Read The Sonnets and Other Poems Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
The Sonnets and Other Poems (51 page)
mock
delude
8
scope … of
purpose and purport of (or possibly “the domains legally held by”)
tenure
authority, control/possession, plays on “tenor” meaning “purport”
13
watch I
I cannot sleep/I stay on guard
wake
stay awake (for sexual pleasure)
1
possesseth
with connotations of disease or demonic possession
5
gracious
lovely
6
true
well-formed
truth
well-formed physique/moral integrity
account
value
7
for myself
for my own pleasure/with regard to myself
8
As … surmount
to the effect that I possess more virtues than everyone else collectively
9
glass
mirror
10
Beated and chopped
weather-beaten and chapped
tanned antiquity
age with its leathery skin
12
Self … iniquity
it would be sinful for one such as me to be so self-loving
13
’Tis … praise
it is you (my other self) that I praise as myself
1
Against
in preparation for when/to counter the time when
2
injurious
damaging
o’er-worn
worn out
3
drained his blood
blood was thought to dry up with age; also suggests “drained his vigor”
filed
engraved/defiled
5
steepy
precipitous (also suggests night’s power to engulf or “steep” the young man)
8
Stealing … spring
(time) dishonestly taking the beauties of his youth/his youthful beauties creeping away
9
fortify
strengthen defenses against attack
10
confounding
destructive
11
That
so that
12
though
though he cut off
14
green
fresh, youthful
1
fell
fierce, cruel/destructive, deadly
2
proud cost
splendid extravagance
outworn
worn-out (clothing image)/eroded (suggests tombs or inscriptions)
3
sometime
formerly
down-razed
demolished, razed to the ground
4
brass
seen as the most durable of substances
mortal rage
death’s destructive fury or frenzy
7
of
from
main
sea
8
Increasing … store
i.e. each side alternately winning and losing, each loss being the other side’s gain
store
abundance
9
interchange of state
alternating conditions/exchanges of power and position/shifts within the political state
10
state
existence/a kingdom
confounded to decay
overthrown and ruined
11
ruminate
puns on
ruin
and “ruinate”
1
Since
i.e. since there is neither
2
o’er-sways
overrules
3
with this rage
against this violence
hold a plea
uphold an argument (legal metaphor)
4
action
power/lawsuit
6
wrackful
wrecking, destructive
batt’ring
bombarding repeatedly (as a means of breaching defenses)
10
from
somewhere other than
Time’s chest
i.e. age and death; the treasure chest will become a coffin
12
spoil
goods (seized during war)/destruction, pillaging
1
all these
i.e. the following
2
desert … born
merit born in poverty
3
needy … jollity
worthlessness adorned with finery
4
purest … forsworn
the most solemn oaths broken/the betrayal of those who have kept their half of a mutual vow
5
gilded
golden
6
rudely strumpeted
crudely prostituted/coarsely slandered (for promiscuity)
7
right
true, absolute
8
limping sway
crippled authority, weak leadership
9
art
scholarship/literature
10
doctor-like
in a knowledgeable manner
11
simplicity
stupidity
12
attending
in service to
14
to
i.e. were I to
1
wherefore
why
infection
moral corruption
2
grace impiety
make sin attractive
3
by
through
advantage
profit, social advancement
4
lace
adorn (as with a lace trimming)
society
company
5
false painting
use of cosmetics/portraiture
6
dead seeing
a lifeless appearance
of
from
hue
complexion
7
poor
inferior
8
Roses of shadow
imitation roses
9
Nature bankrupt is
i.e. because she has given all her riches to the young man
10
lively
living
11
exchequer
treasury
12
proud of many
although boasting of her many creations/proud of the young man’s many attributes
gains
profits
13
stores
preserves, hoards
1
Thus
the argument continues from Sonnet 67
map
image/epitome/record
days outworn
times past
3
bastard … fair
false appearances of beauty (i.e. cosmetics)
born
sustains the image of illegitimate children, but also puns on “borne,” i.e. worn, displayed
4
durst inhabit
dared live
5
golden … dead
wigs were often made from the hair of corpses (
golden
hair was particularly favored)
6
sepulchres
tombs
8
gay
attractive, bright
9
holy antique hours
blessed ancient times
14
of yore
in the past
1
parts
personal features
2
Want
lack
the … mend
heartfelt thoughts can improve on
4
even … commend
that even your enemies are obliged to express approval of
5
Thy outward
your appearance
with outward
with public
6
thine own
what is due to you
7
accents
words/tones
confound
overthrow, ruin
10
in guess
by conjecture
11
churls
villains
12
rank
rotten, loathsome
14
soil
solution (with possible play on sense of contamination)
common
vulgar/promiscuous (like a weed that grows everywhere)
1
blamed
censured, criticized
defect
fault
2
mark
target
3
The … suspect
beauty is always accompanied by (literally “adorned with”) suspicion
4
crow
a bird associated with malice and evil
5
So thou be
as long as you are
approve
prove
7
canker
the canker-worm, a parasitic grub that destroys plants
8
unstainèd
blameless/unfaded
prime
youth/ springtime
9
ambush … days
dangers that lie in wait for the young
10
assailed
attacked (with overtones of seduction)
victor being charged
the winner if assaulted
11
so
sufficiently
12
tie … enlarged
restrict envy, which is always at liberty
13
suspect of ill
suspicion of wrongdoing
masked
overshadowed
14
shouldst owe
would possess
2
sullen
gloomy/of deep, mournful sound
bell
the passing bell that tolled for the dead
8
make you woe
cause you sorrow
10
compounded
mixed
11
rehearse
utter, repeat
13
look … moan
probe the cause of your sorrow
14
with me
on my account
1
task
challenge
recite
describe, give an account of
8
niggard
miserly
10
for … untrue
out of love praise me undeservedly
13
that … forth
i.e. his poetry
14
should you
i.e. be ashamed
4
choirs
the branches are compared to chancels (
choirs
), the parts of churches reserved for singers
late
recently
8
Death’s second self
i.e. night and, by extension, sleep
seals … rest
seals people up in sleep as if in a coffin/shuts people’s eyes as a young hawk’s eyelids are “seeled” (i.e. sewn shut for training purposes)
12
Consumed … by
i.e. the fire is smothered by the ashes of the substance on which it fed
14
that
i.e. the poet (and perhaps life/youth)
leave
lose/give up
1
But
the argument continues from Sonnet 73
fell
cruel/deadly
arrest
death is seen as an officer taking men away to prison
3
line
i.e. verse
interest
right of possession or occupation (legal sense)
4
for memorial
as a reminder/monument
still
always
5
reviewest
look over, read
6
consecrate
solemnly dedicated
11
coward
cowardly
wretch’s knife
the knife wielded by an assassin (perhaps Death himself), or one used by a suicide