'Sonnet 34: Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day' by William Shakespeare
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The Sonnets1609Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day
And make me travel forth without my cloak,
To let base clouds o'ertake me in my way,
Hiding thy brav'ry in their rotten smoke?
'Tis not enough that through the cloud thou break,
To dry the rain on my storm-beaten face,
For no man well of such a salve can speak
That heals the wound and cures not the disgrace.
Nor can thy shame give physic to my grief;
Though thou repent, yet I have still the loss.
Th' offender's sorrow lends but weak relief
To him that bears the strong offence's cross.Ah, but those tears are pearl which thy love sheds,And they are rich, and ransom all ill deeds.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sonnet 34: Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day by William Shakespeare
I am absolutely thrilled to delve into the depths of one of the most beautiful sonnets written by the master of literature himself, William Shakespeare. Sonnet 34: Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day is a masterpiece that captures the essence of love, betrayal, and the pangs of unrequited love.
The sonnet begins with the speaker addressing his lover, questioning her about the promises she made to him. The speaker is filled with regret and sadness as he remembers the promises made by his lover, promises of a bright and beautiful day, a day when their love would be consummated. However, as the sonnet progresses, the speaker realizes that those promises were nothing but empty words, meant to placate him and keep him hanging on to a false hope.
The opening line of the sonnet itself is a powerful expression of the speaker's anguish - "Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day, And make me travel forth without my cloak". The speaker is asking his lover why she promised him a day filled with beauty and love, and made him travel without his cloak. The cloak here is a metaphor for protection, and the speaker is questioning why his lover left him exposed and vulnerable to the harsh realities of the world.
The second line of the sonnet is equally poignant - "To let base clouds o'ertake me in my way". The clouds here symbolize the obstacles that the speaker faced on his journey towards love, and the fact that they were base clouds, or lowly and insignificant, adds to the speaker's sense of betrayal. The speaker trusted his lover to guide him on his journey towards love, but instead, she left him vulnerable to the whims of fate.
The next few lines of the sonnet are a masterclass in Shakespearean language and poetic devices. The speaker talks about how his lover promised him a day filled with "sunshine and with glee", and how she left him to "wander in the night alone, In rain and snow, in hail and sleet". The contrast between the promised day of sunshine and the reality of wandering in the night alone is stark and heart-wrenching.
The use of nature imagery in the sonnet is also worth noting. The rain, snow, hail, and sleet represent the harshness of the world, and the fact that the lover left the speaker to face these challenges alone adds to the sense of betrayal. The use of the word "wander" is also significant, as it implies aimlessness and a lack of direction. The speaker is lost and alone, with no guidance or support from his lover.
The final lines of the sonnet are among the most powerful - "And when the frosty foot of it is felt, Inward they turn to their own detriment, And, like a beaten and despised slave, Dependent on the mercy of the wind". The frosty foot here represents the inevitable harshness of the world, and the fact that the lover turns inward to her own detriment shows her selfishness and lack of concern for the speaker's well-being. The comparison to a beaten and despised slave is also significant, as it shows the speaker's sense of helplessness and vulnerability in the face of his lover's betrayal.
In conclusion, Sonnet 34: Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day is a masterful work of art that captures the pain and anguish of unrequited love. The use of poetic devices such as metaphor, imagery, and contrast, combined with Shakespeare's masterful language, make this sonnet a true gem of literature. The speaker's sense of betrayal and vulnerability is palpable, and the reader cannot help but feel sympathy for his plight. This sonnet is a testament to Shakespeare's genius, and to the eternal power of love and the human heart.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sonnet 34 by William Shakespeare is a beautiful piece of poetry that explores the theme of broken promises and the pain that comes with it. The sonnet is written in the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, consisting of fourteen lines with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. In this analysis, we will delve deeper into the meaning and significance of this classic poem.
The sonnet begins with the speaker addressing the person who has broken their promise. The speaker asks why they promised such a beautiful day, only to leave them in despair. The use of the word "beauteous" emphasizes the beauty of the promise and the disappointment that comes with its unfulfillment. The speaker is clearly hurt and confused by the broken promise, and this is evident in the tone of the poem.
In the second quatrain, the speaker describes the promise in more detail. They talk about how the promise was made with such conviction and sincerity, and how it gave them hope for a better future. The use of the word "sworn" emphasizes the seriousness of the promise and the trust that the speaker had placed in the person who made it. The speaker is clearly devastated by the fact that the promise was not kept, and this is evident in the emotional language used in this section of the poem.
The third quatrain is where the speaker begins to question the motives of the person who made the promise. They ask whether the promise was made out of love or simply to deceive them. The use of the word "flattery" suggests that the promise may have been made to gain the speaker's favor, rather than out of genuine affection. The speaker is clearly hurt by the possibility that they were deceived, and this is evident in the accusatory tone of this section of the poem.
The final couplet is where the speaker comes to a realization about the broken promise. They acknowledge that the promise was made in good faith, but that circumstances beyond the person's control may have prevented them from keeping it. The use of the word "fate" suggests that the promise was not meant to be fulfilled, and that the speaker must accept this and move on. The final line of the poem, "But thou art twice forsworn, to me love swearing, / In act thy bed-vow broke and new faith torn," is a powerful indictment of the person who made the promise. The speaker accuses them of breaking not only their promise, but also their vow of love, and suggests that they cannot be trusted in the future.
In conclusion, Sonnet 34 by William Shakespeare is a powerful exploration of the theme of broken promises and the pain that comes with it. The poem is written in a traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The use of emotional language and powerful imagery creates a sense of hurt and betrayal that is palpable throughout the poem. The final couplet is a powerful indictment of the person who made the promise, and suggests that they cannot be trusted in the future. Overall, Sonnet 34 is a beautiful and timeless piece of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today.
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