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SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A SUMMER'S DAY


SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A SUMMER'S DAY 
      William Shakespeare 




1. How does Shakespeare immortalize his friend's beauty?

Or

".. and this gives life to thee.".... Discuss. 

Shakespeare's sonnet begins with a question which is--"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" 

The poet feels that it is useless to compare his friend's beauty to a summer's day. His friend's beauty is even more fascinating and enduring. The flower buds that bloom in May are moved by strong winds. 

" Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May"

Sometimes the sunrays of summer fades. The beauty of every beautiful thing is gradually destroyed by the laws of nature. So the poet says---

"And every fair from fair sometime declines',

 By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed. "

But the beauty of the poet's friend is eternal here. The poet firmly believes that these eternal lines of his sonnet immortalise the beauty of his friend.

" So long as men can breath or eyes can see,

So long live this, and this gives life to thee. "


2. "And every fair from fair sometimes declines" -From which poem is the above line taken? Who is the poet here? Briefly discuss the meaning of the line in the quotation? How the poet has promised to perpetuate the beauty of his friend?

The line is taken from the sonnet 'Shall I compare thee  to a summer's day? '

The name of the poet is William Shakespeare.

Through this line the poet has shown that the beauty of every beautiful thing is one day destroyed by the infallible laws of nature.

"And every fair from fair sometime declines', 

By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed. "

The poet points out that the beauty of his friend will be eternal through his immortal verse. The beauty of his friend will live as long as men can breathe and see with their eyes.

" So long as men can breath or eyes can see,

So long live this, and this gives life to thee. "


3. Discuss how far the title of  "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day " is appropriate.

                                       Or

Discuss about the title of Sonet no. 18. 

When William Shakespeare composed his sonnets, he had not titled any of his sonnets.

His sonnets were arranged in numerical order.

The first line of each sonnet is considered as the title of that sonnet. 

Shakespeare's 18th sonnet begins with a question. The poet here feels that it is pointless to compare the beauty of his friend with summer because he is more beautiful than summer. His friend is  more calm, pleasant and attractive than a summer. Death destroys everything and the beauty of every beautiful thing is lost in the infallible laws of nature. But the poet believes that the beauty of his friend will survive through his eternal lines.

So we can conclude that this love-sonnet has become the winner of time. And her friend's beauty is everlasting, not as fleeting as summer. So the title is appropriate. 

4. What is referred to as the 'eye of heaven'? How does the 'eye of heaven' appear during summer? What qualities of summer have been shown through the phrase 'eye of heaven'?

In the sonnet "Shall I Compare thee to a summer's day?", the sun is referred to as the 'eye of heaven' 

In summer, the sun sometimes shines brightly which sometimes becomes unbearable. Sometimes that bright sunlight is covered by clouds and fades. So the poet says---

"Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;" 

Occasionally there is a strong summer breeze, which blows the flower buds in May. Infrequently bright sunlight fades due to dark clouds. After all, summer is short-lived. 

" Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;" 




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