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Yellow highlight: literary
device
Underline: sound device
: Shift in iambic
pentameter
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Problem: In Sonnet 22, Shakespeare
has a realization that though his
beloved is young now, he is older
than her, so as soon as she begins to
show signs of aging, Shakespeare
will know his days are numbered.
Development: Shakespeare describes
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how his loves youth and beauty are
what make up his heart, which lives in
her chest just as her heart lives in his.
He ponders on how could be older
than her then. Shakespeare instructs
her to take care of herself, not for her
own good but because his heart lives
in her, and he promises to do the
same.
Volta
Solution: Accepting that his days are
bound to come to an end, Shakespeare
vows to his beloved that he will not
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not stop loving her after he is dead.
Personification and Consonance: repeated s sound: These sound
My glass shall not persuade me I am old, A devices create the illusion of time passing swiftly and quickly. The
poets glass is personified, acting as another character trying to
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draw attention to the time he is running out of.
So long as youth and thou are of one date, B
U / U / U / U / U / Personification: Time is personified as a villain, emphasizing the
But when in thee time's furrows I behold, A wrinkled curse of age that the poet must face.
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B Intriguing diction: Instead of simply saying that his days will end,
Then look I death my days should expiate. Shakespeare describes his days as a sin that needs to be atoned for.
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For all that beauty that doth cover thee, C Metaphor: Describing his loves beauty as what clothes his heart,
U / U / U / U / U / Shakespeare emphasizes the fact that his heart lives in her skin, not
Is but the seemly raiment of my heart, D in his own.
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C Personification: Shakespeare gives the heart life by describing it as
Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me,
living in her chest
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How can I then be elder than thou art? D Assonance: repeated long o sound and repeated ov sound: The
U / U / U / U / U / repetition of the long o sound creates a more dramatic effect to
O therefore love be of thyself so wary, E further express the poets emotions and leaves a longer lasting
effect on the reader. With the ov sound, the smoothv sound
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glides into the readers ears, drawing attention to the use of love
As I not for myself, but for thee will, F
/ U / U / U / / U / Shift from iambic to another meter: In this slight change in iambic,
Bearing thy heart which I will keep so chary E the poet makes a promise to his love, to take careful care of her
U / U / U / U / U / heart, which is a first in this sonnet, as up to this point, the poet has
F just been complimenting her beauty and denying his growing age.
As tender nurse her babe from faring ill.
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U / U /
Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain,
/ U /
G
Simile: This simile further stresses the caring love the poet feels for
his partner and the importance of the love they share by comparing
his concern similar to a mothers for her child.
Thou gav'st me thine not to give back again. G
Consonance: repeated th sound and repeated v sound: The
repeated hissing of the th and the v sound creates sort of a soft
musical sound that helps stress and draw attention to the line.