Ellen Smith
Miramar College
30 October 2007
 
“Sonnet 73”
     William Shakespeare’s sonnet 73 follows the typical structure of a Shakespearean sonnet with an abab cdcd efef gg rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter.  It is filled with vibrant metaphors and organized with three quatrains and a final couplet.  The sequence of ideas in this somber poem describes the poet reflecting at the sunset of his life with a lover at his side.  He is looking at himself through the eyes of his lover, comparing his aging to the seasonal change from fall to winter, the darkness of night enveloping the world around, and a fire burning out its last fuel surrounded by the reminders of youth.  While these images are dark, the message in the end is questioning of love so strong and perhaps thankful that it can endure the pain of seeing life fade away.   
          That time of year thou mayst in me behold    (a)
          When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang  (b)
          Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, (a)
          Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. (b)

     In the first quatrain, Shakespeare is talking to his lover.  He uses the metaphor of fall turning to winter with a dark view of an aging and fragile, possibly balding self.  You may see in me “that time of year” when the leaves fall off the trees leaving empty branches that “shake against the cold”.  The empty boughs are compared to a “ruined choir” where just a few seasons ago “sweet birds sang”, noting his aging body and remembering his youth.
          In me thou see'st the twilight of such day (c)
          As after sunset fadeth in the west; (d)
          Which by and by black night doth take away, (c)
          Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. (d)
     In the second quatrain, he continues with the dark images of the end of a long life.  In him, his lover sees the “twilight” after the “sunset fadeth” and the “black night” that replaces day.  Shakespeare compares the black of night to death producing vivid imagery of death “seal[ing] up all the rest” leaving only emptiness and darkness behind.  This message appears bitter at the youth that was taken away like daylight is consumed by darkness.

          In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire, (e)
          That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, (f)
          As the death-bed, whereon it must expire, (e)
          Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by. (f)

     In the third quatrain, Shakespeare again talks to his lover saying “in me thou see’st the glowing of such fire”.  The fire is a metaphor representing life.  The burning fuel of his youth leaves behind a pile of ashes, like a “death-bed, wheron it must expire”.  This is a dark retrospective view of Shakespeare's life with the imagery of the pile of ashes consuming the fire as it is about to expire. 

          This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong, (g)
          To love that well, which thou must leave ere long. (g)

     In the final couplet, the dark images of aging and unstoppable death are joined with love.  Shakespeare is recognizing that although he is going through the final stages of life, his lover is at his side and continues to love him.  This message appears to be both questioning and thankful.  Part of this is how someone can continue to love when loss is nearing and grief becomes necessary.  The other part of this is acknowledgement of the strength of that love with an implied thank you in the message. 

     Reading this sonnet reminded me of a message sent by Queen Elizabeth II just days after the September 11 attacks.  She said “grief is the price we pay for love”.  Her wisdom underscored that there is no love without grief.  You cannot grieve for something you don’t love any more than you can stop loving because loss is nearing and grief is imminent.  Had Shakespeare realized this, perhaps last couplet would have been less about strength of his love and more grateful for the love he and his lover experienced together.

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