Sonnet 60 by William Shakespeare Summary

Sonnet 60 is a somber reflection on the fleeting nature of time and beauty. The speaker compares the relentless march of time to the waves crashing against the shore, each moment inexorably replaced by the next. This relentless passage of time erodes all things, even youth and beauty. However, the speaker finds solace in the hope that his poetry will endure, even as he is consumed by time’s scythe.

Themes

Time: The poem is dominated by the theme of time, which is portrayed as a relentless force that consumes all things. The speaker compares time to waves and a scythe, emphasizing its destructive power.

Beauty: Beauty is also a central theme of the poem. The speaker laments the fact that even beauty is not immune to the ravages of time. He describes how time “delves the parallels in beauty’s brow,” suggesting that even the most beautiful faces are eventually etched with wrinkles.

Art: The speaker finds solace in the hope that his poetry will endure, even as he is consumed by time. He believes that his words will continue to praise the beauty of his beloved, even after he is gone.

Structure

The poem is a Shakespearean sonnet, which consists of three quatrains and a couplet. The quatrains are written in iambic pentameter, a metrical pattern that gives the poem a regular and flowing rhythm. The couplet at the end of the poem provides a sense of closure and reinforces the theme of hope.

Language and Imagery

The poem is rich in language and imagery. The speaker uses metaphors and similes to convey his ideas. For example, he compares time to waves and a scythe, and he describes beauty as being “crown’d” with maturity. The imagery of the poem is both beautiful and haunting, reflecting the poem’s dual themes of time and beauty.

Overall Sonnet 60 is a powerful and moving poem about the fleeting nature of time and beauty. The speaker’s despair at the power of time is tempered by his hope that his poetry will endure. The poem is a reminder that, even though we are all subject to time’s relentless march, our art can live on and continue to inspire others.

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: “Like as the waves make towards the pebbl’d shore” (Sonnet 60) 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 the poem is presumably William Shakespeare himself, or a persona he has created for the purpose of the poem.

Setting: The setting of the poem is not explicitly stated, but it can be inferred that the poem takes place in a metaphysical realm where the speaker is contemplating the nature of time.

Theme: The main theme of the poem is the power of time to take life from even the most beautiful and the power of writing to fight back.

Plot: The speaker spends the majority of the poem using personification to describe time as a force that gives and then takes away. It chooses to destroy all of that which it once created.

Tone: The tone of the poem is contemplative and philosophical.

Style: The poem is characterized by its use of metaphors, imagery, and symbolism, making it both powerful and accessible.

Message: The poem is a reminder that time is fleeting and that beauty is impermanent.

Word Meaning