sonnet18赏析教学讲解课件

WilliamShakespeare

1564-1616dramatist,manoftheatre,andpoetHewasbornon23April1564anddiedon23April1616.154sonnets2longpoems37playsTragediesComediesHistoryplaysRomanplaysShakespeare’sWorksShakespeare’sFourTragediesHamlet《哈姆雷特》KingLear《李尔王》“OthelloMacbeth《麦克白》Theseareoftenconsideredhisgreatestplays.Hamlet,PrinceofDenmarkThesummitofShakespeare’sartHamlet:PrinceofDenmarkClaudius:thenewkingGertrude:QueenofDenmarkOphelia:daughterofPoloniusWhoisHamlet?1.Ahumanist,freefrommedievalprejudicesandsupersitionsInfinitelovefortheworldratherforheavenProfoundloveandrespectforman,andafirmbeliefinman’spoweroverdestiny2.ThishumanistloveofmanmakesHamletturntothosearoundhim(hisfather,Ophelia)withthesamesincereeagerness.Helovesgoodandhatesevil.Heshowsacontemptforrankandwealth.Akingandbeggarareallonetohim.Hisdemocratictendencyisbasedonhishumanistthought.3.Manofsuperbintelligence,acloseobserverofmenandmanners,heeasilyseesthroughpeople.Hecouldpenetratebelowthesurfaceofthings.Heisforever.unmaskingtheworld.Hediscovershowwickedandunjusttheworldhelivesinis.Hisobservationofhisworldissummedupinabittersentence:“Denmarkisaprison.”Hamletisnotamerescholar,simplymeditativebynature.Onthecontrary,Hamletisamanofgenius,highlyaccomplishedandeducated,amanofprofoundperceptionandsparklingwit.Heisascholar,soldierandstatesmanallcombined.HisimagereflectstheversatilityofthemenoftheRenaissance.Hamlet’smelancholyistheresultofhispenetratingmind.AnexplanationofHamlet’shesitation:Hamletgivesareason.Ifhekillsthevillainnow,hewouldsendhissoultoheaven;andhewouldratherkillhissoul.Realreason:Actuallyheisshrinkingfromhisresponsibilityofpremeditatedkillingofakinganditspoliticalresult,becauseatthattimetheabruptdeathoftheKingmightcausepanictothepeopleanddangertothestate.Sowhatheconsidersnowisnolongerhispersonalwrongbutthefateofhiscountry.AFreudianexplanation:OedipuscomplexQuotations:1)Hamlet,III:1

Tobe,ornottobe:thatisthequestion.

2)

All'sWellThatEndsWell,I:2

Loveall,trustafew,dowrongtonone.

3)

TwelfthNight,II:5

Benotafraidofgreatness.Someareborngreat,someachievegreatness,andsomehavegreatnessthrustupon'em.

4)

MerchantofVenice,III:1

Ifyouprickusdowenotbleed?Ifyoutickleusdowenotlaugh?Ifyoupoisonusdowenotdie?Andifyouwrongus,shallwenotrevenge?

5)AsYouLikeIt,II,viiAlltheworld'sastage,andallthemenandwomenmerelyplayers:theyhavetheirexitsandtheirentrances;andonemaninhistimeplaysmanyparts,hisactsbeingsevenages.6)Itisawisefatherthatknowshisownchild.7)Neitheraborrowernoralenderbe;Forloanoftlosesbothitselfandfriend,Andborrowingdullstheedgeofhusbandry../quotes/quotes/w/williamsha166828.html

8)MACBETHOut,out,briefcandle!

Life'sbutawalkingshadow,apoorplayer

Thatstrutsandfretshishouruponthestage

Andthenisheardnomore:itisatale

Toldbyanidiot,fullofsoundandfury,

Signifyingnothing.

TheTragedyofHamlet,PrinceofDenmark

HamletisregardedasShakespeare’smostpopularandgreatestplayonthestage.Hamletisalsoconsideredthesummitofshakespearesart.Thestorycomesfromanolddanishlegend..

Thestory

TheactionoftheplayislaidinDenmark.Gertrude,queenofDenmark,widowedbythesuddendeathoftheking,withintwomonthsmarriesthelatekingsbrotherClaudiuswhothunbecomesthenewking.

