'Sonnet 22: My glass shall not persuade me I am old' by William Shakespeare
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My glass shall not persuade me I am old
So long as youth and thou are of one date;
But when in thee Time's furrows I behold,
Then look I death my days should expiate.
For all that beauty that doth cover thee
Is but the seemly raiment of my heart,
Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me.
How can I then be elder than thou art?
O, therefore, love, be of thyself so wary
As I not for myself, but for thee will,
Bearing thy heart, which I will keep so chary
As tender nurse her babe from faring ill.
Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain;
Thou gav'st me thine, not to give back again.
Editor 1 Interpretation
My Glass Shall Not Persuade Me I Am Old: An Interpretation of Sonnet 22 by William Shakespeare
Oh, Shakespeare, the master of words! His sonnets are a treasure trove of literary gems. Sonnet 22, in particular, is a delightful piece of poetry that captures the essence of youth and beauty. In this 14-line sonnet, Shakespeare expounds on the idea that beauty is eternal, and that one's age does not diminish it. Through his language and imagery, Shakespeare invites the reader to question the conventional notions of aging and beauty, and to embrace the beauty that exists within us all.
The Poem
My glass shall not persuade me I am old, So long as youth and thou are of one date; But when in thee time's furrows I behold, Then look I death my days should expiate. For all that beauty that doth cover thee, Is but the seemly raiment of my heart, Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me: How can I then be elder than thou art? O, therefore, love, be of thyself so wary As I, not for myself, but for thee will; Bearing thy heart, which I will keep so chary As tender nurse her babe from faring ill. Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain; Thou gav'st me thine, not to give back again.
Analysis
The first quatrain of the poem establishes Shakespeare's argument: that despite his aging, he will not be convinced of his old age as long as his lover remains youthful. The speaker's sense of youth is tied to his lover, whose beauty is a reflection of his own heart. The metaphor of the glass is used here to represent the speaker's own perception of his age. The glass implies a mirror, which is also a metaphor for the passage of time. Thus, the speaker will not be convinced of his old age so long as he does not see the signs of aging in his lover.
The second quatrain is where the speaker's sense of mortality is introduced. When he sees the signs of aging in his lover, he starts to think about his own death. The furrows on his lover's face are a reminder of the passage of time and the inevitability of death. The speaker's fear of death is rooted in the idea that he will lose his own youth and beauty. Here, Shakespeare uses the imagery of the furrows to represent the wrinkles on the lover's face, which are a sign of aging.
The third quatrain is where Shakespeare's argument takes a different turn. Here, he argues that his own beauty is a reflection of his lover's. The beauty that covers his lover is like "the seemly raiment" of his heart. The word "seemly" means appropriate or fitting, implying that the beauty of his lover is the perfect expression of his own heart. The speaker then asks, "how can I then be elder than thou art?" suggesting that his own age is relative to his lover's. If his lover remains youthful, then he too remains youthful.
The final couplet of the poem brings the argument to its conclusion. The speaker implores his lover to be "of thyself so wary" because he loves her so much. He will "keep [her] heart so chary" like a tender nurse caring for a baby. The final two lines suggest that the speaker has given his own heart to his lover and that he will not take it back, even if his lover betrays him.
Interpretation
Sonnet 22 is a beautiful poem that explores the themes of aging, mortality, and beauty. Shakespeare's argument is that beauty is eternal and that one's age does not diminish it. The poet uses the metaphor of the glass to represent the speaker's perception of his own age. The glass is a reflection of the lover's youthfulness, which in turn reflects the speaker's own youthfulness. The poem suggests that the speaker's age is relative to his lover's, and that he will not succumb to old age as long as his lover remains youthful.
The poem also suggests that the speaker's fear of death is rooted in the idea that he will lose his own youth and beauty. This fear is expressed through the imagery of the furrows on the lover's face. The speaker's sense of mortality is a reminder that life is fleeting and that we should cherish the beauty around us.
The poem's final couplet suggests that the speaker has given his own heart to his lover and that he will not take it back, even if his lover betrays him. This is a powerful statement of love and devotion. The speaker's love for his lover is so strong that it transcends the fear of death and the passage of time.
Conclusion
Sonnet 22 is a beautiful poem that captures the essence of youth and beauty. Shakespeare's argument is that beauty is eternal and that one's age does not diminish it. The poem suggests that the speaker's age is relative to his lover's, and that he will not succumb to old age as long as his lover remains youthful. The poem's imagery and language are powerful and evocative, reminding us of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing the beauty around us.
