Sonnet 15 by William Shakespeare | Sonnet 15 | When I consider everything that grows | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Word Meaning | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
Sonnet 15
When I consider everything that grows
When I consider everything that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and check’d even by the selfsame sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night;
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.
line-by-line explanation of the poem
When I consider everything that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
Explanation
The speaker starts by contemplating the transient nature of life. Everything that flourishes, from plants to humans, experiences peak beauty that lasts only a fleeting instant.
Metaphor: “Everything that grows” stands for life itself, highlighting its temporary nature.
Personification: “Holds in perfection” gives human qualities to the fleeting moment of perfection.
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
Explanation
The speaker views the world as a vast stage where everything is simply a temporary performance. Even the seemingly eternal stars offer veiled observations on the passing drama of existence.
Poetic Device:
Metaphor: “This huge stage” compares the world to a temporary platform for life’s plays.
Personification: “Stars comment” imbues the stars with the ability to observe and influence human affairs.
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and check’d even by the selfsame sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Explanation
The speaker draws a parallel between humans and plants. Both thrive and wilt under the same natural forces, boasting in their youthful vitality before inevitably declining and fading from memory.
Poetic Device
Simile: “Men as plants increase” draws a parallel between the growth of humans and plants, emphasizing their shared vulnerability.
Personification: “Cheered and checked by the sky” gives human emotions to the sky, attributing its influence on life.
Metaphor: “Youthful sap” represents the vitality and potential of youth.
Metaphor: “Brave state” refers to the pride and confidence of youth, eventually fading with time.
Metonymy: “Wear their state out of memory” stands for the loss of youthful vigor and its disappearance from memory.
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night;
Explanation
Realizing the impermanence of life, the speaker sees the young man addressed as even more precious in his youthful beauty. He imagines Time and Decay locked in a constant struggle, seeking to replace the vibrant day of youth with the shadows of age.
Poetic Device
Metaphor: “Wasteful Time” personifies time as a destructive force.
Personification: “Debateth with Decay” gives human characteristics to time and decay, depicting them as rivals.
Metaphor: “Day of youth” and “sullied night” represent the contrasting phases of youth and age.
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.
Explanation
The speaker declares his unwavering love for the young man and vows to fight against the inevitable passage of time. He promises to “engrave” the young man’s beauty in his poetry, creating an eternal portrait that will defy decay.
Poetic devices
Metaphor: “War with Time” compares the speaker’s fight against time to a battle.
Personification: “As he takes from you” gives time the action of stealing the young man’s beauty.
Metaphor: “Engraft you new” refers to creating a lasting image of the young man through poetry.
Summary
This sonnet is one of Shakespeare’s most beautiful and poignant meditations on the passage of time and the inevitability of death. The speaker begins by observing that everything in the natural world is ephemeral, even the stars that seem to hold dominion over the heavens. He then turns to the human condition, noting that men, like plants, grow and flourish for a time only to eventually wither and fade.
The speaker’s reflections on mortality lead him to appreciate the beauty of the young man he is addressing even more. He sees the young man as the embodiment of youth and vitality, a precious and fragile thing that Time and Decay are constantly threatening to destroy.
In the final lines of the sonnet, the speaker expresses his determination to defy Time and preserve the young man’s beauty. He will do this by “engrafting” him into his poetry, creating a lasting portrait of him that will endure even after the young man himself is gone.
Sonnet 15 is a powerful and moving reminder of the beauty and fragility of life. It is a testament to the power of art to transcend time and mortality, and to offer solace in the face of loss.
Key Points
Author: William Shakespeare is considered to be one of the most important English-language writers. His plays and poems are read all over the world.
Form: Sonnet 15 is a sonnet, a fourteen-line poem that is contained within one stanza. The form that has become synonymous with the poet’s name. The English or Shakespearean sonnet is made up of three quatrains, or sets of four lines, and one concluding couplet, or set of two rhyming lines.
Speaker: The speaker in this sonnet is an unnamed narrator who deeply cares for a young, beautiful man
Setting: The setting is not explicitly mentioned in the sonnet. However, the themes of growth, decay, and time suggest a universal setting.
Theme: The main theme of this sonnet is the transitory nature of life and beauty, and the power of poetry to immortalize them.
Plot: The speaker reflects on how everything that grows holds perfection only for a moment. He compares the life cycle of humans to that of plants. He then addresses a young man, expressing concern about his inevitable aging and decay. The speaker resolves to fight against time by immortalizing the young man’s beauty in his sonnets.
Tone: Melancholic, but hopeful.