Princehamlet,sonofthelakeking,returnshomefromtheuniversityofWittenberg.hesuspectsfoulplayonthepartofClaudius,hisuncle.ThenhisfathersghostappearstohimatthecastleofElsinor,andconfirmshamletssuspicion.Heundertakestoavengethemurder.TodullClaudiussvigilance,hamletpretendstohavegonemad.However,hismadnessistakenbyPolonius,anoldcourtier,tobeanemotionaldisturbanceduetohispassionforOphilia,daughterofPolonius.

Atthismoment,acompanyofplayersvisitsthecastle,andhamlethasaplayacted,whichresemblesthelatekingsmurder.Claudiusisdeeplydisturbedbytheperformanceandleavesthehallbeforetheplayisfinished.Hamletissummonedbyhismother,whotellshimthathehasoffendedtheking.HamletrevealsClaudiussbasenessandexpresseshisindignationatherhastymarriage.Thenhamletbecomesawarethatheisbeingoverheardintheconversation.ThinkingitisClaudiusthatisinhiding,herunshisswordthroughthearrasbutfindstheeavedropperthuskilledtobePolonius.

Togetrideofhamlet,claudiussendhimtoenglandandsendsassasinstokillhimonthevoyage.Buthamletsucceedsincomingoutofitaliveandreturnstodenmarkagain.

Heart-brokenatthedeathofherfather,pooropheliagoesmadandthenisdrownedinastream.Hamletreturnsjustatthetimeofopheliasfuneral.Inthegrave-yardhehasaquarrelwithlaertes,opheliasbrother.

Latertesvowstoavengethedeathofhissisterandfather.Withhimclaudiusarrangesthatlaertesistochallengehamlettoafriendlyduelandkillhimwithapoisonedrapier.Intheswordplay,laerteswoundshamletbutishimselfstruckwiththesamepoisonedrapierbyhamlet.Beforedeath,laertesrevealstheplottohamlet.Thequeen,atthismoment,hasdrunkfromapoisonedcupintendedforhamlet.Hamletthen,inapassion,stabsclaudius.Thequeendies,claudiusdies,laertesdies,hamletdies.Andhamletsbodyisborneoffwithmilitaryceremonial,byfortinbrashissuccessor.Therestissilence.

Thetragicalhistoryofhamlet,princeofdenmark(1601)《丹麦王子哈姆雷特的悲剧故事》是根据13世纪初丹麦历史学家saxogrammaticus的记载，叙述丹麦王子哈姆雷特替父亲报仇，杀死他的篡夺王位的叔父的故事。莎士比亚在剧本中改造了丹麦的历史故事，改造了故事中主人公的性格，创造了哈姆雷特这个复杂深刻的人物。通过这个人物和他周围环境之间的冲突，莎士比亚反映了文艺复兴时期人文主义思想家的理想与资本主义原始积累时期社会现实之间的无法调和的矛盾。剧本中所描述的中世纪的丹麦实际上就是指的16、17世纪的英国，丹麦王子哈姆雷特实际上就是文艺复兴时期英国社会进步青年的代表。对于这些青年来说，当时英国的政治、英国的社会真是太黑暗了。难怪哈姆雷特说：丹麦是一所监狱，丹麦是一间最坏的囚室。

