Immortality in Shakespeare's Sonnets. Sonnets 65,104,108, and 116 demonstrate how he has defeated Time with imagery, love, and admiration
by
jlgonzalez7 (student)
Jennifer Garcia
Literature of the English Renaissance
Immortality in a Sonnet
The idea of immortality will either fascinate or scare you; fascinate you in the way that something could stay the same forever or scare you because nothing lives forever. Shakespeare felt true love was eternal despite anything and beauty was everlasting through his words. He believed Time was the taker of all things, but if his words and love were powerful enough, they could defeat Time. Sonnets 65,104,108, and 116 demonstrate how he has defeated Time with imagery, love, and admiration.
Shakespeare gives credit to Time in these four sonnets by displaying it’s ability to make things decay, fade, and die. He says right away, “Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, but sad mortality o’ersways their power.” I imagine brass becoming rusty, stones perishing, the earth decaying, and the sea evaporating all with this first line. He then proposes a question we all might ask, “How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, whose action is no stronger than a flower?” (65) A flower is delicate in every way. If held by the petal the petal will tear, if shaken the petals will fall, if stepped on the flower will die. A tone of despair continues though out this short sonnet while he contemplates ways to defeat Time. “O, fearful meditation, where, alack, shall Time’s best jewel from Time’s chest lie hid? Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back,” Shakespeare has compared beauty to a jewel which would compare just as equal because jewels are rare and beautiful. I felt imagery was brought out as well because I imagined a huge grandfather clock ticking, but inside the clock a little man trying to stop it and failing each second. Then in a moment of clarity and brilliance, Shakespeare finds a way to beat Time! He is reminded and content in knowing that his verses can preserve youth’s beauty. “That in black ink my love may still shine bright” The beauty of his beloved can last forever now because of the beautiful words he has written to describe her. This last verse is ironic because it’s saying black will shine bright. Black isn’t really a color that shines brightly which makes that closing verse more powerful. Nothing can take away his words, including Time because everyone will have read them and will remember it.
