SHALL I COMPARE THEE ...
--by William Shakespeare
The Theme: The sonnet is a sincere tribute by the poet to the eternal beauty of his friend. He feels the destructive touch of time on all worldly elements. The loveliness of summer, the beautiful buds of May, the sun -- all fair forms of nature are subjected to decay. This very thought is certainly painful, but the poet has no feelings of dismay. He is rather inspired by his firm faith in the eternal appeal of his friend's beauty. His friend will ever live and thrive, despite the cruel blow of time, through the lines of his verse written in his praise.
Write the following answer within sentences :
1. What is the structure of the sonnet No. 18 of W.S.?
>Shakespearean sonnet is divided into 3 quatrains of 4 lines each and
a concluding couplet of 2 lines.
2. Why does not the poet compare his friend to a summer's day?
>...his friend is more lovely/beautiful and temperate than that of
the summer’s day.
3. What do rough winds do in the season of summer?
>Shake the beautiful buds in the month of May in summer and
therefore spoils the beauty of nature.
4. What do you mean by “nature’s changing course”?
>... suggests the natural decay of all earthly objects done by the
ravages of time.
5. What do you mean by “eyes of heaven”?
In the poem “Shall...Thee” Shakespeare describes the sun as...
6. How is the “gold complexion” dimmed?
>... when it is covered with clouds.
7. Why is the young man called “more temperate”?
>... is more temperate, i.e.- consistent and sustaining as it is not
like Summer’s day the beauty of which is sometimes spoiled by the ravages of
time.
8. How does the sun fluctuate in its presence in summer?
>Sometimes the sun becomes too hot and sometimes it is covered by
clouds, making nature gloomy.
9. How does Shakespeare announce the omnipotence of time?
>... by saying that every object of nature loses its beauty with the
ravages/passage of time.
10. What do you mean by “thy eternal summer”?
>... refers to the youth and beauty of the poet’s friend whose
worthiness will be immortalized in the poet’s verse.
11. How does the poet want to immortalize his friend?
.... by writing verse in his praise or worthiness.
12. Give an example of exaggeration in the poem?
>“the eyes of heaven” is the example of exaggeration used by the poet
to describe the sun.
13. What will not be bragged by Death?
>That the poet’s friend is in Death’s shade will never be bragged by
Death.
14. What were the fair possessions that the poet’s friend owest?
.The fair possessions owned by the poet’s friend are the beauty and the
youth.
15. What is meant by the poet by “eternal lines”?
>... his friend will ever live with his beauty and youth through the eternal verse of the poet.
16. Why is the beauty of the poet’s friend called more temperate than summer?
>Same as Q.7
17. Why does the poet begin the poem with a question?
>... as he is not satisfied in comparing his friend with the summer’s
day as he considered his friend more lovely and temperate than that.
Or,
>...to suggest that the beauty of his friend is too higher to compare
with anything.
18. How does the poet personify death?
>... by saying that he is a cruel man, always boastful in his
destructive power.
19. Whose shade is referred to here as “his shade”?
>The shade of death is ...
20. What does the poet mean by the phrase “life to thee”?
>... that is a verse written in praise of the poet’s friend will keep
him alive forever.
21. What is meant by ” summer’s lease”?
>...suggest a limited period of time granted for the summer season.
22. What are the drawbacks of a summer day?
>... that it sometimes appears with scorching heat and sometimes
warmthless or dimmed and sometimes the rough winds spoil the beauty of summer.
23. How does the poet immortalize his friend?
Or, What attempt does the poet make through the sonnet
No. 18?
> Do it yourself...
24. What is the poet’s idea about Nature in sonnet No. 18?
>... natural objects are not perfect as they are not permanent.
25. Why would the friend grow in the poet’s verse?
>
26. Who is Mr W.H.?
>