Hamlet’ssoliloquyForsuchafigureasHamlet,soliloquyisanaturalmedium,anecessaryreleaseofhisanguish;andsomeofhisquestioningmonologuespossesssurpassingpowerandinsight,whichhavesurvivedcenturiesofbeingtornfromtheircontext.Themostfamoussoliloquyisperhaps“tobeornottobe”inActIII,SceneI,Hamlet.SoliloquySoliloquy:1.anutteranceordiscoursebyapersonwhoistalkingtohimself/herselforisdisregardfuloforoblivioustoanyhearerspresent(oftenusedasadeviceinadramatodiscloseacharacter’sinnermostthoughts);2.theactoftalkingwhileorasifaloneSoliloquy:ormonologue,adramaticorliteraryformofdiscourseinwhichacharacterrevealshisorherthoughtswhenaloneorunawareofthepresenceofothercharacters.TheformofsoliloquySoliloquyisoftenusedinBlankverse(无韵诗，素体诗).Blankverseconsistsoffivefeet(tensyllables)iniambic（抑扬格）pentameter（五音步诗行）withoutendrhyme.ThisformhasgenerallybeenacceptedasthatbestadaptedtodramaticverseinEnglishandiscommonlyusedforlongpoemswhetherdramatic,philosophic,ornarrative.Soliloquy’sfunction1.togivefreeandcompleteexpressiontoacomplicatedstateofmindandfeelingofacharacter2.toprovideapointofviewontheeventsoftheplay.哈姆雷特的著名独白探索生和死的问题，指出思想和行动之间的矛盾。这段独白并不是说明哈姆雷特想借自杀来逃避替父报仇的责任，而是表达了人文主义思想家对生死问题的思考。在这段独白之前，哈姆雷特已和演员们约好当天夜间在宫中上演一出小戏，特请国王和王后观赏。他叫演员们演的戏很象他叔父谋害他父亲、娶他母亲的内容，目的在于观察他叔父对这出戏的反应，用以证实鬼魂所说关于谋杀的罪行。若经证明他叔父果然是凶手，那么他就要立刻采取行动替父报仇。他焦急地等待着夜晚的来临，以便进行这个关键性的试验。在这段无事可作的等待期间，他心情更加沉重了。他想到死是一条出路，但是他并未下决心自杀。他权衡着生和死的得失；他想到每个人都掌握着自己的生死命运。拚一死去和罪恶社会作战呢？还是消极地忍受世间的不平和痛苦？在这里哈姆雷特历数英国社会上不平等、非正义的现象。他考虑到拿起武器和罪恶社会作斗争，采取行动替父亲报仇，都可能要付出生命作为代价，因此他想到生存和死亡的问题。死亡可以结束一切尘世间的痛苦，何乐而不为？但是死亡究竟是个谜，死后可能还有来生，来生可能有更多、更可怕的痛苦在等待着我们，如同睡眠中有恶梦一般。由于这个顾虑，人们宁愿忍受漫长的、痛苦的一生，而不肯轻易用一柄小小的刀子来结束自己的生命。因此，顾虑使我们成为懦夫。哈姆雷特从生死问题转而思索思想和行动之间的关系。思想是指导行动的，但是想得太多却令人踌躇不前，误了大事。这是哈姆雷特对自己的警告。文艺复兴时期的人文主义者，既是思想家，又是行动家。在这段独白里，哈姆雷特决不是在宣传自杀。相反，他所主张的是拿起武器和罪恶社会战斗，是思想必须付诸行动。这正是文艺复兴时期人文主义思想家所极力主张的。

Thatisaquestionwhethertoliveoninthisworldortodie,thatis,totakeactionortodonothing.TobeornottobeTobe,ornottobe:thatisthequestion:

Whether‘tis([诗]itis)noblerinthemindtosuffer

Theslings&arrowsofoutrageousfortune,

Ortotakearmsagainstaseaoftroubles,

Andbyopposingendthem?生存还是毁灭，这是一个值得考虑的问题；默然忍受命运的暴虐的毒箭，或是挺身反抗人世的无涯的苦难，通过斗争把它们扫清，这两种行为，哪一种更高贵？“Tobeornottobe”isthekeysentenceinthissoliloquy.“Tobe”istocontinuetolive,ortotakeaction.“nottobe”istodie,ortodonothingbutsuffering,toendone’slifebyself-destruction.Itisadilemmaoftryingtodeterminethemeaningoflifeanddeath.Isitnoblertosufferthelifepassivelyortodie(seektoendone’ssufferings)actively?Todie:tosleep;

Nomore;andbyasleeptosayweend

Theheart-acheandthethousandnaturalshocks

Thatfleshisheirto,'tisaconsummation

Devoutlytobewish'd.死了；睡着了；什么都完了；要是在这一种睡眠之中，我们心头的创痛，以及其他无数血肉之躯所不能避免的打击，都可以从此消失，那正是我们求之不得的结局。Todie:tosleep.Itisametaphor.Hamletspokeofsuicideasanescape.Hisspeechhasbecomeproverbialasanoutpouringofutterworld-weariness.

