8/13/2019 Analysis of Sonnet 73
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Analysis of Sonnet 73 by Shakespeare
This Shakespearean sonnet has the rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF
!
The sonnet is "ritten in the metre of iam#ic pentameter an$ has
three %&atrains
"ith a c'osing co&p'et( each forming separate sentences
$&ring "hich the narrator
speaks to his 'o)e!
The first %&atrain intro$&ces the theme of a$)ancing
years &sing the metaphor
of 'ate a&t&mn or "inter! The #are r&in*$ choirs
e+ten$s this: the ch&rches are
$estroye$ ,made dead-! The caes&rae in 'ine t"o ser)es to
s'o" the pace of the
poem( perhaps ref'ecting the pace of the narrator*s min$! There
is an en.am#ement
#et"een 'ines t"o to three an$ three to fo&r( ca&sing
a'' three to r&n together an$
stress the fee'ing of $eso'ation( especia''y "ith the
caes&ra in 'ine fo&r intro$&cing
a 'ament for the s"eet #ir$s!
The secon$ %&atrain e%&ates the setting s&n "ith o'$
age an$ night "ith $eath!
The narrator a'so sees s'eep( Death*s secon$ se'f( as akin to
the $eath of a $ay!
/ine si+ en$s in a semico'on( intro$&cing a $e'i#erate
e+ten$e$ pa&se #efore the
intro$&ction of $eath as s'eep( "hi'e the a''iteration of
the # in #y an$ #y
signa's the ine)ita#'e passage of time! The caes&ra in 'ine
eight again emphasises
the s&ccee$ing statement: s'eep ca&ses e)erything to en$
in a manner akin to
$eath!
The narrator no" compares himse'f to a $ying fire: the ashes of
his o"n yo&th
forming his $eath#e$! The rhythm is more e)en in this thir$
%&atrain( 'acking
caes&rae or en.am#ement an$ the conse%&ent stresses on
partic&'ar phrasing!
8/13/2019 Analysis of Sonnet 73
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Analysis of Sonnet 73 by Shakespeare
The )oice to this point is re'ent'ess'y pessimistic( creating a
ma&$'in
atmosphere! The narrator is resigne$ to impen$ing $eath an$
thro&gho&t the three
%&atrains contin&a''y emphasises his o"n $ecay!
The fina' co&p'et has $ifferent interpretations that(
$epen$ing &pon one*s
perception( can change the "ho'e meaning of the sonnet!
The narrator*s 'o)e co&'$ see that e)erything the narrator
has sai$ is tr&e an$
that they sho&'$ therefore 'o)e one another a'' the stronger
as time is short!
0o"e)er( the co&p'et co&'$ #e percei)e$ as a t&rn(
or t"ist: the poems s.ect is
not so m&ch physica' $ecay an$ $eath #&t the metaphoric
$eath of yo&th( the
narrator &rging his 'o)e to )a'&e his passionate
yo&th "hi'e he sti'' has it! The
en.am#ement in 'ine thirteen sp'its the statement that the 'o)er
&n$erstan$s "hat
has #een sai$ from the e+hortation ma$e in the rest of the
co&p'et!
Word Count: 398
