Sonnet 17: Who Will Believe My Verse in Time to Come
Who will believe my verse in time to come,
If it were filled with your most high deserts?
Though yet heaven knows it is but a tomb
Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts.
If I could write the beauty of your eyes,
And in fresh numbers number all your graces,
The age to come would say, “This poet lies;
Such heavenly touches ne’er touched earthly faces.”
So should my papers, yellowed with their age,
Be scorned, like old men of less truth than tongue,
And your true rights be termed a poet’s rage,
And stretched metre of an antique song.
But were some child of yours alive that time,
You should live twice, in it, and in my rhyme.
Summary of Sonnet 17: Who Will Believe My Verse in Time to Come
- Popularity of “Sonnet 17”: Written by William Shakespeare, a master of poetic expression, “Sonnet 17” is a deeply reflective poem that is part of the sequence dedicated to the “fair youth.” This sonnet grapples with the power of art to truly capture beauty and the fear that future generations will not believe the subject’s magnificence as described. It is a poignant exploration of legacy, remembrance, and the limitations of language.
- “Sonnet 17” as a Representation of Fear: This sonnet is driven by a compelling anxiety. The speaker worries that his words will be insufficient to convey the true beauty of the beloved. He anticipates skepticism from future readers, fearing they will dismiss his praise as exaggeration or fabrication. This leads to a contemplation of how to ensure the beloved’s memory endures. The speaker questions whether any poetic expression can genuinely encapsulate the depth of another’s grace and fears his verses will be seen as fanciful rather than factual.
- Major Themes in “Sonnet 17”: The central themes are the preservation of beauty, the fear of being disbelieved, and the power of procreation. Shakespeare explores how art attempts to immortalize beauty, yet acknowledges its inherent limitations. The poem considers how a subject’s legacy might be secured not just through art, but also through biological continuation—having a child to carry on their image and essence. This sonnet balances the desire for artistic immortality with the more grounded reality of familial lineage.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Sonnet 17: Who Will Believe My Verse in Time to Come
Shakespeare’s masterful use of literary devices enhances the poem’s emotional resonance and thematic depth. These techniques not only add to the aesthetic beauty but also subtly reinforce the central ideas.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds creates a musical quality and emphasizes certain words. For example, the repetition of the short “i” sound in “If it were filled with your most high deserts?” draws attention to the questioning tone.
- Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words adds emphasis and creates a memorable effect. Notice the repetition of “w” in “Who will believe my verse in time to come,” subtly emphasizing the uncertainty at the heart of the poem.
- Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within words creates a sense of connection and musicality. Consider the repeated “r” sound in “And your true rights be termed a poet’s rage,” creating a subtle undercurrent of intensity.
- Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next creates a flowing rhythm and maintains the reader’s engagement. The lines “Though yet heaven knows it is but a tomb / Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts” exemplify this technique, blurring the line breaks and creating a sense of uninterrupted thought.
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions appeal to the reader’s senses and create a strong emotional response. The image of the poem as a “tomb” powerfully illustrates the inadequacy of words to fully capture the beloved’s essence.
- Metaphor: An implicit comparison between two unlike things adds depth and layers of meaning. The poem itself is presented as a “tomb” – a metaphor for the limitations of art in preserving memory and beauty.
- Rhetorical Question: A question posed not for an answer, but for effect, engaging the reader and emphasizing a point. The opening line, “Who will believe my verse in time to come,” immediately establishes the poem’s central anxiety and invites reflection.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Sonnet 17: Who Will Believe My Verse in Time to Come
Beyond literary devices, Shakespeare skillfully employs specific poetic techniques to craft this sonnet’s distinctive form and meaning.
- Couplet: The final two lines of a sonnet, often providing a resolution or a turning point. The concluding couplet, “But were some child of yours alive that time, / You should live twice, in it, and in my rhyme,” offers a potential solution to the poem’s central problem, suggesting that procreation can ensure lasting remembrance.
- End Rhyme: The rhyming of words at the end of lines, contributing to the poem’s musicality and structure. The consistent rhyme scheme (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG) creates a sense of order and harmony.
- Iambic Pentameter: A rhythmic pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables, creating a natural and flowing cadence. The rhythm helps to emphasize key words and phrases, enhancing the poem’s emotional impact. For example: “Who will believe my verse in time to come.”
- Quatrain: A stanza of four lines, often developing a particular idea or image. The three quatrains in this sonnet each explore different facets of the speaker’s anxiety and the limitations of art.
- Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhymes in a poem. This sonnet follows the traditional Shakespearean rhyme scheme (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG), contributing to its formal structure and musicality.
- Sonnet: A fourteen-line poem, typically written in iambic pentameter. This Shakespearean sonnet adheres to the established conventions of the form, utilizing three quatrains and a concluding couplet to develop its central theme.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are particularly resonant when discussing the themes of legacy, memory, and the enduring power of art and procreation.
“But were some child of yours alive that time,
You should live twice, in it, and in my rhyme.”
This couplet encapsulates the poem’s final thought—that while art may offer a form of immortality, it is through biological continuation that a person’s essence truly lives on.