Sonnet 2 by William Shakespeare
OR
“When forty winters shall besiege thy brow”
When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field,
Thy youth’s proud livery, so gazed on now,
Will be a tattered weed, of small worth held.
Then being asked, where all thy beauty lies,
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days;
To say, within thine own deep sunken eyes,
Were an all-eating shame, and thriftless praise.
How much more praise deserved thy beauty’s use,
If thou couldst answer, ‘This fair child of mine
Shall sum my count, and make my old excuse,’
Proving his beauty by succession thine!
This were to be new made when thou art old,
And see thy blood warm when thou feel’st it cold.
Stanza-wise Explanation
Stanza 1
When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field,
Thy youth’s proud livery, so gazed on now,
Will be a tattered weed, of small worth held.
The poet envisions the future, addressing a young person whose youthful beauty will fade after forty years. Time, represented as winters, will age the person, creating wrinkles (trenches) and diminishing their once-glorious appearance. The pride of youth, admired by all in the present, will then be reduced to something insignificant and frail.
Stanza 2
Then being asked, where all thy beauty lies,
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days;
To say, within thine own deep sunken eyes,
Were an all-eating shame, and thriftless praise.
The poet warns that if asked in old age where their beauty has gone, it would be shameful to say that it was wasted and left only as a memory. The reference to “deep sunken eyes” emphasizes the regret of not preserving their beauty or legacy in a meaningful way. The poet likens (compares) this loss of beauty to the squandering and wastage of a precious treasure.
Stanza 3
How much more praise deserved thy beauty’s use,
If thou couldst answer, ‘This fair child of mine
Shall sum my count, and make my old excuse,’
Proving his beauty by succession thine!
Here, the poet proposes a solution to the inevitable decay of beauty. He advises procreation as the only solution. The speaker argues that having a child ensures that a person’s beauty lives on through their descendants. This child would serve as a testament to their once-glorious youth and a justification for their old age.
Couplet
This were to be new made when thou art old,
And see thy blood warm when thou feel’st it cold.
The sonnet concludes with the idea that bearing children is like renewing oneself. Even in old age, one can see their vitality and beauty continued in their offspring, providing warmth and purpose when their own life wanes.
Critical Analysis of Sonnet 2
Theme
The central theme of the sonnet is the transience of beauty and the permanence of legacy. Shakespeare explores the effects of aging and argues for procreation as a means to achieve immortality by passing on one’s physical and spiritual qualities to the next generation.
Structure and Form
Sonnet 2 adheres to the Shakespearean sonnet form with 14 lines: three quatrains followed by a rhyming couplet, using the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The structured progression reflects the poet’s logical argument.
Tone
The tone is both cautionary and persuasive. While the poet mourns the inevitable loss of youth, they offer hope and a solution, emphasizing renewal through descendants.
Imagery and Symbolism
- Winters and Trenches: Symbolize the passage of time and the physical toll of aging.
- Treasure: Represents youth and beauty as invaluable resources that can be preserved through procreation.
- Deep sunken eyes: A vivid image of aging and regret for wasted potential.
- Child as Succession: The idea of legacy and renewal, offering continuity amidst decay.
Literary Devices
- Metaphor: Aging is depicted as a “siege” and wrinkles as “trenches’ in a battlefield.
- Personification: Time is personified as a besieging force attacking beauty.
- Contrast: Youth’s fleeting nature is contrasted with the lasting legacy of children.
- Alliteration: Repetition of sounds, such as in “beauty’s use,” enhances the musicality.
Philosophical Implications
The sonnet reflects Renaissance ideals of humanism, valuing individual legacy and the potential for continuity through creative acts (in this case, procreation). It also highlights a preoccupation with the inevitability of time and mortality.
Conclusion
Sonnet 2 offers a poignant reflection on the ephemeral nature of beauty and the inevitability of aging. Shakespeare’s solution, procreation, serves as a means of immortality, emphasizing the enduring nature of legacy over the fleetingness of youth. The sonnet masterfully intertwines vivid imagery with philosophical musings, making it a compelling meditation on time, beauty, and the human desire for permanence.
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