Style: Shakespeare’s style in this sonnet, like many of his others, is characterized by its iambic pentameter and intricate rhyme scheme. It uses a number of metaphors to express the speaker’s concern.
Message: The message of the sonnet is that while physical beauty and life are fleeting, they can be immortalized through poetry. The speaker uses his verse as a weapon against time, promising to preserve the young man’s beauty in his writings.
Structure and Rhyme Scheme
Structure
The structure of Sonnet 15 follows the typical structure of a Shakespearean sonnet. It is composed of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final couplet (two-line stanza). The quatrains often introduce a problem or question, while the couplet provides a resolution or answer.
Rhyme Scheme
The rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean sonnet is ABABCDCDEFEFGG. This means that the first and third lines of each quatrain rhyme with each other (A and C, D and F), as do the second and fourth lines (B and D, E and G). The final couplet (GG) also rhymes.
This structure and rhyme scheme are characteristic of Shakespeare’s sonnets and are part of what gives them their musicality and emotional impact.
Word Meaning
| Line | Tough Word | Meaning in English | Meaning in Hindi |
| 1 | considers | thinks about, reflects on | सोचता है |
| 1 | grows | blooms, flourishes | बढ़ता है |
| 2 | perfection | state of faultlessness, completeness | पूर्णता |
| 2 | moment | short period of time | क्षण |
| 3 | presenteth | presents, offers | प्रस्तुत करता है |
| 3 | nought | No / nil | कुछ नहीं |
| 5 | perceive | become aware of, understand | अनुभव करता है |
| 6 | cheered | encouraged, supported | खुश होते हैं |
| 6 | checked | controlled, limited | रोक दिए जाते हैं |
| 6 | selfsame | exactly the same | वही |
| 7 | vaunt | boast, brag | घमंड करते हैं |
| 7 | sap | life force, energy | रस |
| 8 | wear | To erase | मिटाना |
| 9 | conceit | Arrogant / self-importance | अभिमान |
| 9 | inconstant | unreliable, changing | अस्थिर |
| 10 | sets you | makes you appear | प्रस्तुत करता है |
| 11 | wasteful | destructive, wasteful | बेकार |
| 11 | debateth | argues, contends | बहस करता है |
| 11 | decay | decline, deterioration | क्षय |
| 12 | sullied | tarnished, darkened | बदरंग |
| 14 | engraft | generate | उत्पन्न करना |
Very Short Answer Questions
What is the subject of the poem’s first line?
Everything that grows
How long does the poem say perfection lasts?
A little moment
What is the world compared to in the second line?
A huge stage
What do the stars do in the poem?
They comment
What grows and is checked by the same sky?
Men
What do humans boast of in their youth?
Their youthful sap
What happens to their brave state?
It fades from memory
How does the speaker feel about the impermanence of life?
Makes the young man more precious
Who debates with Decay in the poem?
Time
What does Time try to change?
The young man’s day of youth
What does the speaker fight for in the poem?
The young man’s beauty
What weapon does the speaker use in this fight?
Poetry
What does the speaker promise to do with his poetry?
Engraft the young man
What is the poem’s overall tone?
Melancholic, but hopeful
What does the poem celebrate?
The power of art
What is the poem a testament to?
The enduring power of love
What does the poem capture?
The beauty of youth
What does the poem try to defy?
Decay and mortality
What literary device is used in the line “Cheered and checked even by the selfsame sky”?
Personification
What is the rhyme scheme of the sonnet?
ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Short Answer Questions
Explain the metaphor of the “huge stage” in the second line of the poem.
The “huge stage” is a metaphor for life, suggesting that life is like a theatrical performance where events unfold, and individuals play their roles.
How does the poet describe the influence of stars on human life in the second line?
The stars are said to have a secret influence, implying a cosmic force that plays a role in shaping the events and experiences of human life.
In what way does the poet compare men to plants in the third line, and what does this comparison convey?
The comparison suggests that, like plants, human life has a cycle of growth and decline. It conveys the idea of the transient nature of both human and natural existence.
Explain the significance of the phrase “youthful sap” in line 4.
“Youthful sap” refers to the vigor and vitality of youth. The phrase emphasizes the exuberance and energy associated with the early stages of life.
Describe the conflict presented in the poem between Time and Decay.
Time and Decay engage in a metaphorical struggle, where Time seeks to preserve youth, and Decay represents the inevitable deterioration that comes with the passage of time.
How does the poet use the term “conceit” in line 5, and what is its role in the poem?
“Conceit” is used to describe an elaborate metaphor or comparison. In this context, it refers to the idea that considering the transient nature of life enhances the perception of the beloved’s richness in youth.
