Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 - Analysis and Interpretation

Introduction

• Speaker: Kashish from English with Kashish.
• Topic: Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare, "That Time of Year."
• Sonnet: A 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme.
• Overview: Shakespeare's poem about the cycle of life, approaching death, and the strength of love.

William Shakespeare

• Renowned English playwright, poet, actor.
• Known as England's national poet and the Bard of Avon.
• Role in Drama: Started as a curtain raiser, later became a playwright and actor.
• Famous Works: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and more.
• Sonnet 73: One of his 154 sonnets, discussing aging and the approach of death.

Structure of Sonnet 73

• Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCDEFEFGG.
• Content Overview: Uses metaphors to compare stages of life to seasons, time of day, and fire.

Detailed Line-by-Line Explanation

First Quatrain

• Compares late life to late autumn.
• Yellow leaves few remain, metaphor for fading health and approach of death.
• Branches shake against the cold, reflecting the vulnerability and frailty of old age.
• Bare ruined choirs, metaphor for the loss of vigor and liveliness.

Second Quatrain

• Compares late life to twilight.
• Twilight: Time just before darkness, symbolizes the end of life.
• Black night takes away the little light, metaphor for death taking life.
• Death's second self as sleep, emphasizing the final closure of life.

Third Quatrain

• Compares late life to the dying embers of a fire.
• Glowing of such fire, metaphor for the last bits of life and fervor.
• Ashes of youth lie, indicating the remnants of past vibrancy.
• Deathbed whereon it must expire, symbolic of the nearing end of life.
• Death consumes what nourished it, flame fades as wood is depleted.

Couplet Conclusion

• Reader should love the poet more intensely, as the time together is limited.
• Memories and love will endure even after death.

Key Themes and Metaphors

• Cycle of Life: Seasons (autumn to winter), time of day (twilight to night), and fire (final embers).
• Approaching Death: Emphasizes the inevitability of aging and dying.

Exercise and Questions

• Season in First Stanza: Autumn.
• Supporting Words: Yellow leaves, few hang.
• Four Stages of Life: Childhood, youth, old age, death.
• Poet's Stage: Old age/approaching death.
• Comparison to Bare Ruined Choirs: Bare branches, decayed life.
• Twilight Metaphor: Night, darkness, end of life.
• Fire Image: Ember, last glow.
• Deathbed Image: Ashes, final resting place.
• Death's Second Self: Sleep.
• Love's Strength: Strengthened by the awareness of impending death.
• Metaphors in Each Stanza:
  • Autumn, twilight, ember of fire.

Summary: Emphasizes

• Poet's approaching death, natural cycle endings.
• Request for stronger love from the reader, value relationships as the end nears.

Final Notes

• Review metaphors: Autumn, twilight, ember of fire.
• Complete exercises and participate in quizzes in the app.
• Kashish signing out. Thank you.