Shakespeare and sonnets have been gratifying readers since they got into inception. There has been complete care taken in creating a perfect analysis of Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow.
Sonnets by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is famous for his sonnets, which are a form of poetry consisting of 14 lines that follow a specific rhyme scheme.
There are 154 of these sonnets in total, and they cover a wide range of themes such as love, beauty, time, and mortality.
Many of the sonnets are addressed to a young man, whom scholars believe may have been a patron or a lover of Shakespeare. The sonnets are known for their depth and beauty, and they continue to be widely read and studied today.
SUMMARY OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
Sonnet 2 is a poem in which the speaker addresses a young man, telling him not to worry about the passage of time and the effects it will have on his appearance.
The speaker says that when the man is forty, he will still be handsome, despite the wrinkles and marks that time will have left on his face.
He compares the man’s beauty to a “death-proof” flower that will never fade, and says that even when the man is old and gray, he will still be beautiful because his inner qualities will shine through.
The speaker concludes by urging the man to procreate and have children, so that his beauty will live on through them.
STRUCTURE OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
Sonnet 2 is a 14-line poem that follows the traditional form of a Shakespearean sonnet. It consists of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final rhyming couplet. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which means that each line contains ten syllables with a rhythmic pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM).
The rhyme scheme of Sonnet 2 is as follows:
- Lines 1-4: ABAB
- Lines 5-8: CDCD
- Lines 9-12: EFEF
- Lines 13-14: GG
The poem also follows a specific structure in terms of its content and themes. The first quatrain introduces the theme of the passage of time and its effects on the young man’s appearance. The second quatrain compares the man’s beauty to a flower that is immune to death.
The third quatrain discusses the idea that the man’s inner qualities will continue to make him beautiful, even as he ages. The final rhyming couplet urges the man to procreate and have children, so that his beauty will live on through them.Regenerate response
POETIC DEVICES IN Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
Here are some poetic devices that are used in William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 2:
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Personification: In the line “When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,” the concept of time is personified as a military force that lays siege to the speaker’s friend’s brow (forehead).
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Metaphor: The whole sonnet is a metaphor comparing the speaker’s friend’s beauty to a summer’s day.
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Repetition: The phrase “When forty winters” is repeated at the beginning of each quatrain, adding a sense of structure and unity to the poem.
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Alliteration: The phrase “When forty winters shall besiege thy brow” includes the alliteration of the “w” sound in the words “when,” “winters,” “shall,” and “brow.”
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Imagery: The poem uses vivid imagery to describe the speaker’s friend’s beauty, such as “fair truth,” “heavenly touches,” and “sun.”
ANALYSIS OF FIRST STANZA OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
When forty winters shall besiege thy brow And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field, Thy youth’s proud livery, so gazed on now, Will be a tattered weed, of small worth held.
In the first stanza of Sonnet 2, Shakespeare personifies time as a military force that lays siege to the speaker’s friend’s brow (forehead).
The speaker suggests that after forty winters, or forty years, have passed, the passage of time will have left its mark on the friend’s appearance.
However, the speaker also implies that the friend’s beauty will remain unchanged, saying that “thy eternal beauty shall not fade.” This suggests that the speaker sees the friend as possessing a timeless, ageless beauty that will not be affected by the passage of time.
The speaker also compares the friend’s beauty to a summer’s day, saying that it is “more lovely and more temperate.” This metaphor suggests that the friend’s beauty is bright, warm, and pleasant, like a summer day. The metaphor also implies that the friend’s beauty is constant and unchanging, like the summer season.
Overall, the first stanza of Sonnet 2 presents the speaker’s admiration for the friend’s enduring beauty and sets up the theme of the poem, which is the enduring nature of beauty.
ANALYSIS OF SECOND STANZA OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
Then being asked where all thy beauty lies— Where all the treasure of thy lusty days— To say within thine own deep-sunken eyes Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise.
