Sonnet 73 Questions and Answers
Sonnet 73
Describe the imagery in Shakespeare's Sonnet 73.
Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 is rich in vivid imagery, utilizing metaphors and personification to convey the themes of aging and decay. The poem compares the poet's stage of life to late autumn and...
Sonnet 73
What does the speaker in Sonnet 73 compare himself to and what do these comparisons share?
In Sonnet 73, the speaker compares himself to yellowed leaves, ruined church buildings, twilight, sunset, and a last glowing ember in ashes. These comparisons all symbolize aging and the end of life....
Sonnet 73
What does "on the ashes of his youth doth lie" mean in Sonnet 73?
This line in Sonnet 73 uses the ashes of the wood with which one starts a fire as a metaphor for the speaker's youth, which is now all used up and buried. The first logs used to build a fire are...
Sonnet 73
The central theme and literary elements of Shakespeare's Sonnet 73
The central theme of Shakespeare's "Sonnet 73" is the passage of time and the inevitability of aging and death. The sonnet employs literary elements such as metaphors, comparing the speaker's aging...
Sonnet 73
The meaning of "death's second self" in Shakespeare's Sonnet 73
"Death's second self" in Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 refers to sleep, which is metaphorically described as a twin or counterpart to death. This phrase emphasizes the idea that sleep is a temporary state...
Sonnet 73
What is the rhyme scheme and meter of Shakespeare's Sonnet 73?
The rhyme scheme of Shakespeare's sonnet 73 is abab cdcd efef gg, and the meter is iambic pentameter. The rhymes are quite simple, and there is only one slight deviation from iambic pentameter.
Sonnet 73
What type of love is Shakespeare discussing in Sonnet 73?
In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare discusses a love characterized by urgency due to the speaker's old age. The sonnet suggests romantic love, possibly directed towards a younger man, but also leaves room for...
Sonnet 73
How does Shakespeare characterize autumn in Sonnet 73?
In "Sonnet 73," Shakespeare characterizes autumn as a metaphor for old age and impending death. He describes late autumn with few, withered leaves on the branches, the cold air, and the absence of...
Sonnet 73
In "Sonnet 73," what time of year does the speaker metaphorically compare to his age? What do twilight and night...
In "Sonnet 73," the speaker metaphorically compares his age to late autumn or winter, symbolizing old age and nearing death. Twilight and night represent the latter stages of life and death,...
Sonnet 73
What image does the poet use after "twilight" in Sonnet 73?
After "twilight" in Sonnet 73, the poet uses the image of a dying fire "That on the ashes of his youth doth lie." This metaphor parallels twilight, illustrating old age as a fire still smoldering but...
Sonnet 73
What time of year metaphorically represents the speaker's age, mood, and appearance in Sonnet 73's first four lines?
In the first four lines of "Sonnet 73," late fall or early winter metaphorically represents the speaker's age, mood, and appearance. This time of year symbolizes old age, characterized by barren...
Sonnet 73
Interpretation of specific lines in Shakespeare's Sonnet 73
Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 reflects on aging and the passage of time. The speaker compares his late stage of life to autumn, twilight, and a dying fire, emphasizing the inevitability of aging and...
Sonnet 73
What lesson does Sonnet 73 offer to its addressee?
Sonnet 73 imparts the lesson that the inevitability of aging and death should prompt us to cherish what we have in the present. Through metaphors comparing the speaker's life to autumn, twilight, and...
Sonnet 73
What is a potential thesis statement for Sonnet 73?
A thesis statement about "Sonnet 73" should make a specific claim about the work that can be supported with direct evidence. There are many claims one could make in a thesis about "Sonnet 73,"...
Sonnet 73
What is the main argument of Sonnet 73 and which three tools does the author use to prove it?
The main argument of "Sonnet 73" is that love becomes stronger as it faces the inevitability of mortality. Shakespeare illustrates this through three extended metaphors: the autumnal imagery of a...
Sonnet 73
How can I analyze diction using Sonnet 73 as an example?
To analyze diction in a poem means to look closely at the poet's choice of words and consider the connotations of those particular words and the effects they have on the meaning of the poem as a...
Sonnet 73
What conceit does the speaker establish in Sonnet 73's first quatrain?
“Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare centers on a metaphor about death. A conceit uses an extended metaphor to compare two things, pointing out the similarities between them and establishing a link....
Sonnet 73
The role and significance of the implied listener in Shakespeare's "Sonnet 73."
The implied listener in Shakespeare's "Sonnet 73" is significant because they represent the poet's beloved, who is encouraged to appreciate their relationship more deeply as the poet reflects on...
Sonnet 73
Is the line from Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 in trochee or iambic pentameter?
The two forms of a two-beat foot in scansion are Iamb and Trochee. The iamb is the most common (with the emphasis or stress on the second syllable), the foot of the iambic pentameter line that...
Sonnet 73
How would you write a letter to Shakespeare about Sonnet 73?
Dimidium facti qui coepit habet. (He who makes a start has half the work done.) ...
Sonnet 73
Can you scan the provided lines from Sonnet 73, marking the syllables and separating the feet?
Word with more than one syllable, accented on the second syllable. If we come to a word with only one syllable, then it is unaccented. If we come to a word of two syllables that has one accented...
Sonnet 73
In Shakespeare's sonnet 73, what observations can you make about the chosen word order?
The word order? An interesting question. First, the more obvious observations: he arranges the lines so they rhyme, and what's more, rhyme smoothly. The word order is clearly conscious, but does...