How does Shakespeare Immortalize His Friend’s Beauty in Sonnet 18?
Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day is a notable literary work by William Shakespeare. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day.
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How does Shakespeare Immortalize His Friend’s Beauty in “Sonnet 18”?
In “Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” (1609), William Shakespeare (1564-1616) celebrates his friend’s beauty. He ensures that it will last forever. He does this by comparing his friend to a summer’s day. However, the author soon shows that his friend’s beauty is far superior. Shakespeare makes his friend’s beauty eternal through his carefully chosen words. He has also defeated the effects of time and even death itself.
Comparison to a Summer’s Day: Friendship, mortality, and death are the most common Shakespearean themes. The poet begins this lyric poem by asking,
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”
This question vows to compare his friend’s beauty to one of the loveliest times of the year. However, he immediately points out that his friend is “more lovely and more temperate.” This means that his friend’s beauty is gentler, unlike a summer day. Summer days can be unpredictable, but his friend’s beauty is steady and pleasant.
Summer’s Temporary Beauty: Shakespeare notes that a summer day is beautiful, but its beauty doesn’t last long. He writes,
“And summer’s lease hath all too short a date,”
This line means that summer is only here for a short time. Just as the seasons change, summer and its beauty will fade. It also emphasizes that the natural world is temporary. In contrast, Shakespeare believes that his friend’s beauty can be eternal. It will last far beyond the end of summer.
Beauty That Never Fades: Shakespeare expresses his faith in his friend’s eternal beauty in this sonnet. He says, “Thy eternal summer shall not fade.” It means his friend’s beauty will never disappear. By calling it an “eternal summer,” Shakespeare suggests that his friend’s beauty is immune to the effects of aging. This unique and everlasting quality makes his friend’s beauty far greater than anything in nature.
Victory Over Death: Shakespeare further claims that death cannot take awayUnlock this study guide now