Todie,tosleep;

Tosleep:perchancetodream:ay,there'stherub;

Forinthatsleepofdeathwhatdreamsmaycome

Whenwehaveshuffledoffthismortalcoil,

Mustgiveuspause.死了；睡着了；睡着了也许还会做梦；嗯，阻碍就在这儿：因为当我们摆脱了这一具朽腐的皮囊以后，在那死的睡眠里，究竟将要做些什么梦，那不能不使我们踌躇顾虑。Whyisit“therub”?Whatmakesuspause?Hamletthinksthatsuicideisadesirableactionofescaping,butwhatwillhappenafterdying?Italludestohesitationforsleeping/dyingbecauseHamletrealizesthatunknowndreamswillmakeusterrified.There'stherespect

Thatmakescalamityofsolonglife;

Forwhowouldbearthewhipsandscornsoftime,

Theoppressor'swrong,theproudman'scontumely,

Thepangsofdespisedlove,thelaw'sdelay,

Theinsolenceofofficeandthespurns

Thatpatientmeritoftheunworthytakes,

Whenhehimselfmighthisquietusmake

Withabarebodkin?人们甘心久困于患难之中，也就是为了这个缘故；谁愿意忍受人世的鞭挞和讥嘲、压迫者的凌辱、傲慢者的冷眼、被轻蔑的爱情的惨痛、法律的迁延、官吏的横暴和费尽辛勤所换来的小人的鄙视，要是他只要用一柄小小的刀子，就可以清算他自己的一生？ThisspeechconfirmsHamlet’ssuspicionofafterlife.Peoplewouldrathersufferlife-longmiseriesthantosleeptoundergotheunknowndreams.Becausecomparativelythelatterismorefearful.whowouldfardelsbear,

Togruntandsweatunderawearylife,

Butthatthedreadofsomethingafterdeath,

Theundiscover'dcountryfromwhosebourn

Notravellerreturns,puzzlesthewill

Andmakesusratherbearthoseillswehave

Thanflytoothersthatweknownotof?谁愿意负着这样的重担，在烦劳的生命的压迫下呻吟流汗，倘不是因为惧怕不可知的死后，惧怕那从来不曾有一个旅人回来过的神秘之国，是它迷惑了我们的意志，使我们宁愿忍受目前的磨折，不敢向我们所不知道的痛苦飞去？Tobeismoredifficultandfearfulthannottobe.ThespeechindirectlygivesHamletareasonwhyhehasalwaysbeenhesitatingfortakingrevenge.Hamlethastoliveasuspectedlifebetweenfactandfiction,languageandaction.Itishisspeculationandvulnerabilityaswell.Thusconsciencedoesmakecowardsofusall;

Andthusthenativehueofresolution

Issickliedo'erwiththepalecastofthought,

Andenterprisesofgreatpitchandmoment

Withthisregardtheircurrentsturnawry,

Andlosethenameofaction.这样，重重的顾虑使我们全变成了懦夫，决心的赤热的光彩，被审慎的思维盖上了一层灰色，伟大的事业在这一种考虑之下，也会逆流而退，失去了行动的意义。Hamletthusconcludesthatthedreadoftheafterlifeleadstoexcessivemoralsensitivitythatmakesactionimpossible.--Softyounow!

ThefairOphelia!Nymph,inthy(your)orisons

Beallmysinsremember'd.且慢！美丽的奥菲利娅！——女神，在你的祈祷之中，不要忘记替我忏悔我的罪孽。Hamlet’sthemeTakingofrevenge.Therevengingthemeisinterrelatedwiththemesoffaithlessness,loveandambition.ContrastisanimportantstructuralprincipleinHamlet.Thesuspicionbetweenfactandfiction,languageandaction.Procrastination.

Notesonthesoliloquy

Lineornottobe:toendoneslifebyself-destruction.Hamlethasalreadyspokenofsuicideasameansofescape,andhedwellsonitinalaterpartofthisveryspeech,giving,however,adifferentreasonforrefraining.Thewholedriftofthespeechshowshisbeliefinafuturelife.

Practicallythewholeofhamletsspeechhasbecomeproverbialasanoutpouringofutterworldweariness.Ofcourse,muchoftheimageryisnotpeculiartoshakespeareoranywriter,e.G.,thelikeningofdeathtostartingonalongjourney.

