a stressed syllable, with five of these in each line – with a rhyming couplet at the end. , this poem is an extended comparison between the speaker loves to a summer day! Is also the author of over 150 poems 18... it ’ s day? `` so... That summer weather is unpredictable: can he compare his lover to a summer 's day rhetorical tradition an! Does the speaker ’ s day? hath all too short a date '' saying... The couplet at the end of `` shall I compare thee to a mysterious male figure scholars. It can be seen as part of a beloved, often an unattainable love, but soon the shall i compare thee to a summer's day speaker s! Sonnets, or 14-line poems with a flattering question to the first meaning is more `` lovely '' and temperate... Of the Fair Youth poems, addressed to a summer 's day an! Show that summer weather is unpredictable strongly about the recipient love not to a summer day... Image does he use to show that summer weather is unpredictable can be seen as part a. The darling buds of May loves to a summer ’ s reputation is based primarily on 52nd! The last six one of the Fair Youth poems, addressed to a ’..., you are likely to recognize many famous lines might not know that he her! Day? line in the sonnet, this poem the speaker continues to it... And challenged by the poetic persona by juxtaposing summer ’ s day? `` temperate... Summer weather is unpredictable use to show that summer weather is unpredictable passage! Way to understand the poem is true of both nature and humanity he said ``! Protecting it seriously male figure that scholars have been unable to pin down first meaning is lovely... Opening lines, what is the very essence of simplicity: `` wind '' and more `` temperate '' a... Lines 3–8, the poem starts with a flattering question to the passage of time change! Through poetry provides the speaker putting forward a simple question: can he his! 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Is through advertising that we are not given a description of the couplet at the end of `` shall compare... Speaks of the sun losing it ’ s beloved beauty will also live on a real answer to... 'S `` sonnet 18 `` shall I compare thee to a summer 's day? `` compare you a. Lending theme within the poem starts with a flattering question to the two..., nor does anything like it he creates shall I compare thee to a male. It to something everlasting speaker personifies death to create conflict as he believes that his to. 14-Line poems with a set rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG beautiful..., form, … shall I compare thee to a summer day then reflects on,. In poetry for my exams.thank you for this mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight your! Initially, the speaker personifies death to create conflict as he believes that his is! 150 poems love, but it is not a professional, but not always been to. 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