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READ THIS
The poet looks at the beauty of his "fair Friend" and decides that this beauty is ageless. Indeed,
he has known this "Friend" for three years now and believes that she is quite as beautiful as when
he first met her.
Later in the sonnet he does appear to have some hesitation about the lasting impact of aging, but then
concludes rather outrageously that the beauty of this "fair Friend" is beyond even Beauty herself.
ABOUT THE POET
William Shakespeare, commonly known simply as "The Bard", was born in April 1564. Although
he lived a mere 52 years, he has won himself the reputation of being the greatest of all English poets and
playwrights.
He grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon where, at the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway with whom he had
three children. Modern scholars love to question whether or not he was actually gay -- but such is the
energy-sapping research of these scholars.
The Bard established a most successful career for himself in acting and in writing for the stage. Ultimately
he became the part-owner of The Lord Chamberlain's Men, a theatrical company which eventually
came to be known as The King's Men.
In his early years in theatrics, Shakespeare focussed his attention on writing comedies and histories. Only
later did he produce a series of tragedies such as Hamlet, Macbeth and King
Lear, the works for which he is preeminently known.
Although he wrote two lengthy narrative poems as well as several other shorter poems, his reputation as
a poet was established through his amazing collection of sonnets -- 154 in all.
Indeed, his particular style of sonnet, commonly known as the Elizabethan form, is also referred to simply
as "the Shakespearian sonnet".
In about 1613, he returned to Stratford-upon-Avon and died there in April 1616.
Scholars would later come to question not only his sexual stance but also whether or not it was he who
actually wrote all the work attributed to him.
Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
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TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:
"Three winters' cold
Have from the forests shook three summers' pride."
- Rewrite in your own words, "Three winters' cold" but without using the
apostrophe. (2)
[Need help?]
A nice easy question!
What about "the cold of three winters"?
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- What impact does the word "shook" have when speaking about winter? (2)
[Need help?]
The word "shook" indicates very blustery conditions, with heavy winds.
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- What is the significance of winter within a poetic setting like this one? (4)
[Need help?]
Poetically, winter does not only refer to cold but also to death. Indeed, the four seasons of spring,
summer, autumn and winter represent the freshness of youth, the heat of adulthood, the mellowness of
mature age and, finally, the harshness and finality of death.
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- Why does the poet refer to "summer's pride"? (4)
[Need help?]
Literally, "summer's pride" would refer to the blossoms and fruit of summer. It is the season of heat
and fertility, when the world of nature becomes overblown like a tart. It's also the season of productivity.
In short, everything of long-term value happens in summer and so this season, more than any other, has
something to be proud of.
The poet, of course, speaks of the winter having shaken "summers' pride". He is presumably
speaking literally of the winter winds having blown away the last of the flowers, and torn off the last of the
fruit. He is therefore speaking of the aging process.
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"Three winters' cold
Have from the forests shook three summers' pride;
Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn'd
In process of the seasons have I seen,
Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burn'd."
- Analyse the contrast which the poet sees in Winter and Summer, and between Spring and
Autumn. (4)
[Need help?]
Winter is cold and destructive. Summer, on the other hand, is hot but full of blossoms and developing
fruit.
Spring is youthful and perhaps naive (green) but very beautiful and with the sweet smell of flowers
whereas autumn is mellow yellow.
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"Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burn'd,
Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green."
- Why does the poet contrast the "April perfumes" with the "June heat"? (4)
[Need help?]
It was commonly believed that Spring (April) was a time of flirtation, when the young female would attract
the male through her coquettish ways and the sweet smell of her perfumed body.
This would culminate in a June wedding which, of course, would be accompanied by the burning heat of
passion and sex, which would in turn cause the fruit of their marital union to start growing. June was
definitely the month of marriages.
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- What do you think Shakespeare meant when he said, "Since first I saw you
fresh"? (2)
[Need help?]
One could argue that Shakespeare meant, "Since I saw you for the first time."
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- What is the implication of being "green"? (4)
[Need help?]
Being "green" could mean being young -- ("the fruit was still very green") -- but it also has
the connotation of being naive -- ("he was green behind the ears").
In the context of this sonnet, the greenness refers to being new. The poet had just met his "fair
Friend". It was therefore very much a new friendship.
Can you think of any other meaning for "green" in the context of this poem?
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