Sonnet 33: Full many a glorious morning have I seen
Full many a glorious morning have I seen
Flatter the mountain-tops with sovereign eye,
Kissing with golden face the meadows green,
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy;
Anon permit the basest clouds to ride
With ugly rack on his celestial face
And from the forlorn world his visage hide,
Stealing unseen to west with this disgrace.
Even so my sun one early morn did shine
With all-triumphant splendour on my brow;
But out, alack! he was but one hour mine;
The region cloud hath mask’d him from me now.
Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth;
Suns of the world may stain when heaven’s sun staineth.
Summary of the Poem Sonnet 33
- Popularity of “Sonnet 33”: This sonnet by William Shakespeare, an iconic English poet and playwright, first appeared around 1590. It got published in the first Quarto collection in 1609, around 19 years later when it was composed. This sonnet also occurs in the Fair Youth sequence sonnets of Shakespear written in praise of the anonymous person, Mr. W. H. whose identity is still shrouded in mystery. These clouds of mystery not only hang over the name of the person but also on the love of the poet who compares this to a sun clouded after shining brightly. Herein lies the popularity of the sonnet.
- “Sonnet 33” As a Representative of Desire for Transient Nature of Love: The speaker of the poem opens the poem abruptly saying that he has seen several glorious mornings when the sun has flattered the mountain tops, kissed the meadows, and brightened the golden streams. However, small patches of clouds disfigure it and cloud its love. The same has happened to the love of the poet in that a simple mood has marred his entire love episode. Now clouds have intervened to separate his love. Therefore, for the poet, his love for the person has not decreased, and that mortal men may face failure like the heavenly body, the sun.
- Major Themes in “Sonnet 33”: Metaphorical representation of love, the transience of love, and consolation over failure are the major themes of this sonnet. Although this poem has occurred in the Fair Youth sequence, its metaphorical presentation of love is superb. The poet has compared his love with that of the sun it demonstrates with mountain tops, streams, and meadows and yet it witnesses the clouding of this love when clouds intervene. The same is the case of the poet he has faced clouds in his love. This also shows that love is always transient and that clouds could intervene at any time. Yet, it does not mean that it is all failure. Life goes on as even the heavenly body, the sun faces failure. Therefore, the mortal suns, human beings, could also face it and it does not matter.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Sonnet 33
William Shakespeare uses various literary devices to enhance the intended impact of his poem. Some of the major literary devices are analyzed below.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /i/ and the sound of /e/ in “Kissing with golden face the meadows green” and the sound of /a/ and /o/ in “And from the forlorn world his visage hide.”
- Alliteration: It is the use of initial consonant sounds in consecutive words in a verse. The poem shows the use of alliteration, such as the sound of /w/ in “west with” or the sound of /s/ in “Sun staineth.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /r / in “And from the forlorn world his visage hide” and the sound of /t/ and /m/ in “Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth.”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. William Shakespeare used imagery in this poem such as “Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy”, “Even so my sun one early morn did shine” and “The region cloud hath mask’d him from me now.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects that are different in nature. The poet used the metaphor of the sun for great people or great figures.
- Personification: It means to attribute human emotions to inanimate objects. The poet has used the personification of the sun that shows the emotions, patience, and passions of human beings.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols such as morning, face, meadow, and alchemy to show the intensity and sincerity of love.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Sonnet 33
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Compound Word: This device shows the combination of words with a hyphen. This sonnet shows the use of compound words such as “mountain-tops” and all-triumphant.”
- Diction: It means the type of language. The poem shows good use of formal and poetic diction.
- End Rhyme: It means to use verses having matching end words. William Shakespeare shows the use of end rhyme such as seen/green and eye/alchemy.
- Quatrain: It is a Persian stanza having four verses. This sonnet has three quatrains.
- Rhyme Scheme: This Shakespearean sonnet shows ABAB in quatrains and AA in the couplet.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are three quatrains and a couplet.
- Sonnet: It means a poem having fourteen verses. This is a sonnet.
- Tone: It means the voice of the text. The poem shows a loving, rational, and comparative tone.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are useful to quote when talking about the transience of love.
But out, alack! he was but one hour mine;
The region cloud hath mask’d him from me now.
Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth;
Suns of the world may stain when heaven’s sun staineth.
