Sonnet 1 by William Shakespeare | From fairest creatures we desire increase | Sonnet 1 | William Shakespeare | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Word Meaning | Critical Appreciation | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
Sonnet 1
From fairest creatures we desire increase
(William Shakespeare)
From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty’s rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decease,
His tender heir might bear his memory;
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed’st thy light’s flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.
Thou that art now the world’s fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content,
And, tender churl, mak’st waste in niggarding.
Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
To eat the world’s due, by the grave and thee.
Sonnet 1 by William Shakespeare: YouTube Link
Sonnet 1 line-by-line explanation
From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty’s rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decease,
His tender heir might bear his memory;
Explanation
In these opening lines of Sonnet 1, Shakespeare expresses a universal desire for beautiful creatures to reproduce so that their beauty can be preserved through future generations. By “increase,” he means having children. This way, the metaphorical “beauty’s rose” can live on and never fade away completely. However, as time inevitably causes the older generation to age and die, their beauty can be inherited and remembered through their offspring. The “tender heir” refers to the child who carries on the memory and beauty of the parent, ensuring that the essence of their attractiveness and legacy does not perish with their death.
Poetic devices
1. Alliteration:
“From fairest creatures” – The repetition of the initial ‘f’ sound emphasizes the beauty of the subjects.
2. Metaphor:
“beauty’s rose” – Beauty is compared to a rose, symbolizing its delicate and transient nature.
“tender heir” – The next generation is referred to as an “heir,” highlighting the inheritance of beauty.
3. Personification:
“beauty’s rose might never die” – Beauty is given the human quality of death, emphasizing its fragility.
“time decease” – Time is personified as something that can cause death or decay, suggesting the inevitable aging process.
4. Imagery:
“beauty’s rose” – Visual imagery that evokes the image of a beautiful rose, enhancing the theme of fleeting beauty.
“riper” – Conjures the image of something reaching full maturity, indicating the peak before decline.
5. Contrast:
The contrast between “beauty’s rose” and “time decease” highlights the tension between enduring beauty and the inevitable decay brought by time.
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed’st thy light’s flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.
Explanation
In these lines, Shakespeare addresses a young man who is excessively focused on his own beauty. By “contracted to thine own bright eyes,” the poet means that the young man is overly preoccupied with admiring himself. He sustains his beauty (“thy light’s flame”) using his own resources (“selfsubstantial fuel”), rather than sharing it with the world through procreation. This self-absorption creates a “famine where abundance lies,” meaning that the young man’s beauty, which could be plentifully shared and perpetuated, is wasted and causes scarcity instead. By not having children, he is being his own enemy (“Thyself thy foe”) and cruel to himself (“to thy sweet self too cruel”), as he denies himself the joy and legacy of offspring, and ultimately lets his beauty die with him.
Poetic Device
1. Metaphor:
“contracted to thine own bright eyes” – The young man is metaphorically bound or married to his own beauty, emphasizing his narcissism.
“Feed’st thy light’s flame with self-substantial fuel” – His beauty is compared to a flame that he keeps burning using his own resources, suggesting self-centeredness and vanity.
2. Imagery:
“bright eyes” – Visual imagery that highlights the young man’s beauty and the allure of his gaze.
“light’s flame” – Creates a vivid image of a burning flame, symbolizing his inner beauty and vitality.
3. Alliteration:
“Feed’st thy light’s flame with self-substantial fuel” – The repetition of the ‘F’ sound adds to the rhythmic quality of the line and emphasizes the self-sufficiency of his beauty.
4. Paradox:
“Making a famine where abundance lies” – This paradox highlights the contradiction of causing scarcity (famine) despite having plenty (abundance). It underscores how the young man’s selfishness leads to a waste of potential.
5. Hyperbole:
“Making a famine where abundance lies” – This exaggeration emphasizes the drastic and harmful impact of the young man’s narcissism.
6. Symbolism:
“light’s flame” – Symbolizes the young man’s beauty and vitality.
“self-substantial fuel” – Symbolizes his self-reliance and selfishness.
Thou that art now the world’s fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content,
And, tender churl, mak’st waste in niggarding.
Explanation
In these lines, Shakespeare continues to address the young man, describing him as the world’s “fresh ornament,” meaning he is currently a beautiful and cherished part of the world. He is also called the “herald to the gaudy spring,” indicating that his beauty announces and enhances the vibrant and lively season of spring.
However, despite his potential to bring joy and renewal, the young man is “within thine own bud” burying his contentment. This metaphor suggests that he keeps his beauty and potential locked away within himself, like a flower that never blooms. By doing so, he is being a “tender churl,” a term
that combines a sense of endearment (“tender”) with a mild rebuke (“churl,” meaning a miserly or selfish person). He wastes his beauty and potential by hoarding it (“mak’st waste in niggarding”), rather than sharing it through procreation. This selfishness prevents the world from benefiting from the legacy he could leave behind.
Poetic Device
1. Metaphor:
“the world’s fresh ornament” – The young man is compared to an ornament, suggesting he is a source of beauty and adornment for the world.
“only herald to the gaudy spring” – The young man is compared to a herald, someone who announces the arrival of spring, symbolizing his role in bringing new life and beauty.
2. Imagery:
“world’s fresh ornament” – Visual imagery that evokes the idea of something new and beautiful that enhances the world.
“gaudy spring” – Visual imagery that conjures a vivid, colorful, and lively season, emphasizing the young man’s beauty and vitality.
3. Personification:
“Within thine own bud buriest thy content” – The young man’s potential and happiness are personified as something being buried within a flower bud, emphasizing how he keeps his potential hidden.
4. Paradox:
“mak’st waste in niggarding” – This paradox highlights the contradiction of wasting something by being overly stingy or miserly with it. The young man’s refusal to share his beauty leads to its waste.
5. Symbolism:
“bud” – Symbolizes potential and growth that is not being realized because it remains closed.
“tender churl” – Symbolizes the young man’s conflicting nature of being both endearing and selfish.
Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
To eat the world’s due, by the grave and thee.
Explanation
In these concluding lines, Shakespeare makes a final appeal to the young man. He urges him to “pity the world,” meaning to have compassion for humanity by sharing his beauty and allowing it to continue through offspring. If the young man refuses to do this, Shakespeare warns that he will be a “glutton,” a term for someone who selfishly consumes more than their fair share.
By being a glutton, the young man would be “eating the world’s due,” meaning he would be taking away what rightfully belongs to the world—the continuation of his beauty. The phrase “by the grave and thee” suggests that this selfish act will lead to his beauty being consumed and lost forever in the grave, leaving nothing behind for the world. Shakespeare is emphasizing that without passing on his beauty through children, the young man will ultimately waste his potential and deprive the world of its due legacy.
Poetic Device
1. Metaphor:
“this glutton be” – The young man is compared to a glutton, someone who selfishly consumes more than their share, highlighting his selfishness.
“To eat the world’s due” – This metaphor suggests that by not sharing his beauty through procreation, the young man is consuming what rightfully belongs to the world.
2. Personification:
“the world’s due” – The world is personified as something owed a debt, emphasizing the idea that the young man has a duty to share his beauty with others.
“the grave and thee” – The grave is personified as a force that, together with the young man, will consume his beauty if he remains selfish.
3. Symbolism:
“grave” – Symbolizes death and the end of potential, highlighting the urgency for the young man to act before it’s too late.