In the second stanza of Sonnet 2, the speaker continues to compare the friend’s beauty to a summer’s day, saying that “every fair from fair sometime declines.” This suggests that all beautiful things, including summer days, eventually come to an end.
However, the speaker asserts that the friend’s beauty will not decline or fade, saying that “Thy eternal beauty shall not fade / Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest.” The use of the word “eternal” suggests that the speaker believes the friend’s beauty is timeless and enduring.
The speaker also suggests that the friend’s beauty has a positive effect on the world around them, saying that “Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade.”
This line implies that the friend’s beauty is so bright and radiant that it overshadows even death, which is traditionally associated with darkness and decay.
Overall, the second stanza of Sonnet 2 reaffirms the speaker’s admiration for the friend’s enduring beauty and suggests that the friend’s beauty has a positive impact on the world around them.
ANALYSIS OF THIRD STANZA OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
How much more praise deserved thy beauty’s use If thou couldst answer "This fair child of mine Shall sum my count and make my old excuse", Proving his beauty by succession thine.
In the third stanza of Sonnet 2, the speaker addresses the friend directly, saying “So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”
The phrase “so long as men can breathe or eyes can see” suggests that the speaker believes the friend’s beauty will endure as long as there are people alive to appreciate it.
The line “So long lives this, and this gives life to thee” suggests that the friend’s beauty is a source of life and vitality. This implies that the friend’s beauty is not just a superficial quality, but something that has a deeper, more profound effect on the world.
The speaker also says that the friend’s beauty “Shall in that time be at thy fair command” and “make gaudy time with fair truth’s love.” These lines suggest that the friend’s beauty has the power to control and shape the passage of time, and that it will always be associated with honesty and truth.
Overall, the third stanza of Sonnet 2 suggests that the friend’s beauty is a timeless, enduring quality that has the power to shape the world and give life to those around them.
ANALYSIS OF LAST COUPLET OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
This were to be new made when thou art old,
And see thy blood warm when thou feel’st it cold.
The last couplet of Sonnet 2 is a conclusion to the poem, and it reaffirms the theme of the enduring nature of beauty. The speaker says “But be contented when that fell arrest / Without all bail shall carry me away.” The phrase “that fell arrest” refers to death, and the line suggests that the speaker is resigned to the fact that death will eventually come for them.
However, the speaker also says that they will be “contented” when this happens, implying that they find peace in the thought that the friend’s beauty will continue to endure and bring joy to others even after the speaker is gone.
The phrase “Without all bail” suggests that the speaker will not be able to avoid death or escape its grasp, and the line “shall carry me away” suggests that death will take the speaker away from the world of the living.
Overall, the last couplet of Sonnet 2 reaffirms the theme of the enduring nature of beauty and suggests that the speaker finds comfort in the thought that the friend’s beauty will continue to bring joy to others even after the speaker’s own death.
THEMES OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
SETTING OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
The setting of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 2 is not explicitly described in the poem. However, the reference to “forty winters” suggests that the poem is set in a place with distinct seasons, and the mention of “summer’s day” suggests that the poem is set during a warm time of year.
Other than these hints, there is no further information provided about the setting of the poem. It is possible that the setting is intended to be symbolic or metaphorical, rather than a specific physical location.
CONCLUSION OF Sonnet 2: When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
The conclusion of Sonnet 2 reaffirms the theme of the enduring nature of beauty and suggests that the speaker finds comfort in the thought that the friend’s beauty will continue to bring joy to others even after the speaker’s own death.
In the last couplet of the poem, the speaker says “But be contented when that fell arrest / Without all bail shall carry me away.”The phrase “that fell arrest” refers to death, and the line suggests that the speaker is resigned to the fact that death will eventually come for them.
However, the speaker also says that they will be “contented” when this happens, implying that they find peace in the thought that the friend’s beauty will continue to endure and bring joy to others even after the speaker is gone.
Overall, the conclusion of Sonnet 2 suggests that the speaker is at peace with the thought of their own death, knowing that the friend’s beauty will continue to bring joy to others even after the speaker is gone.
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