Sonnet 73
uses autumn, twilight, and a dying fire as extended metaphors for growing older
. … The second metaphor then compares the speaker’s current time of life to “twilight,” or the time when the day’s last light is still present in the sky, but dark night is imminent.
Why does the speaker compare himself to Twilight?
“Bare ruined choirs” are the ruins of an old church that once was young and vibrant, while “twilight” and “sunset” are classic images of old age. When the speaker mentions “
the ashes of his youth
,” he conjures an image of his young days being burnt out and dead, for ashes are a symbol of death.
What does this line mean the twilight of such day?
As the lyrical voice feels troubled about aging, he/she uses another metaphor to describe how he/she feels towards old age. The lyrical voice says that old age is similar to the twilight, as it can be seen in him/her (“
In me thou seest the twilight of such day
”).
What is the meaning of Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare?
Sonnet 73 is not simply a procession of interchangeable metaphors;
it is the story of the speaker slowly coming to grips with the real finality of his age and his impermanence in time
. The couplet of this sonnet renews the speaker’s plea for the young man’s love, urging him to “love well” that which he must soon leave.
What does the last line of Sonnet 73 mean?
To love that well which thou must leave ere long
. Now, we get the final payoff of the poem. The speaker is telling the listener that not only will their love “become more strong” when they realize that the speaker won’t be around forever, but they’ll also love him “well,” i.e., they’ll cherish him all the more.
What is the mood of Sonnet 73?
Theme and Mood
The theme of the sonnet is
tender and touching
. The poet here anticipates the time when he will have physical decay and decline leading to his death. In a gloomy and pensive mood, he anticipates how the ravages of time will mark him and doom him in his age which is to come in no time.
What does Sonnet 73 say about love?
Like many of Shakespeare’s first 126 sonnets, it is a love poem that is usually understood to address a young man. The poem uses natural metaphors of decline and decay to grapple with the onset of old age, and ultimately suggests that
the inevitability of death makes love all the stronger during the lovers’ lifetimes
.
Which metaphor for aging does Shakespeare use for Sonnet 73?
To love that well, which thou must leave ere long. Sonnet 73, one of the most famous of William Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets, focuses on the theme of old age. The sonnet addresses the Fair Youth. Each of the three quatrains contains a metaphor:
Autumn, the passing of a day, and the dying out of a fire.
What three metaphors does the speaker use to describe himself in Sonnet 73?
There are three major metaphors in the Sonnet 73. The
first metaphor is about age
, the second is about death, and the third is about love. Shakespeare uses the metaphor of a tree in the fall as he compares himself to the tree.
What are the three main metaphors in Sonnet 73?
Metaphor: Shakespeare has used metaphors at several places in the poem such as, “When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang”,
“the twilight of such day”
, “black night” and “glowing of such fire that on the ashes of his youth doth lie.” These metaphors convey the late stages of his life.
How does Shakespeare use imagery in Sonnet 73?
In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare describes death coming even before an old man breathes his last. He uses the
imagery of a tree in autumn, a day before night
, and a fire burning away to depict how death slowly takes away the vitality that man once had.
Who is speaking in Sonnet 73?
Sonnet 73 is a love poem. The speaker in the poem suggests that his lover will love him more the older he gets because his physical aging can’t destroy the love they have for each other. Speaker: The speaker is
a middle-aged person who is entering the late stages of life
.
What time of year is it in Sonnet 73?
Throughout Sonnet 73 the speaker, presumably Shakespeare himself, is describing himself, his age and appearance, in terms of metaphors. In lines 1-4 he compares himself to the time of year when the trees are barren of all but a few yellow leaves. This would be
late fall or the beginning of winter
.
What is Death’s second self in Sonnet 73?
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest. There you have it, folks. Just in case we really couldn’t figure it out, Shakespeare tells us: the “black night” that takes away the day is the “second self”—a.k.a. the alter ego,
the double
, the brother from another mother—of Death itself…
Where is the turn in Shakespeare sonnet 73?
As you progress through the sonnet there comes the wonderful turn
at line 13
– following the build up – this poem is all about the strength of someone’s love and the love between two people who have known each other a long time.
What season of life does Sonnet 73 describe?
What season of life does Sonnet 73 describe? … In Sonnet 73 Shakespeare describes a season,
a time of day, and stage of a fire
to indicate this period in his life.
