Sonnet 71 by William Shakespeare Questions Answers
Very Short Answer Questions
What does the speaker ask the beloved not to do when he dies?
Mourn for him.
What is the sound of the bell described as?
Sullen and surly.
What does the bell announce?
The speaker’s death.
Where does the speaker imagine himself going after death?
To dwell with worms in the earth.
What does the speaker ask the beloved to forget?
The hand that wrote the poem.
Why does the speaker want to be forgotten?
Because he loves the beloved and doesn’t want them to be sad.
What does the speaker ask the beloved not to do even if they read the poem?
Remember him.
When does the speaker imagine the beloved reading the poem?
When he is dead and buried.
What does the speaker ask the beloved not to do with his name?
Rehearse it.
What does the speaker want to happen to the beloved’s love for him?
To decay with his life.
Why does the speaker want the beloved’s love to decay?
To avoid the world mocking them.
What does the speaker fear the world will do if the beloved mourns him?
Mock them and him.
What is the speaker’s primary concern throughout the poem?
The beloved’s well-being after his death.
What literary device is used in line 1?
Direct address.
What literary device is used in line 4?
Metaphor.
What literary device is used in line 5?
Enjambment.
What literary device is used in line 13?
Conditional clause.
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
What is the meter of the poem?
Iambic pentameter.
Who is the author of the poem?
William Shakespeare.
What is the speaker’s request regarding mourning in the poem?
The speaker asks not to mourn for him when he is dead.
What does the bell symbolize in the poem?
The tolling bell symbolizes the announcement of the speaker’s death.
What does the speaker mean by “vilest worms” in line 4?
It symbolizes death and decay.
Why does the speaker ask not to remember the hand that wrote the poem?
The speaker wants to be forgotten to spare the reader sorrow.
What does the speaker want to happen to his name after his death?
The speaker wants his name to be not mentioned after his death.
What does the speaker prefer over being remembered with sorrow?
The speaker prefers to be forgotten in the lover’s sweet thoughts.
What is the speaker’s attitude towards death in the poem?
The speaker accepts death and urges the beloved not to grieve excessively.
What is the significance of the phrase “compounded am with clay” in line 10?
It refers to the speaker’s body returning to the earth after death.
Why does the speaker ask not to rehearse his poor name?
The speaker wants to spare the beloved from the pain of remembering him.
What does the speaker suggest about the decay of love?
The speaker suggests that love should decay along with his life.
Why does the speaker fear the wise world looking into the mourner’s moan?
The speaker fears mockery and scrutiny from the wise world.
What is the central theme of Sonnet 71?
The poem’s central theme lies in the speaker’s profound love for the beloved and his concern for their well-being even after his death.
Short Answer Questions
How does the speaker describe his death in the first four lines?
The speaker describes his death as a departure from this “vile world” to dwell with “vilest worms,” emphasizing the unpleasantness of his final resting place.
What does the speaker ask the beloved to do about the hand that wrote the poem?
The speaker asks the beloved to forget the hand that wrote the poem, stating that his love for them is so great he would rather be forgotten than cause them sadness.
Why does the speaker not want the beloved to remember him?
The speaker fears that remembering him would cause the beloved pain and grief, and he desires their happiness above all else.
On what condition does the speaker permit the beloved to remember him?
The speaker offers a hypothetical scenario where the beloved might read his words after he is gone, but only if it does not bring them sorrow.
What specific request does the speaker make regarding his name?
The speaker explicitly asks the beloved not to even rehearse his name, demonstrating his desire for complete erasure from their memory.
What does the speaker desire to happen to the beloved’s love for him?
The speaker desires the beloved’s love for him to decay along with his life, believing this will be the least painful outcome for them.
What does the speaker fear will happen if the beloved mourns him excessively?
The speaker fears that the world will judge and mock the beloved for their grief, causing them further pain and humiliation.
What does the poem reveal about the speaker’s character?
The poem reveals the speaker’s selfless and loving nature. He prioritizes the beloved’s happiness above his own desires, even in the face of death.
What is the poem’s overall tone?
The poem’s overall tone is somber and reflective, with a touch of melancholy and resignation.
What literary device is used in lines 5 and 6?
Enjambment is used in lines 5 and 6, where the sentence continues across the line break, creating a sense of urgency and flow.
What literary device is used in lines 7 and 8?
Inversion is used in lines 7 and 8, where the sentence structure is reversed from normal order (“That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot, / If thinking on me then should make you woe”).
What type of poem is this?
This is a Shakespearean sonnet, a form of poem with 14 lines and a specific rhyme scheme (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG).
What is the poem’s message about love and death?
The poem suggests that true love transcends death, but it also acknowledges the pain of loss and the importance of letting go.
What is the poem’s relevance to the human experience?
The poem explores universal themes of love, death, grief, and memory, making it relatable to anyone who has ever experienced loss.
What is your interpretation of the poem’s ending line?
The ending line, “And mock you with me after I am gone,” can be interpreted as a reminder of the cruelty and judgment of the world, or it can be seen as a final plea from the speaker to protect the beloved from potential harm.
