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Winndara Posted 15 years ago
Iambic pentameter
Hi,
I would really be grateful, if somebody could tell me something about this poem using 'Iambic pentameter,' lets just say poetry is not my field.
Really thank you in advance!
William Shakespeare
Sonnet XV
When I consider every thing that grows,
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That is huge stage presenteth nought but show
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night,
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.
I would really be grateful, if somebody could tell me something about this poem using 'Iambic pentameter,' lets just say poetry is not my field.
Really thank you in advance!
William Shakespeare
Sonnet XV
When I consider every thing that grows,
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That is huge stage presenteth nought but show
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night,
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.
Top answer
Dear Winndara This is not an easy poem. Here are some ideas.. (1) Shakespeare is speaking of a young man that he admires and finds beautiful (2) He compares him to a plant which will grow and then, obviously, will die (3) Shakespeare uses phrases to say: this is something we need to think about - is it necessary that things we find beautiful must die?
- Dear Winndara This is not an easy poem.
- Here are some ideas..
- (1) Shakespeare is speaking of a young man that he admires and finds beautiful (2) He compares him to a plant which will grow and then, obviously, will die (3) Shakespeare uses phrases to say: this is something we need to think about - is it necessary that things we find beautiful must die?
- (4) The poet expresses the thought that, in nature, humans find beautiful the things that are going to pass away: Then the conceit of this inconstant stay Sets you most rich in youth before my sight (5) He then resolves this idea by saying that - however - we can place these beautiful things / people into art so that their beauty will live longer: I engraft you new (6) Part of the beauty of the poem is that Shakespeare turns out to be right.
- Although the young man must have died sometime in the seventeenth century, we still have an image of him (7) The idea that beauty is temporary, but that art can prolong it, is used in other Sonnets and other artists give examples of course Best regards, Dave
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2 Answers
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Dear Winndara
This is not an easy poem. Here are some ideas..
(1) Shakespeare is speaking of a young man that he admires and finds beautiful
(2) He compares him to a plant which will grow and then, obviously, will die
(3) Shakespeare uses phrases to say: this is something we need to think about - is it necessary that things we find beautiful
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