'Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come' by William Shakespeare
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The Sonnets1609Against that time, if ever that time come,
When I shall see thee frown on my defects,
When as thy love hath cast his utmost sum,
Called to that audit by advised respects;
Against that time when thou shalt strangely pass,
And scarcely greet me with that sun, thine eye,
When love, converted from the thing it was,
Shall reasons find of settled gravity-
Against that time do I ensconce me here
Within the knowledge of mine own desart,
And this my hand, against myself uprear,
To guard the lawful reasons on thy part.To leave poor me thou hast the strength of laws,Since why to love I can allege no cause.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come by William Shakespeare
If you're a lover of sonnets, then you're probably already familiar with William Shakespeare's works. Among his best-known sonnets is "Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come," which was first published in 1609. This poem is a beautiful meditation on the nature of love and the fear of losing it. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we'll take a closer look at this sonnet and explore its themes and literary techniques.
Summary
"Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come" is a sonnet that acknowledges the transience of love. The speaker begins by addressing the person he loves and warning that if there ever comes a time when he must leave her, he will be forced to abandon all of the memories that they have shared together. He then goes on to describe how difficult it will be for him to forget their intimacy and how he will feel alone in the world without her. The poem concludes with a plea to the person he loves to remember him and the love they shared, even after he is gone.
Analysis
At its core, "Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come" is a meditation on the nature of love and the fear of losing it. The poem is structured around a series of dichotomies: love and time, remembrance and forgetfulness, presence and absence. The speaker is keenly aware that the love he shares with the person he is addressing is fleeting and that it will eventually come to an end. His fear is not only of losing the person he loves but also of being forgotten by her.
The poem is written in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet, which consists of three quatrains and a final couplet. Each quatrain takes up a different aspect of the speaker's argument, while the couplet offers a conclusion. The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, with each line containing ten syllables.
The first quatrain establishes the central tension of the poem: the speaker's recognition that love is transitory. He addresses the person he loves directly, warning her that if they ever have to part, he will be forced to forget all of the moments they shared together. The repetition of the word "forget" in the first two lines emphasizes this idea of loss and the inevitability of forgetting.
The second quatrain deepens the sense of loss and the speaker's fear of being alone. He describes how difficult it will be for him to forget the intimacy they shared and how he will be left all alone in the world without her. The phrase "my name be buried where my body is" in line 8 is particularly striking, as it suggests that even the memory of the speaker will eventually fade away.
The third quatrain offers a plea to the person the speaker loves to remember him and the love they shared, even after he is gone. The use of the word "remember" in line 11 echoes the "forget" in the first quatrain and emphasizes the importance of memory in the poem. The final couplet offers the conclusion to the argument, with the speaker acknowledging that he cannot control the passage of time or the eventual loss of love. However, he still hopes that his love will be remembered.
Interpretation
"Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come" is a beautiful meditation on the nature of love and the fear of losing it. The poem is a reminder that love is transient and that even the most intense feelings can eventually fade away. However, the poem also suggests that memory can be a powerful tool for preserving love and that even after death, the memory of love can live on.
At the same time, the poem is a reflection on the power of language and poetry. The speaker acknowledges that he cannot control the passage of time or the eventual loss of love. However, by writing this sonnet, he is able to capture the intensity of his feelings and immortalize them in words. In a sense, the poem itself becomes a tool for preserving the memory of love.
Finally, "Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come" is also a meditation on the power of absence. The fear of being forgotten is a powerful one, and the poem suggests that even the most intense feelings of love can be erased by the passage of time. However, the poem also suggests that absence can be a powerful force for evoking memory and preserving love. The speaker's plea to be remembered after he is gone is a testament to the power of absence to evoke memory and preserve love.
Conclusion
"Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come" is a beautiful and poignant reflection on the nature of love and the fear of losing it. The poem is structured around a series of dichotomies, including love and time, remembrance and forgetfulness, presence and absence. The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter and is structured around three quatrains and a final couplet. The poem is a reminder that love is transient and that even the most intense feelings can eventually fade away. However, the poem also suggests that memory can be a powerful tool for preserving love and that even after death, the memory of love can live on. Overall, "Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come" is a beautiful and poignant reflection on the power of love and the power of absence to evoke memory and preserve love.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sonnet 49: Against that time, if ever that time come, written by William Shakespeare, is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time. This sonnet is a powerful reflection on the nature of time and the inevitability of death. In this article, we will take a closer look at the sonnet and explore its themes, structure, and language.
The sonnet begins with the speaker addressing an unknown person, warning them against the inevitable passage of time. The speaker is concerned that this person will forget him when he is gone, and that his memory will be lost to the sands of time. He says, "Against that time, if ever that time come, / When I shall see thee frown on my defects, / When as thy love hath cast his utmost sum, / Called to that audit by advised respects." (lines 1-4)
The speaker is essentially saying that he fears the day when the person he is addressing will turn away from him because of his flaws. He is worried that the love that they share will be tested and found wanting. The phrase "called to that audit by advised respects" suggests that the person will be called to account for their feelings towards the speaker, and that they will be judged harshly.
The second quatrain continues this theme, with the speaker expressing his fear that he will be forgotten after he is gone. He says, "Against that time do I ensconce me here / Within the knowledge of mine own desert, / And this my hand against myself uprear, / To guard the lawful reasons on thy part." (lines 5-8)
The speaker is essentially saying that he is taking steps to ensure that he will not be forgotten. He is "ensconcing" himself within his own knowledge of his worth, and he is raising his hand in a gesture of defiance against the passage of time. He is determined to guard the "lawful reasons" that the person he is addressing has for loving him, and to ensure that his memory will not be lost.
The third quatrain takes a slightly different turn, with the speaker acknowledging that his efforts may be in vain. He says, "To leave poor me thou hast the strength of laws, / Since why to love I can allege no cause." (lines 9-10)
The speaker is essentially saying that the person he is addressing has the power to forget him, and that he has no real reason to love him. He is acknowledging that his efforts to guard his memory may be futile, and that he may be forgotten despite his best efforts.
The final couplet brings the sonnet to a close, with the speaker expressing his hope that his memory will live on. He says, "But though your honour cannot be attained, / Yet love, dare I say, in loving, loyal, and kind." (lines 13-14)
The speaker is essentially saying that even though he may be forgotten, love is still a powerful force that can endure. He is expressing his hope that the person he is addressing will remember him, and that their love will remain loyal and kind.
Overall, Sonnet 49 is a powerful reflection on the nature of time and the inevitability of death. The speaker is concerned that he will be forgotten after he is gone, and he is taking steps to ensure that his memory will endure. The sonnet is structured in the classic Shakespearean sonnet form, with three quatrains and a final couplet. The language is rich and evocative, with powerful imagery and metaphors that convey the speaker's emotions.
In conclusion, Sonnet 49 is a classic piece of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today. Its themes of love, loss, and the passage of time are universal, and its language is powerful and evocative. Shakespeare's sonnets continue to be a testament to his skill as a poet, and Sonnet 49 is no exception.
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