SONNET 65 by William Shakespeare summary and analysis

 

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea,

But sad mortality o’ersway their power

How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,

Whose action is no stronger than a flower?

O, how shall summer’s honey breath hold out

Against the wreckful siege of battering days,

When rocks impregnable are not so stout,

Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays?

O fearful meditation! Where, alack,

Shall Time’s best jewel from Time’s chest lie hid?

Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back?

Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid?

O, none, unless this miracle have might,

That in black ink my love may still shine bright

 

The poet begins by listing various elements of the physical world: brass, stone, earth, and the vast sea. He's setting up a contrast between these enduring elements and something less permanent.

"Sad mortality" refers to the condition of being human and subject to death. The poet suggests that even these powerful elements of the world are ultimately overcome by mortality.

The poet wonders how beauty can withstand the destructive force of time. "Rage" here represents the relentless passage of time and its ability to erode beauty.

The poet compares the fragility of beauty to that of a flower. Both are delicate and easily affected by time and external forces.

The poet asks how the sweet and fleeting qualities of summer can encounter.

"Wrackful siege" refers to the destructive assault of time (batt'ring days) on the pleasant aspects of summer.

Even the strongest and seemingly indestructible rocks can be worn down by time, suggesting that nothing is truly immune to its effects.

Time can destroy even the most fortified structures, including gates made of steel. This reinforces the idea that time is an unstoppable force.

The poet expresses his fear and sorrow at contemplating the relentless march of time and its impact on all things.

The "best jewel" likely refers to something precious and beautiful. The poet wonders if such treasures can remain hidden and protected from the ravages of time.

Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid? He questions whether the most precious and beautiful things created by Time will eventually be hidden away or lost.

The poet wonders if there is any force strong enough to stop the swift progress of time.Who can prevent time from stealing away the beauty of all things?

‘O, none, unless this miracle have might,’ The poet suggests that only a miracle could prevent the decay caused by time.

That in black ink my love may still shine bright. In the final couplet, the poet resolves the question by stating that this miracle is possible through the written word. By immortalizing his love in black ink (in poetry), his love can continue to shine brightly, defying the ravages of time.

In this sonnet, Shakespeare explores the theme of the permanence of love through poetry, suggesting that while all physical things may surrender to time, the beauty of love can endure when expressed in verse.