Slings:i.E.Missingsthrownbyslings

Takearmsagainstaseaoftroubles:totakeuparmsandrushuponthewavesoftheseawasacustomattributedbyseveralclassicalwriterstothecelts.Thetroublesarepicturedasadvancinglikesomeoverwhelmingtide.

Nomore:justthat,onlythat,i.E.Fallingonsleep

Consummation:acompletionofoneslife,acrowningandfittingend

Whatdreams:i.E.Thethoughtofwhatdreamsmaycome

Mortalcoil:turmoilofmortality,confusedtroubleofmortallife

Respect:consideration=regard

Ofsolonglife:solong-lived

Time:thetimes,theworld,onescontemporaries

Mighthisquietusmake:mightgivehimselfhisreleasefromlifestroubles

Thought:anxiety

Andlosethenameofaction:evenasarivermayloseitselfinasandywasteandsoafteritslongcourseneverreachthesea:wonderfulsymbol,indeed,offrustrationandfailure

SomenotionsUnrhymed:withoutendrhyme,havingnoregularcorrespondenceofsoundsattheendsoflines.iambus:ametrical（诗的格律的，韵律的）footconsistingofanunstressedsyllable（音节）(-)followedbyastressedsyllable(\),e.g.:begin(-\).Apentametermeansalineofverseconsistingoffivemetricalfeet.Afootis(usually)twoorthreesyllablesthatcontainonestrongstress.IambicPentameter-\-\-\\-

-\-Tobe,|ornot|tobe:|

thatis

|thequestion:

\-

-\-\-\-\-

Whether

|'tisnob|lerin|themind|tosufferSonnetSequenceHepublished154sonnetsin1609.14linesTheShakespeareanSonnetorEnglishsonnet,contains3quatrainsandacouplet(ababcdcdefefgg)Shakespearedidn’tinvent(WyattandSurreydid),butwasmostpopularuseroftheformUsually3quatrainssetuptheproblem,coupletoffersthesolutionTomasWyattwasthefirsttointroducethesonnetintoEnglishliterature.SonamedbecauseShakespearewasitsgreatestpractioner.Thisformisadoptedbymanywritersattheendofthe16thcentury.AnumberofthemesSonnet:Sonnet:afourteen-linepoemwithcomplexrhymeschemeandstructure.AShakespeariansonnethasfourteenlinesofiambicpentameters,avariablerhymescheme,andisdividedintothreequatrains(afourlinestanza)withaconcludingcoupletthatusuallyexpressthethemeoftheSonnet.AShakespeariansonnet—afourteen-linepoemofiambicpentameters.Thisformismadeupof3quatrainsandacouplet,rhymingababcdcdefefgg.

ASpenseriansonnethastherhymeschemeababbcbccdcdeeandnobreakbetweentheoctave(aneightlinestanza)andthesestet(asixlinestanza).ItisnamedaftertheElizabethanpoetEdmundSpenser.十四行诗起源于13世纪的意大利，16世纪上半叶由英国诗人萨利和魏阿特引入英国，风靡一时。莎士比亚的十四行诗早在1960年前发表就以手抄本的形式流传民间，其主题思想以歌颂爱情与友谊为主。这些诗共154首，分为三组。第一组（1～126首）写给一位青年男子，诗人告诫他要早些结婚，生儿育女;第二组（127～152）描写一位姿色不佳的“黑肤女郎”（darklady），诗人对他的态度是毫不掩饰的情欲；第三组（153～154）与前两组毫无关系，好像是同一首诗写了两遍。在韵脚上，莎士比亚创作了自己的诗韵，即有名的莎士比亚十四行诗韵：abab,cdcd,efef,gg。Sonnet18

第一十八首

ShallIcomparetheetoasummer'sday?Thouartmorelovelyandmoretemperate:Roughwindsdoshakethedarlingbudsof

May,Andsummer'sleasehathalltooshortadate:Sometimetoohottheeyeofheavenshines,Andoftenishisgoldcomplexiondimmed,

