Essay Type Questions
1. Write the critical appreciation of the poem “Sonnet 15” by William Shakespeare.
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.
