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Analysis of Sonnet 73 by Shakespeare

This Shakespearean sonnet has the rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF

The sonnet is "ritten in the metre of iam#ic pentameter an$ has three %&atrains "ith a c'osing co&p'et( each forming separate sentences $&ring "hich the narrator speaks to his 'o)e!

The first %&atrain intro$&ces the theme of a$)ancing years &sing the metaphor of 'ate a&t&mn or "inter! The #are r&in*$ choirs e+ten$s this: the ch&rches are $estroye$ ,made dead-! The caes&rae in 'ine t"o ser)es to s'o" the pace of the poem( perhaps ref'ecting the pace of the narrator*s min$! There is an en.am#ement #et"een 'ines t"o to three an$ three to fo&r( ca&sing a'' three to r&n together an$ stress the fee'ing of $eso'ation( especia''y "ith the caes&ra in 'ine fo&r intro$&cing a 'ament for the s"eet #ir$s!

The secon$ %&atrain e%&ates the setting s&n "ith o'$ age an$ night "ith $eath! The narrator a'so sees s'eep( Death*s secon$ se'f( as akin to the $eath of a $ay! /ine si+ en$s in a semico'on( intro$&cing a $e'i#erate e+ten$e$ pa&se #efore the intro$&ction of $eath as s'eep( "hi'e the a''iteration of the # in #y an$ #y signa's the ine)ita#'e passage of time! The caes&ra in 'ine eight again emphasises the s&ccee$ing statement: s'eep ca&ses e)erything to en$ in a manner akin to $eath!

The narrator no" compares himse'f to a $ying fire: the ashes of his o"n yo&th forming his $eath#e$! The rhythm is more e)en in this thir$ %&atrain( 'acking caes&rae or en.am#ement an$ the conse%&ent stresses on partic&'ar phrasing!

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Analysis of Sonnet 73 by Shakespeare

The )oice to this point is re'ent'ess'y pessimistic( creating a ma&$'in atmosphere! The narrator is resigne$ to impen$ing $eath an$ thro&gho&t the three %&atrains contin&a''y emphasises his o"n $ecay!

The fina' co&p'et has $ifferent interpretations that( $epen$ing &pon one*s perception( can change the "ho'e meaning of the sonnet!

The narrator*s 'o)e co&'$ see that e)erything the narrator has sai$ is tr&e an$ that they sho&'$ therefore 'o)e one another a'' the stronger as time is short! 0o"e)er( the co&p'et co&'$ #e percei)e$ as a t&rn( or t"ist: the poem1s s&#.ect is not so m&ch physica' $ecay an$ $eath #&t the metaphoric $eath of yo&th( the narrator &rging his 'o)e to )a'&e his passionate yo&th "hi'e he sti'' has it! The en.am#ement in 'ine thirteen sp'its the statement that the 'o)er &n$erstan$s "hat has #een sai$ from the e+hortation ma$e in the rest of the co&p'et!

Word Count: 398