59. 501. Sonnet 65(9)

1. What are the themes?
A:- The themes in Sonnet 65 by William Shakespeare are those to do with the passage of time. They include age, youth, decay, poetry and the idea of memory. The poem is heavily concerned with age and the inevitability of change or even death to things that cannot withstand time. Since time destroys everything - such strong and seemingly stable things like brass, stone, earth and sea- then it will also destroy human beauty that is as frail as a flower. This thought terrifies the poet or lover. There is however, the hope that the poet's verse can perform the miracle of immortalizing the beauty of the friend.

2. Give an introduction to the sonnet.
A:-'Sonnet 65' is one of Shakespeare's many love sonnets. In the poem he describes the effect time has on people and in humane objects. He goes into great detail about the effect time is having on the youth of the woman he loves and adores and he dreads it. Despite feeling helpless against time he describes her beauty and the love for her while exploring the themes of Time, love,hope and helplessness. He does this through various techniques such a metaphor, repitation, alliterations.

3. Explain the line "Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor endless sea"
A:- The poem is saying that The hardest metals, strongest stones and vast earth all submit to time. Ancient objects are also unable to dodge time and its cruelty. Everything will fade away as time goes on and the poet is left wondering and questioning how his love will survive and conquer this brutality. There's a battle between humanity's infactuation of living forever and long lasting beauty and the inexorable physical decay time causes.

4. Explain "How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,"
A:- This line creates an image an image of a court room, a metaphorical legal battle,where beauty is the accussed begging the heartless judge, Time, for mercy yet time remains stubborn. This makes me personally feel upset as she is punished despite being innocent. It also creates an image of Beauty on her knees begging but time remains unfazed.

5. Explain "Whose action is no stronger than a flower?"
A:- This is a metaphorical phrase. The poet compares beauty to a flower which makes us think of beauty as a weak, soft and vulnerable woman whereas Time is a monster: strong,ruthless, vicious, cold hearted and out to destroy everything and everyone and nothing can stop time from doing so.
This emphasises the uselessness of fighting against time and attempt to dissuade time.

6. "O how shall summers honey breath hold out". Explain.
A:- The tone is sweet and breathy in this line. The word honey emphasises the sweetness of the summer breeze and the pleasure you would get from it. The poet gave summer 'breath' which personifies it and we imagine a soft spoken and innocent person- and epitome of youth and beauty. The alliteration gives it a sound effect and makes the sentence flow smooth and nicely.

7. "When rocks impregnable are not so stones.... Nor gates of steal so strong, but time decays?" Explain.
A:- There is a harsh sibilant 'S' and the poet is saying that these heavy, strong steel gates are strong but time will slowly rot at it and eventually the gates would also submit. Throughout this poem the poet personifies time and in this specific quatrain we imagine Time as an enemy trying to break into a castle where the poets love is hiding, looking for protection but there's none.

8."O fearful meditation! Where, alack". Explain.
A:- The soft, airy rythem that has continued throughout the poem is broken in this line and replaced by this distressed, desperate tone. The repition of the 'O' in the rest of the quatrain emphasises how desperate yet upset the poet is as he begs for an solution.

9. Explain the technicality of the sonnet.
A:- The sonnet 65 is in iambic pentameter. It is a Shakespearian sonnet with three quatrains and a couplet. The rhyme scheme is abab cdcd efef gg. Mutability and immortality through literature are the main themes.

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