Sonnet 18

SONNET 18

BY: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
William Shakespeare, known as the Bard of

Avon in a well-known sonneteer. He had
composed about 154 sonnets in his lifetime.
Aside from writing poetry, he was When, in
disgrace best known as a great dramatist.
Shakespeare was all alone bewrep
considered a brilliant playwright during the
immortal glory And trouble deal h of the
Elizabethan period. He was famous for his
comedy and look upon my tragedy and
historical plays. The sonnets that follow are
Wishing me like to Sonnet 18 and 29.
SONNET 18
BY: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate;
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometimes too hot, the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometimes declines, 3
By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest;
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see
So long live this, and this gives life to these.
4
WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE WHY SHAKESPEARE WROTE THIS
POEM?
• William Shakespeare wrote Sonnet 18, also known as” SHALL I COMPARE TO A
SUMMERS DAY?”, to express his love and admiration for a young man. While
the exact identity of “ fair youth” remains a mystery, scholars believe the
sonnet is a part of young man, possibly a patron or friend.
• The sonnets purpose goes beyond simply expressing love. It also explores
themes of beauty, time and the power of the art to preserve beauty.
Shakespeare uses the sonnet form, with its strict rhyme scheme and
structure, to elevate his feelings and create a lasting tribute to his beloved.
5
Line-by-Line Interpretation of
Sonnet 18
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
(Right away, Shakespeare presents his metaphor. He is comparing his
love to a summer's day.)
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
(Shakespeare believes his love is more desirable and has a more
even temper than summer.)
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
(Before summer, strong winds knock buds off of the flowering trees.)
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
(Summer goes by too quickly.)
6
Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines,
(Sometimes summer days are just too hot!)
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
(Some summer days are cloudy. Also, the beloved in this poem is a
male.)
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
(Everything beautiful in nature eventually fades away.)
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
(The changes happen either by accident or through nature's natural
cycles.)
7
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
(But you, my love, have the best characteristics of
summer, and these will never go away.)
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
(Your beauty will never decline.)
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
(You will never look as if you are on the brink of
death.)
8
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
(Because I've written these lines about you, even over time . )
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
(As long as there are humans alive on this planet . . .)
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.
(Your life and beauty will live on through this sonnet.)
9
Rhyme Scheme of Sonnet 18
TYPE OF RHYME SCHEME
ALTERNATE RHYME SCHEME

(ABAB)
Literary Devices Used
1. Metaphor: The entire poem revolves around comparing the beloved to

a summer's day.
2. Personification: Death is personified as if it can "brag" (line 11).
3. Alliteration: The repetition of the "f" sound in "fair from fair" (line 7).
4. Imagery: Phrases like "Rough winds" and "eye of heaven" paint vivid
pictures (lines 3, 5).
5. Hyperbole: The idea that the beloved's beauty is eternal (lines 9-12).
11
THEME
Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 (“SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A SUMMER’S DAY?”) is the

immortality of beauty and love through poetry. In the sonnet, the speaker compares
the beloved to a summer ‘s day but notes that the beloved’s beauty is more temperate
and eternal .Unlike summer , which is subject to change and decline ,the beloved’s
beauty will be immortalized through the poem itself.
Through the power of verse , the beloved will live on ,transcending time and decay ,as
long as people read the poem:
“So as long as men can breath ,or eyes can see,

So long lives this ,and this gives life to thee”.
12
SYMBOLISM
1.Summer's Day: A summer's day symbolizes beauty, warmth, and
pleasure. However, it is also fleeting and subject to change. By
comparing the beloved to a summer's day, Shakespeare highlights
their beauty while also emphasizing that unlike summer, the
beloved's beauty is more constant and everlasting.
2. Rough Winds: The "rough winds" symbolize the forces of time

and change that affect all natural beauty. They represent the
temporary and often harsh elements of nature that can diminish or
disrupt perfection.
3.The Sun ("eye of heaven"): The sun symbolizes life's vitality and
light, but Shakespeare notes that even the sun is sometimes "too 13
SYMBOLISM
4. Eternal Summer: The phrase "eternal summer" symbolizes the idea
of lasting beauty and youth. Unlike the temporary nature of an actual
summer, the beloved's "eternal summer" refers to the timeless quality
that will be preserved through the poem.
5. Death's Shadow: In the line "Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in
his shade," death symbolizes the inevitable end that comes to all living
things. However, Shakespeare defies death by declaring that the beloved
will escape its shadow through the immortality granted by the poem.
6. The Poem Itself: The poem serves as a symbol of *immortality*. By

stating that "So long lives this, and this gives life to thee," Shakespeare
suggests that art (in this case, poetry) has the power to preserve beauty14
and memory beyond the physical realm. These symbols work together to
THANK YOU
15

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SONNET 18

BY: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare, known as the Bard of

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

TYPE OF RHYME SCHEME

ALTERNATE RHYME SCHEME

1. Metaphor: The entire poem revolves around comparing the beloved to

Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 (“SHALL I COMPARE THEE TO A SUMMER’S DAY?”) is the

“So as long as men can breath ,or eyes can see,

2. Rough Winds: The "rough winds" symbolize the forces of time

6. The Poem Itself: The poem serves as a symbol of immortality. By

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