Sonnet 73

William Shakespeare
BACKGROUND ON THE POET
• Born 26 April 1564
• Died 23 April 1616
• English playwright, poet, even some acting
• Wrote 154 sonnets
• Sonnet 73 is seen as one of his famous sonnets, related to
old age
1. That time of year thou mayst in me behold
2. When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
3. Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
4. Bare ruined choirs where late the sweet birds sang.
5. In me thou seest the twilight of such day
6. As after sunset fadeth in the west,
7. Which by and by black night doth take away,
8. Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
9. In me thou seest the glowing of such fire
10. That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
11. As the deathbed whereon it must expire,
12. Consumed with that which it was nourished by.
13. This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
14. To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
Poem in simple
English
You may see that time of year in me
When few, or no, yellow leaves hang
On those branches that shiver in the cold bare ruins of
the choir stalls where sweet birds sang so recently.
You see, in me, the twilight of a day, after the sun has
set in the west, extinguished by the black night that
imitates Death, which closes everything in rest. You
see in me the glowing embers that are all that is left of
the fire of my youth – the deathbed on which youth
must inevitably die, consumed by the life that once fed
it. This is something you can see, and it gives your love
the strength deeply to love that which you have to lose
soon.
1. TITLE
There were 154 sonnets

Each sonnet was numbered,

thus Sonnet 73
 THE ENGLISH /
SHAKESPEAREAN
2. Format - Critical to know the /
ELIZABETHAN  The first 2SONNET
 14 lines, consisting of:difference
quatrains introduce the
main idea and theme of the poem
 3 quatrains (four lines)
 At the beginning of the third
 1 rhyming couplet (two lines)
quatrain, there is a change in poem,
where there is almost a ‘twist’
 Rhythm: Iambic pentameter
 The Couplet summarizes and leaves
 Rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef the reader with a new, concluding
gg image.
 3.
bough branch of a tree
Vocabulary
ruined reduced to a state of collapse
twilight period just before it becomes completely dark in
the evening
seals a tight and perfect closure
ere before (a specified time)
 5. Tone and
mood
In the quatrains the tone is pensive and mournful as the speaker
perceives his proximity to death. It is also melancholic as the speaker
explains that he is aging. The tender tone creates a sentimental and
sorrowful mood.
 6. Themes
AGING REMEMBER TO
PEE
In this poem, the speaker explores what it feels like to get older and face the
reality that death is imminent. The effects of time on one’s physical health
and mental fear are compared to moving further from youth and closer to
death. Part of growing old is longing for the years gone by. Aging is also
associated with a sense of peace and calm as life begins to slow down. By
comparing the speaker to a tree in late autumn his age is revealed. However,
the yellow falling leaves that shake from the cold are clear signs that the tree
Point
is not ready for winter. The comparison of the bare branches where the
birds no longer sing to ruined churches where the choir no longer sings,
reveals how the speaker mourns the loss of his youthful appearance. The
Example
absence of birds implies the peace and quiet that comes with old age.
Expand
 6. Themes
DEATH REMEMBER TO
The speaker seems to be haunted by the inevitable truth that all living beings PEE
are subjected to death. The poem includes several metaphors for death. In
the second quatrain the moving image of twilight fading as the sun sets in
the west and turning into darkness, symbolises the last moments of the
speaker. The image of fire that is extinguished and turning into ashes, in the
Point
third quatrain, represents a youthful life that is well lived. The ashes Example
represent a beautiful life that has come to an end.
Expand
 6. Themes
LOVE REMEMBER TO
In line 13 the speaker introduces the theme of love. Although love can PEE
triumph over many obstacles, it is still limited by mortality and nature. In
the poem, love is discussed in relation to the life cycle. The speaker wants
the reader to understand that life is not too long, and it may be too late to
enjoy this light feeling of love. The speaker, therefore, advises the reader to
Point
fall in love as often as possible and to love when possible. Example
Expand
 7. Line by
Line
In each quatrain the speaker uses a different image to show
the progression of life from youthfulness to old age and
death. The following images have been used: In quatrain 1
the tree, quatrain 2 the sunset and quatrain 3 the glowing
fire.
 Quatrain 1 - Lines
1 - 4:
In the first quatrain, the speaker compares his current state to autumn, a season when
the leaves fall from the branches. The poet anticipates his own death and decay. He
talks of the time when he will appear as pale and dry as the world in a cold, biting
winter. He compares himself to the branches of the trees that used to be lovely and
melodious. The branches shake because of the cold wind. This means that he is getting
older and losing his youth just like the trees lose their green leaves. There is a quietness
that comes with getting old, when the youthful exuberance no longer exists.
Quatrain 1 - Lines “you” - Apostrophe – a friend

