Sonnet 14: Not From The Stars Do I My Judgement Pluck
Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck;
And yet methinks I have Astronomy,
But not to tell of good or evil luck,
Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons’ quality;
Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell,
Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind,
Or say with princes if it shall go well
By oft predict that I in heaven find:
But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,
And, constant stars, in them I read such art
As truth and beauty shall together thrive,
If from thyself, to store thou wouldst convert;
Or else of thee this I prognosticate:
Thy end is truth’s and beauty’s doom and date.
Summary of Sonnet 14
- Popularity of “Sonnet 14”: Written by famous Renaissance poet, writer, and playwright, Shakespeare, “Sonnet 14” is a philosophical, poetic piece. It shows an intimate relationship between the poet and his friend. The speaker seems conscious of the perseverance of his friend’s lasting beauty. This work won accolades for Shakespeare on account of its subject matter that man is not capable of changing the cyclical nature of time.
- “Sonnet 14” As a Representative of Worry: This poem exhibits the exemplary relationship of the speaker with his friend. It begins when he declares that he lacks the power to foresee the future. Neither the stars nor any other natural object helps him peep into the future. It is entirely unseen and unpredictable. He adds that he can’t see if the future holds good or bad things, plague, drought, or seasonal shifts. He cannot predict what will happen in the next minute. However, he can predict his friend’s future simply by looking into his eyes. To him, his eyes are stars that allow him to foresee his fortune. Therefore, he is concerned about his friend’s mortal beauty, which is fading away with every passing day. In his opinion, his friend should marry and have children to preserve beauty and truth. However, if he fails to understand this simple phenomenon, his beauty and truth will die with him.
- Major Themes in “Sonnet 14”: Beauty and truth and love and affection are the major themes of this poem. The writer beautifully states that beauty and truth are always short-lived. Therefore, one should have a plan to preserve them for a long time. The poem suggests that the writer’s friend is blessed with immense beauty, and the writer wants him to transfer these gifts to his child. He bluntly accepts that he has no power to see what the future brings. However, he can surely predict the short life of his beauty and grandeur. To him, the youth should realize the importance of time and take a wise step to preserve beauty and truth.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Sonnet 14
literary devices are used by poets to add versatility to simple poetic pieces. Their usage allows the writers to express their feelings using various approaches. Shakespeare has also made this poem worth reading by inserting various literary devices. The analysis of the literary devices used in the poem is as follows.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /e/ in “Or else of thee this I prognosticate” and the sound of /i/ in “Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /t/ in “And, constant stars, in them I read such art” and the sound of /r/ in “As truth and beauty shall together thrive.”
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;
“Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell,
Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind,
Or say with princes if it shall go well
By oft predict that I in heaven find.”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Shakespeare has used imagery in this poem such as, “Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind” and “And, constant stars, in them I read such art.”
- Irony: Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. The writer has used this device throughout the poem to show how man is incapable of changing the ways of nature.
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects that are different in nature. The poet has used the extended metaphors of time and beauty just to show that time has the power to alter almost everything in the world.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings. The poet has used symbols such as man versus nature, time, love aging, and change.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Sonnet 14
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Couplet: There are two constructive lines of verses in a couplet, usually having the same meter and rhyme scheme. This sonnet ends with a couplet, which usually reveals the central idea of the poem such as;
“Or else of thee this I prognosticate:
Thy end is truth’s and beauty’s doom and date.”
- End Rhyme: End rhyme means the rhyming of the ending words. Shakespeare has used end rhyme in this poem such as “pluck/luck” “tell/well” and “drive/thrive.”
- Iambic Pentameter: It is a type of meter having five iambs per line. The sonnet follows iambic pentameter such as “Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck.”
- Quatrain: A quatrain a four-lined stanza borrowed from Persian poetry. There are three quatrains in this poem.
- Rhyme Scheme: The sonnet follows ABABCDCD rhyme scheme in its octave and EFEFGG in its sestet.
- Sonnet: A sonnet is a fourteen-lined poem usually written in iambic pentameter. This Shakespearean sonnet consists of three quatrains and one couplet.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are useful for lovers to use when praising the beauty and grandeur of their lover.
“But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,
And, constant stars, in them I read such art
As truth and beauty shall together thrive,
If from thyself, to store thou wouldst convert.”