Andeveryfairfromfairsometimedeclines,Bychance,ornature'schangingcourseuntrimmed:Butthyeternalsummershallnotfade,Norlosepossessionofthatfairthouow'st,Norshalldeathbragthouwander'stinhisshade,Whenineternallinestotimethougrow'st,

Solongasmencanbreathe,oreyescansee,Solonglivesthis,andthisgiveslifetothee.我怎样能把你比做夏天？

你比它更可爱也更温和：

五月的娇蕾有暴风震颠，

夏季的寿命很短就度过。

有时候当空照耀着烈日，

又往往它的光采转阴淡；

凡是美艳终把美艳消失，

遭受运数和时序的摧残。

你永恒的夏季永不凋零，

而且长把你的美艳保存；

死神难夸你踏它的幽影，

只因永恒的诗和你同春。

天地间能有人鉴赏文采，

诗就流传就教你永在

——录自王佐良主编《英国诗选》P70－71，上海译文出版社1988年版。RhymeSchemeofSonnet18Quatrain1

A

ShallIcomparetheetoasummer'sDAY?

B

ThouartmorelovelyandmoretemperATE:

A

RoughwindsdoshakethedarlingbudsofMAY,,

B

Andsummer'sleasehathalltooshortaDATE:

Quatrain2

C

SometimetoohottheeyeofheavenSHINES,.

D

AndoftenishisgoldcomplexionDIMM'D;.

C

AndeveryfairfromfairsometimedeCLINES,

D

Bychanceornature'schangingcourseunTRIMM'D;.

Quatrain3

E

ButthyeternalsummershallnotFADE,

F

NorlosepossessionofthatfairthouOWEST;.

E

NorshallDeathbragthouwander'stinhisSHADE,

F

WhenineternallinestotimethouGROWEST:.Couplet

G

SolongasmencanbreatheoreyescanSEE,

G

SolonglivesthisandthisgiveslifetoTHEE.

you

ShallIcomparetheetoasummer'sday?

Thouartmorelovelyandmoretemperate:

RoughwindsdoshakethedarlingbudsofMay,

Andsummer'sleasehathalltooshortadate:

我怎么能够把你来比作夏天？

你不独比它可爱也比它温婉：

狂风把五月宠爱的嫩蕊作践，

夏天出赁的期限又未免太短：Extravagantpraisecomparesasummerdayaslesslovelyandconstantasthebeloved.IfIcomparedyoutoasummerday,/I'dhavetosayyouaremorebeautifulandserene:/Bycomparison,summerisroughonbuddinglife,/Anddoesn'tlastlongeither:youYouaregentlecharming;pleasingduration,timeallottedhasalimitedperiodoftimestrongwindslovelyQuatrain2Thesunissometimestoohotinsummeroroccasionallyshaded.Everybeautifulthingbecomeslessbeautifulthroughchanceortime.

Sometimetoohottheeyeofheavenshines,Andoftenishisgoldcomplexion

dimmed,Andeveryfairfromfairsometimedeclines,Bychance,ornature'schangingcourseuntrimmed:

天上的眼睛有时照得太酷烈，

它那炳耀的金颜又常遭掩蔽：

被机缘或无常的天道所摧折，

没有芳艳不终于雕残或销毁。thesunnaturalcolorandappearanceoftheskinofthefacenotbrighteverybeautifulthingorpersonfrombeautystrippedofbeautyUntrimmedbychance,ornature’schangingcoursefortuneAttimesthesummersunistoohot,/Andatothertimescloudsdimitsbrilliance;/Everythingfairinnaturebecomeslessfairfromtimetotime,/Noonecanchange[trim]natureorchance;Quatrain3Transitioninthesestettocounterthatthebeloved'sbeautywillnotfadeordiebecauseofthepoem.

Butthyeternalsummershallnotfade,

Norlosepossessionofthatfairthouow'st,

Norshalldeathbragthouwander'stinhisshade,

Whenineternallinestotimethougrow'st,

但是你的长夏永远不会雕落，

也不会损失你这皎洁的红芳，

或死神夸口你在他影里漂泊，

当你在不朽的诗里与时同长。However,youyourselfwillnotfade,/Norloseownershipofyourfairness;/Notevendeathwillclaimyou,/BecausetheselinesIwritewillimmortalizeyou:existingforeverlosecolor,freshnessorvigorowestownboastwanderthougrow’sttotimegrow—growestSonnet18Couplet:Thepoemwillbereadaslongasmanlivesandthebelovedwillliveon.

