Going into the reading this week, I was interested in what elements connected each individual sonnet to the overall lyrical sequence, whether through motifs or narrative. Shakespeare’s sonnets read differently from the sonnet sequences we’ve studied previously in that the narrative of the sonnets is much looser and open to interpretation, but the themes and motifs of the sonnets are very central to the sequence. In the sonnets about the beautiful man, the most noticeable motif is time.
Time is not necessarily an original topic of poetry during the period in which Shakespeare was writing. Naturally, most societies in history have had some grasp of time and how it affects us. Shakespeare’s sonnets are interesting, though, because there is a distinctive negative connotation associated with time. Words used to describe time include “devouring” (1063) and “sluttish” or slovenly (p. 1066). These terms not only personify time, but they personify it as sloppy, cruel, and relentless.
When Shakespeare is degrading time, he is usually connecting time with its negative effects on beauty and youth. For example, in Sonnet 60 he states, “Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth / And delves the parallels into beauty’s brow” (p. 1066-7). At first glance, Shakespeare seems disturbingly obsessed with youth and beauty, and one might think that he might be a little superficial. Is he really that terrified of wrinkles? Not quite. I think Shakespeare’s obsession with beauty and youth has less to do with the aesthetics of both ideas and more to do with Shakespeare’s fear of death. As the sonnets progress, they shift more towards the idea that poetry can preserve beauty. Shakespeare’s opinions of time and aging are so inherently negative because, as evidenced in these sonnets, Shakespeare views time as a ticking countdown to make a mark on the world. He is encouraging that man in Sonnet 3 to produce heirs not for the sole purpose of beauty, for the purpose of making your imprint on the world last, ultimately leading back to Shakespeare’s fear of death.
This is supported through the metaphors Shakespeare uses to discuss the motif of time. Shakespeare uses seasonal metaphors to depict the progression of one’s life, beautiful summer being the prime of one’s life and cold, dead winter representing the end or decaying of one’s life. For example, in Sonnet 12 Shakespeare writes that “When lofty trees I see barren of leaves/ Which erst from heat did canopy the herd / And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves / Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard” (p.1062). Shakespeare also compares life to the progression of a day. Also in sonnet 12 he describes “brave day” and “hideous night,” and goes forth to describe the effects of aging such as “sable curls all silvered o’er with white” (p. 1062). Time is also described as possessing a scythe, painting a decidedly negative picture of time by associating it with death. It appears that Shakespeare’s gripes with time are wholly focused on the fact that time eventually brings death.
Karen, as I read this week's readings I also noticed Shakespeare percieved time. I agree that he may of had a fear of death, since he constantly talked about youth and the beauty of it, and the countdown to the end of the world. I think he feared death so much, and one of his ways to get rid of this fear and have people remember him is by writing about it in his work. When I first read some of these poems, I picked up on the theme of death, but I thought he was going to commit sucicide because of how he speaks of death and wants to be remembered for his work.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if he is necessarily afraid of death. I feel like Shakespeare might just be saying that he wants his work, his memories (personal and those of his beloved friends) to live on and have an effect on those who read his pieces in years to come. If anything, I feel like he may be concerned that in the future things may change so much that his readers may not grasp his poetry and may not appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy what you say about time. Although you prove an interesting point in observing that time is not necessarily an original topic of poetry during that time period, it is certainly an ambiguous topic. How does one describe, observe, visualize "time." While the idea itself is simple, a lot of thought plays into this theme. I think that your comment on time as being seen as "devouring" could represent several things: perhaps time is "devouring" in the way that it consumes our lives. Similarly, it may be "devouring" in the sense that it goes on without the capability of stopping.
ReplyDeleteInteresting rumination!
I like how you proposed a different reason for why Shakespeare may have been obsessed with youth. Death is definitely something that most people fear and maybe Shakespeare was one of them. It would make sense to be concerned with youth if one was scared to die. Youth is the beginning of life and death is something that does not need to worried about. Although there may not be a way to know exactly how Shakespeare felt, you make an interesting suggestion.
ReplyDeleteI really like your interpretation of time as the most important motif in Shakespeare's sonnets about the beautiful man. I especially the comment you made about his use of the seasons: "Shakespeare uses seasonal metaphors to depict the progression of one’s life, beautiful summer being the prime of one’s life and cold, dead winter representing the end or decaying of one’s life." This is really interesting observation of metaphor that I think is present in many art forms. The first thing that came to mind for me is Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and how the music for spring and summer is much lighter and more whimsical than the deeper noted scores of Fall and Winter...your statement could be talking about either sonnets or classical music in this case! Very interesting Rumination, Karen!
ReplyDeleteTime was something that definitely stood out in Shakespeare's sonnets. I noticed that as well. There was also mention is a few of the sonnets, such as sonnet 19 ("Yet do thy worst, old Time:despite thy wrong/My love shall in my verse ever live young.) that I interpreted to mean that Shakespeare did want his thoughts and feelings to live on in his writing, as suggested by J. Morello above.
ReplyDeleteTime is indeed something that came up fairly often in the sonnets we had a chance to read. Sure it wasn't mentioned by name in every sonnet, but in many it was hidden in the background as Shakespeare discussed its effects, or ways in which you can, in a way, keep living even after you die, like by having children. While not an original theme in and of itself, Shakespeare does use it in some interesting ways that almost makes it sound like he is hoping the beautiful man can find immortality. A fear of death seems to exist in the sonnets, but whether Shakespeare him self was as afraid of it as the speaker of his sonnets seems to be, at least for the beautiful man, no one alive would probably know.
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