1 That
1. - 4:time of year thou mayst in me behold
Image of autumn – Metaphor for old age

2. When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang

Leaves and boughs (branches) = Tree image – symbol of life/growth. Metaphor - Its physical
changes in winter are compared to the degeneration of the body as death approaches

3. Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,

Metonymy: choirs (branches where birds would sing) are stripped of S-alliteration: Emphasises
leaves the change that took place

4. Bare ruined choirs where late the sweet

Contrast – ruined choir vs sweet
birds sang
song – Emphasises change
 Quatrain 2 - Lines
5 - 8:
In this quatrain the speaker compares his progress towards death as moving from dusk,
(after the sun has set) to night-time. The change in the comparison from a season to a
day shows the speed with which aging affects the body. The poet implies here the
approach of death to him. Almost becoming depressed. The mood changes to gloom
and melancholy. He says here that he will look like the quickly fading twilight of the
day, as the sun is setting in the west. So, just like the dark night-time takes over day
(or then life), death too will bring him to the oblivion of night, because the dark is
death.
QUATRAIN 2 -
Lines 5 - 8:
“you” - Apostrophe

5. In me thou seest the twilight of such day

Images of sun/light – Metaphor for life;
The setting sun suggests that death is approaching for the speaker.

6. As after sunset fadeth in the west,

Simile – life compared to day
Images of night/darkness – Metaphor for death

7. Which by and by black night doth take away,

B-Alliteration: supports the feeling of death fast approaching

8. Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.

Death’s appearance compared to S-alliteration: links dark hours of the night to death
night
 Quatrain 3 - Lines
9-12:
The third quatrain clarifies the end that the speaker talks about represents death that the
speaker is moving to. In this quatrain the speaker’s life is compared to a fire that will
soon be extinguished. He refers to both literal death and figurative death which
signifies the end of his youth. The poet here implies that his lost youthful energy and
vitality have well consumed him and draw him to death. His tone here is deeply
distressful and despondent.
 Lines 9 - 12:
embers
“you” - Apostrophe

9. In me thou seest the glowing of such fire

Images of fire – Metaphor: lifetime compared to a dying fire – the speaker’s
youthful nature has turned to ashes.

10. That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,

All that remains of his youth and vitality

Simile: ashes of extinguished fire is compared to a human deathbed

die
11. As the deathbed whereon it must expire,
12. Consumed with that which it was nourished by.
Life (oxygen/breathing) fed the fire, but caused the wood to burn out – having life was what
kept the speaker living, but it also made him grow older and die
 Couplet- Lines
12-14:
The speaker introduces the reader to the importance of love. He wants the reader to see
what life is like, so they value their time together. He reminds us that we need to love
well because we will have to leave (die) soon. The poet feels that this will lead the
friend to love him more as one who is to pass away soon. There is a change in tone
from depression to consolation.
 Lines 13 - 14:
This = the shadow of death/evidence of degeneration
“your” - Apostrophe

13. This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
Seeing the speaker so weak and struggling will make the friend
love him more sincerely/intensely.
The speaker

14. To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
The speaker will be separated from his friend for a long time –
permanently (death)

The poet finds consolation from the thought of his friend’s love. His sense of loss is thus gone and the
mood of depression removed.