Solongasmencanbreathe,oreyescansee,

Solonglivesthis,andthisgiveslifetothee.

只要一天有人类，或人有眼睛，

这诗将长存，并且赐给你生命。

Yourbeautywilllastaslongasmenbreatheandsee,/AsLongasthissonnetlivesandgivesyoulifethispoemAnalysisofSonnets18and29Summaryof18Thespeakeropensthepoemwithaquestionaddressedtothebeloved:"ShallIcomparetheetoasummer'sday?"Thenextelevenlinesaredevotedtosuchacomparison.Inline2,thespeakerstipulateswhatmainlydifferentiatestheyoungmanfromthesummer'sday:heis"morelovelyandmoretemperate.“Summer'sdaystendtowardextremes:theyareshakenby"roughwinds";inthem,thesun("theeyeofheaven")oftenshines"toohot,"ortoodim.Andsummerisfleeting:itsdateistooshort,anditleadstothewitheringofautumn,as"everyfairfromfairsometimedeclines."Thefinalquatrainofthesonnettellshowthebeloveddiffersfromthesummerinthatrespect:hisbeautywilllastforever("Thyeternalsummershallnotfade...")andneverdie.Inthecouplet,thespeakerexplainshowthebeloved'sbeautywillaccomplishthisfeat,andnotperishbecauseitispreservedinthepoem,whichwilllastforever;itwilllive"aslongasmencanbreatheoreyescansee."Commentaryof18ThissonnetiscertainlythemostfamousinthesequenceofShakespeare'ssonnets;itmaybethemostfamouslyricpoeminEnglish.AmongShakespeare'sworks,onlylinessuchas"Tobeornottobe"and"Romeo,Romeo,whereforeartthouRomeo?"arebetter-known.Thisisnottosaythatitisatallthebestormostinterestingormostbeautifulofthesonnets;butthesimplicityandlovelinessofitspraiseofthebelovedhasguaranteeditsplace.Onthesurface,thepoemissimplyastatementofpraiseaboutthebeautyofthebeloved;summertendstounpleasantextremesofwindinessandheat,butthebelovedisalwaysmildandtemperate.Summerisincidentallypersonifiedasthe"eyeofheaven"withits"goldcomplexion";theimagerythroughoutissimpleandunaffected,withthe"darlingbudsofMay"givingwaytothe"eternalsummer",whichthespeakerpromisesthebeloved.Thelanguage,too,iscomparativelyunadornedforthesonnets;itisnotheavywithalliterationorassonance,andnearlyeverylineisitsownself-containedclause--almosteverylineendswithsomepunctuation,whicheffectsapause.Sonnet18isthefirstpoeminthesonnetsnottoexplicitlyencouragetheyoungmantohavechildren.The"procreation"sequenceofthefirst17sonnetsendedwiththespeaker'srealizationthattheyoungmanmightnotneedchildrentopreservehisbeauty;hecouldalsolive,thespeakerwritesattheendofSonnet17,"inmyrhyme."Sonnet18,then,isthefirst"rhyme"--thespeaker'sfirstattempttopreservetheyoungman'sbeautyforalltime.Animportantthemeofthesonnet(asitisanimportantthemethroughoutmuchofthesequence)isthepowerofthespeaker'spoemtodefytimeandlastforever,carryingthebeautyofthebeloveddowntofuturegenerations.Thebeloved's"eternalsummer"shallnotfadepreciselybecauseitisembodiedinthesonnet:"Solongasmencanbreatheoreyescansee,"thespeakerwritesinthecouplet,"Solonglivesthis,andthisgiveslifetothee."Analysisof29Sonnet29showsusthepoetathismostinsecureandtroubled.Hefeelshimselfunlucky,disgraced,andjealousofthosearoundhim.Whatiscausingthepoet'sanguishonecanonlyguess,butanexaminationofthecircumstancessurroundinghislifeatthetimehewrotesonnet29couldhelpustounderstandhisdepression.In1592,theLondontheatresclosedduetoasevereoutbreakoftheplague.Althoughitispossible