Sonnet XV Shakespeare

Melia Rokosh November 3, 2017 English 10 Sonnet XV - Paragraph In William Shakespeare's “Sonnet XV”, the author Shakespeare speaks of how everything that is beautiful eventually grows older and its beauty fades away. However, considering the character in the poem is aware of this fact, he accumulates respect and a better understanding for a young man’s beauty. In the second line: “Holds in perfection but a little moment”, Shakespeare is explaining how perfection is only temporary, but it is still perfect, for this reason, we must cherish it while it lasts. Also, at the end of the poem Shakespeare says: “and all in war with Time for love of you, as he takes from you, I engraft you new”, possibly meaning that sometimes no doubt and self-consciousness may occur, but your elegance and beauty will eventually become visible to you, and no matter how much you age a new kind of beauty blooms within. Shakespeare uses imagery such as personification, metaphors and alliteration. He uses personification while saying: “When I consider everything that grows/ Holds in perfection but a little moment”. He is referring to a tree, who cannot hold in perfection. “Selfsame sky” is a good example of an alliteration used in sonnet XV, also Shakespeare utilizes a metaphor in lines 2-3, "this huge stage" is a metaphor for the world. It "presenteth naught but shows," meaning there is no real explanation for what we see in life. The tone is very direct and sorrowful. Shakespeare endorses words such as “decay”, “sullied” and “war” that add to the mood of the poem. This poem is a sonnet written in iambic pentameter with a meter of unstressed/stressed, and there is a rhyme scheme of A, B, A, B, C, D, C. Melia Rokosh November 3, 2017 English 10 Sonnet XV - Paragraph Sonnet XV: When I Consider everything that Grows William Shakespeare: When I consider everything that grows Holds in perfection but a little moment, That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows Whereon the stars in secret influence comment; When I perceive that men as plants increase, Cheered and check’d even by the selfsame sky, Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease, And wear their brave state out of memory; Then the conceit of this inconstant stay Sets you most rich in youth before my sight, Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay To change your day of youth to sullied night; And all in war with Time for love of you, As he takes from you, I engraft you new. Translated Version: When I think about everything that grows Every little moment is perfection That our lives present something other than showing something The stars can have an influence on us When I think of men with plant like nature Men just like plants have boring lives with patterns Men praise themselves And don’t act brave or courageous But then men continue to praise themselves Considers you more important Time will never stop To change your day from good to bad There are times when you don’t love yourself One guy takes from you, but another will fix you.