Ms. Peifer
10 IB Hour 5
23 February, 2009
Shakespeare's purpose in Sonnet 55 was to show how poetry, unlike many amazing material objects, is eternal. He uses several metaphorical comparisons and his own self-confident writing style to do so. Shakespeare also reveals his point throughout the poem: The reader has a fairly good idea at the beginning, but the real purpose grows as one reads on, and only at the end is there a moment of mutual understanding between author and reader. All of these literary features deepen the meaning of the poem, and make it more enjoyable for the reader.
First of all, Shakespeare uses many metaphors comparing, and showing the superiority of, poetry's immortality compared to that of other great objects. For example, he writes "But you shall shine more bright in these contents than unswept stone besmear'd with sluttish time" (lns. 3-4). In this comparison, he is noting the fact that, in a thousand years or so from when it was written, his seemingly humble piece of writing would hold its ground, when marble, statues, and other fancy, impressive material objects will have become dust. This is elaborating on his point of the immortality of poetry, and helps the reader understand it better.
Shakespeare also uses his own self-confident, self-conscious writing style to impress his point upon the reader. He knows what he is writing is good poetry, and isn't afraid of expressing it. Quite on the contrary, it adds to his work. For example, at the end of the poem Shakespeare writes, "So, till the judgement that yourself arise, you live in this, and dwell in lover's eyes" (lns. 13-14). This statement is saying that, until the day of judgement (probably the biblical "judgement day"/the end of time), this poem will live and be loved. In this statement, Shakespeare seems very confident in his work: that it will both be loved and survive until the end of time. However, even though it may be a bit arrogant, this statement does get his point across to the reader. It says that poetry is so great and eternal that it will last until the end of time.
Throughout Shakespeare's Sonnet 55, the comparisons between his poem and other things grow and grow and grow until the volta, where a final, very strong statement is made. First, Shakespeare says poetry will outlast statues. Then he goes and talks about how it can, unlike tons of other things, live through war and chaos. The last quatrain goes even farther, and says that even in death and the bleakest of all times, this poem will still be praised. Then comes the volta and the last couplet: Shakespeare's poems will be praised until the end of time. This show that Shakespeare doesn't make his point and back off; he grows throughout the entire work. This style also makes it more effective towards the reader.
In Sonnet 55, Shakespeare uses superb, constantly growing comparisons, as well as his own self-confident writing style, to make his point about the immortality of poetry. These are very effective on the reader, and the poem is a very good piece of writing, overall.