Explain the concept of “sullied night” in line 7 and its symbolic meaning.
“Sullied night” represents the tarnishing or deterioration of the bright days of youth into a darker, less vibrant period. It symbolizes the impact of time on the pristine state of youth.
How does the poet express his resistance against the effects of Time in line 11?
The poet declares a metaphorical “war with Time” as a symbolic way of expressing his determination to combat the inevitable aging process and preserve the beloved’s youth.
What is the poet’s promise in the final line of the sonnet?
The poet promises to engraft the beloved anew, suggesting a poetic act of rejuvenation or regeneration to counteract the effects of time.
How does the extended metaphor of plants and growth contribute to the overall theme of the poem?
The metaphor emphasizes the cyclical nature of life, with the growth of plants paralleling the stages of human life. It reinforces the idea that everything has a moment of perfection but is subject to the passage of time and decay.
Essay Type Questions
1. Write the critical appreciation of the poem.
Introduction
“Sonnet 15” is one of the 154 sonnets written by the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare. It is part of the Fair Youth sequence, which is addressed to a young man of great beauty and promise. In this sonnet, Shakespeare explores themes of time, decay, and the immortality offered by poetry.
Structure and Form and Rhyme Scheme
“Sonnet 15” follows the structure of a Shakespearean sonnet. It’s composed of 14 lines divided into three quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, which is typical of a Shakespearean sonnet. The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, a rhythmic scheme that has five pairs of syllables per line, with the emphasis on the second syllable of each pair.
Theme
The primary theme of “Sonnet 15” is the transitory nature of beauty and life. Shakespeare reflects on how everything that grows only holds perfection for a little moment. He uses the metaphor of a plant’s life cycle to illustrate the fleeting nature of human life and beauty. However, he introduces the idea of poetry as a means to combat this inevitable decay, promising to immortalize the young man’s beauty in his verse.
Imagery
Shakespeare employs vivid imagery in “Sonnet 15”. He refers to the world as a “huge stage” and stars commenting in “secret influence”, invoking the idea of celestial bodies influencing human fate. The comparison of men to plants growing, reaching their height, and then decreasing, paints a clear picture of the human life cycle. The imagery of “wasteful Time” debating with Decay to change the young man’s youth to “sullied night” personifies time and decay, making them active agents in the process of aging.
Poetic Devices
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 15 is not merely a collection of words; it’s a meticulously crafted tapestry woven with diverse poetic devices that dance and shimmer, illuminating the poem’s themes of beauty’s fleeting nature and the enduring power of art. Let’s delve into this rich literary landscape and appreciate the artistry behind each device:
1. Metaphors:
Life as a performance: “When I consider everything that grows / Holds in perfection but a little moment, / That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows,” compares life to a temporary performance on a vast stage, highlighting its transitory nature.
Youth as a day: “Then the conceit of this inconstant stay / Sets you most rich in youth before my sight, / Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay / To change your day of youth to sullied night,” uses the metaphor of “day” and “night” to represent the vibrant period of youth and the inevitable decline of age.
Art as engraving: “And all in war with Time for love of you, / As he takes from you, I engraft you new,” portrays the speaker’s artistic endeavor as an act of engraving the young man’s beauty in poetry, defying time’s destructive power.
2. Personification:
Time and Decay as adversaries: “Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay / To change your day of youth to sullied night,” personifies Time and Decay as rivals engaged in a constant struggle to steal away youth’s beauty.
Stars as silent observers: “When this huge stage presenteth nought but shows / Whereon the stars in secret influence comment,” imbues the stars with the ability to observe and subtly influence human affairs.
Plants mirroring human growth: “When I perceive that men as plants increase, / Cheered and checked even by the selfsame sky,” personifies plants, drawing parallels between their growth and decline with human life under the same celestial influences.
3. Simile:
Men like plants: “When I perceive that men as plants increase,” compares the growth and decline of humans to the cycle of plants, emphasizing their shared vulnerability to the forces of nature.
4. Alliteration:
“Wasteful Time debateth with Decay”
“Sun sets you most rich in youth”
“Cheered and checked even by the selfsame sky”
These repeated consonant sounds add a musicality and emphasis to the poem, drawing attention to important lines and themes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “Sonnet 15” is a profound meditation on time, decay, and the power of poetry. Shakespeare masterfully uses structure, rhyme, theme, imagery, and various poetic devices to convey his contemplation of life’s transience and his defiant stand against it through his verse. The sonnet is not just a lamentation of the fleeting nature of life and beauty, but also a testament to the enduring power of poetry that promises to “engraft” the young man anew, achieving a kind of immortality against the ravages of time.
