Sonnet 104
To me fair friend, you never can be old.
William Shakespeare
Summary
"Sonnet 104" is a Shakespearean love poem in which the speaker professes his
deep affection for his friend.
He asserts that his friend's beauty will never diminish despite the inevitable
effects of time.
The poem uses various figures of speech, including metaphors, personification,
hyperbole, and oxymorons, to emphasize the timeless nature of the speaker's
feelings.
The speaker begins by addressing his friend as a fair and eternal being, claiming
that to him, his friend will never grow old.
He recalls the first time he saw his friend and declares that their beauty has
remained constant ever since.
The speaker then uses natural imagery to describe the passing of time,
highlighting the longevity of his love despite the changing seasons.
Although the speaker acknowledges that time has an effect on beauty, he
suggests that it is imperceptible and that his friend's appearance may still be
deceiving. He fears that his friend's beauty may be fleeting, but ultimately
concludes that his love will last forever.
Overall, "Sonnet 104" is a testament to the power of love and the idea that
true beauty is eternal. The poem speaks to the human desire for immortality
and the fear of aging, while also celebrating the enduring nature of genuine
love.
Figures of speech
Metaphor: The speaker compares his friend's beauty to "summer and
harvest," highlighting its richness and abundance.
Personification: Time is described as a "cruel thief," giving it a menacing
quality and emphasizing the irreversibility of its effects.
Hyperbole: The line "And summer's lease hath all too short a date"
exaggerates the fleeting nature of summer, emphasizing the transience of
human life and beauty.
Oxymoron: The speaker describes his friend's beauty as a "fresh ornament,"
creating a striking contrast between the qualities of freshness and
ornamentation and suggesting that the friend's beauty is both youthful and
refined.
These figures of speech contribute to the poem's emotional impact and
reinforce the speaker's belief in the eternal nature of true beauty.
Definition of a sonnet
A sonnet is a type of poem that typically consists of 14 lines written in iambic
pentameter, with a specific rhyme scheme. The two most common types of
sonnets are the Petrarchan sonnet, which has an octave (8 lines) with a rhyme
scheme of ABBAABBA followed by a sestet (6 lines) with a rhyme scheme of
CDECDE or CDCDCD, and the Shakespearean sonnet, which consists of three
quatrains (4-line stanzas) with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF followed by
a rhyming couplet (two lines) with a rhyme scheme of GG. Sonnets often
explore themes of love, beauty, mortality, and the passage of time, and are
known for their use of figurative language and complex wordplay.
Poem
Sonnet 104:
To me, fair friend, you never can be old,
For as you were when first your eye I ey'd,
Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold
Have from the forests shook three summers' pride,
Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn'd
In process of the seasons have I seen,
Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burn'd,
Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green.
Ah! yet doth beauty like a dial-hand,
Steal from his figure and no pace perceiv'd;
So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth stand,
Hath motion and mine eye may be deceiv'd:
For fear of which, hear this, thou age unbred;
Ere you were born was beauty's summer dead.
Line by Line Analysis
To me, fair friend, you never can be old,
The speaker addresses his friend, declaring that in his eyes, his friend will never
age. The use of the adjective "fair" suggests that the friend is not only
physically attractive but also virtuous and good.
For as you were when first your eye I eyed,
Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold
Have from the forests shook three summers' pride,
The speaker asserts that his friend's beauty has remained constant since the
day they met. The reference to "three winters cold" and "three summers'
pride" highlights the passage of time and suggests that the friend's beauty has
endured despite the changing seasons.
Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turned,
In process of the seasons have I seen,
Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burned,
Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green.
The speaker continues to use natural imagery to describe the passage of time,
noting the transition from "beauteous springs" to "yellow autumn." This
description underscores the inevitability of change and aging. However, the
speaker claims that his friend's beauty has remained as fresh and green as it
was when they first met.
Ah, yet doth beauty like a dial-hand,
Steal from his figure, and no pace perceived;
So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth stand,
Hath motion, and mine eye may be deceived.
The speaker acknowledges that time has an effect on beauty, but claims that
he cannot detect any changes in his friend's appearance. The use of the word
"hue" suggests that the friend's beauty is more than skin-deep and implies that
it is impossible to fully capture its essence.
For fear of which, hear this, thou age unbred:
Ere you were born was beauty's summer dead.
The speaker concludes with a warning to the concept of aging itself, stating
that even before his friend was born, beauty had already passed its prime. The
use of the phrase "age unbred" suggests that aging is an inevitable part of life
but also implies that it has not yet fully taken hold.
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