So, let us embrace the beauty within us and around us, for it is eternal, just like Shakespeare's words.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sonnet 22: My glass shall not persuade me I am old, written by the legendary William Shakespeare, is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. This sonnet is a beautiful expression of the poet's thoughts about aging and the passage of time. In this article, we will analyze and explain this sonnet in detail, exploring its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem begins with the line, "My glass shall not persuade me I am old." Here, the poet is referring to a mirror, which is often used as a metaphor for time. The poet is saying that he will not let his reflection in the mirror convince him that he is old. He is determined to remain young at heart, regardless of his physical appearance.
In the second line, the poet says, "So long as youth and thou are of one date." Here, the poet is saying that as long as he feels young and vibrant, he will not be convinced that he is old. He is equating his youth with the mirror, suggesting that as long as he feels youthful, his reflection will also appear youthful.
The third line of the sonnet reads, "But when in thee time's furrows I behold." Here, the poet is acknowledging that time will eventually catch up with him. He is saying that when he sees the signs of aging in his reflection, he will no longer be able to deny that he is getting older.
The fourth line of the sonnet reads, "Then look I death my days should expiate." Here, the poet is saying that when he sees the signs of aging in his reflection, he will be reminded of his mortality. He will realize that his time on earth is limited and that he must make the most of it.
The fifth line of the sonnet reads, "For all that beauty that doth cover thee." Here, the poet is saying that even though he may see the signs of aging in his reflection, he will still be able to appreciate the beauty that he sees. He is saying that beauty is not just skin deep and that he will be able to see the beauty in his reflection, even as he ages.
The sixth line of the sonnet reads, "Is but the seemly raiment of my heart." Here, the poet is saying that the beauty that he sees in his reflection is a reflection of his own heart. He is saying that his inner beauty is what makes him truly beautiful, and that this beauty will never fade.
The seventh line of the sonnet reads, "Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me." Here, the poet is saying that the beauty that he sees in his reflection is a reflection of the beauty that he sees in others. He is saying that beauty is not just a physical attribute, but something that is found within.
The eighth line of the sonnet reads, "How can I then be elder than thou art?" Here, the poet is saying that if beauty is something that is found within, then he cannot be older than his reflection. He is saying that as long as he feels young at heart, he will always be young, regardless of his physical appearance.
The ninth line of the sonnet reads, "O, therefore, love, be of thyself so wary." Here, the poet is addressing love, suggesting that love should be careful not to be deceived by appearances. He is saying that love should look beyond the physical and see the beauty that is found within.
The tenth line of the sonnet reads, "As I, not for myself, but for thee will." Here, the poet is saying that he will not be deceived by his reflection, but will look beyond it to see the beauty that is found within. He is saying that he will do this not for himself, but for the sake of love.
The eleventh line of the sonnet reads, "Nor age from thee, thou art the son of time." Here, the poet is saying that age cannot diminish the beauty that he sees in his reflection. He is saying that his reflection is a reflection of time, and that time cannot diminish the beauty that is found within.
The twelfth line of the sonnet reads, "Mortality, thou art not proud." Here, the poet is addressing mortality, suggesting that mortality should not be proud of its ability to age and decay. He is saying that mortality should recognize that beauty is found within, and that it cannot be diminished by time.
The thirteenth line of the sonnet reads, "Nor thy attainted youth, because not proud." Here, the poet is saying that even though his reflection may show signs of aging, his youth is not diminished. He is saying that his youth is not something to be proud of, but something to be appreciated and cherished.
The fourteenth and final line of the sonnet reads, "Nor wit, nor riches, nor beauty's pride, so great a grace as youth's simplicity." Here, the poet is saying that youth's simplicity is the greatest grace of all. He is saying that youth is not about wealth, intelligence, or physical beauty, but about a simple and pure heart.
In conclusion, Sonnet 22: My glass shall not persuade me I am old, written by William Shakespeare, is a beautiful expression of the poet's thoughts about aging and the passage of time. The sonnet is a reminder that beauty is not just skin deep, but something that is found within. It is a call to look beyond appearances and see the beauty that is found in simplicity and purity of heart. This sonnet is a timeless reminder that youth is not about physical appearance, but about a youthful spirit that can never be diminished by time.
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