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Shakespeare’s Sonnet 60: Time's Effects
- 2. Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, So do our minutes hasten to their end; Each changing place with that which goes before, In sequent toil all forwards do contend.
- 3. Nativity, once in the main of light, Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crown’d, Crooked eclipses ‘gainst his glory fight, And time that gave doth now is gift confound.
- 4. Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth And delves the parallels in beauty’s brow, Feeds on the rarities of nature’s truth, And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow;
- 5. And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand, Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand.
- 6. Credits W. Warby. (2010, Oct. 27). “Old Clock,” in Flickr [Online]. Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/5147016934/in/photostream/ [Feb. 8, 2014] K. Teo. (2009, Mar. 15). “Sentosa beach,” in Flickr [Online]. Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenjonbro/3495248764/in/photolist-67kGpp-6jS4FJ-6n51AK-6ydfVF-6C7byP-6CSCx16HEDXm-6K3Ljx-6KLZcM-6X1BMN-71wkgy-71wkQs-7dKpf8-7r9Z7h-87smmJ-7Vq2Lk-cxcCyA-dKv2gW-au8uNg-bhqBytbhr4cx-cd6Wzj-7ZJFx7-9PUpZq-iRFKr4-9i8pgW-baAwRV-7TYnpy-fUw8UP-7yGf3Z-dhcF1o-8KvQpN-dRK8WD-7ZYJPq811zzE-7ZZBQ7-fJ4Pat-ebDXxk-8pmDFL-btm1E4-eXoxMJ-hJ5MHG-idNGo1-bVwHQU-ihnjsv-ihnjyc-9RTn2G-bJVv1kg4Pa2S-baCE4M-cKvH6S/ [Feb. 8, 2014] J. Lippold. (2012, May. 21). “Solar Eclipse,” in Flickr [Online]. Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefflippold/7237388878/in/set-72157629821342690/ [Feb. 8, 2014] S. Hickin. (1973, Nov.). “Totterdown Scene,” in Flickr [Online]. Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_hickin/3864888215/in/photostream/ [Feb. 8, 2014] Errol Images Media. (2009, Dec, 16). “The Old Book,” in Flickr [Online]. Available: http://www.flickr.com/photos/goddessofchocolate/4190917646/in/photolist-7og2gg-7okxNN-7qyZcL-7tJayg-7tJbnK7vpnos-7x2Sgs-7xstWe-7xwgGC-7xwkv7-7xwmx1-aGsPSg-btfTfj-dfbMfj-e5N5fa-9eaVRJ-dQgNj9-c2iYbd-8gJ2Y3-dfbNJMfK3C2H-a954t9-dQbi1e-8chv33-ggXHx2-aiFZu1-b4jsc2-dfbNNy-dfbM5B-dfbMzX-bLK3VB-dQbgbc-btfTfb-8pCZGBgoQjwN-8RyLnq-f9z2oW-9FBS8F-bnZ9W4-dhWFZF-dhWG6f-coQuDb-8bo1Fm-8hmsm1-dfbJLk-7Wd9fh-8q29jj-drEKQS9FtJZU-9PZUza-cJtWVd/ [Feb. 8, 2014] Snowflake. (2010). “Inside Outside,” in ccmixter.org [Online]. Available: ccmixter.org/files/snowflake/26747 [Feb. 20, 2014]
- 7. References • [1] R. Arbour, “Shakespeare’s Sonnet 60,” The Explicator, vol. 67, no. 3, pp. 157-159, Aug. 2010. • [2] Oxquarry Books Ltd. Shakespeare’s Sonnets. [Online]. Available: http://www.shakespeares-sonnets.com/sonnet/60
Editor's Notes
- Sonnet 60 goes in a different path than that of usual Shakespearian sonnets. While the average sonnet written by Shakespeare is about love; Sonnet 60, according to Arbour, concerns the relentless and destructive march of time.
- The sonnet itself personifies the message. According to Arbour, the timing and use of the first two lines enhance the comparison of minutes and waves. Although the first two lines convey the haste of the waves and time, they also connote to the crashing of waves against the shore.There is a constant battle motif, according to Arbour, who claims that the sonnet is about our battle with time. Beginning in the first quatrain (line 4) “in sequent toil” conveying the ever present struggle and the unchangeable nature of time. The line is then followed by “all forwards do contend,” which serves as a pun for the constant movement of time in a fixed forward direction, while also suggesting foreward, a homonym meaning “first line of an army.” This pun also gives an alternate meaning of “in sequent toil” such that it describes the continuous marching of soldiers in unison.
- The second quatrain speaks of nativity, which can either be interpreted as the birth of a child or the sun rising; however, according to Arbour, “once in” (line 5) interrupts the iambic meter and foretells the destruction of that nativity. “Eclipses” which according to Arbour, “obscure both the sun and the luster of humanity.” Lines 6 and 7 give the image of growth, whether it is the child growing up and succeeding (“wherewith be crown’d”) or the sun reaching its peak. However, eclipses come and take away their “glory.” The second quatrain also continues the battle motif. Again, by using “Nativity,” Shakespeare creates an image of youth in conflict with time. The rhyming of light (line 5) and fight (line 7) emphasizes the theme of battle, connecting the light of the sun and the ever-present battle against time. The eclipses aim is to take away the sun’s (youth’s) light. Light, typically representing goodness, is being overtaken by the eclipses and thus introduces Time in the next line. (line 8) Time is introduced as the one who takes away the “gift” of life (youth) or light (the sun).[1]
- The third quatrain gives a personification of Time, carrying a scythe, cutting away youth, beauty, and nature. Although the use of “crown’d” (line 6) represents success in life, when interpreted as crown, meaning “head,” its rhyme with “confound” (line 8) implies an attack of the head. With the use of “mow” in line 12, an image of Time’s scythe sweeping down and striking everything in its way, decapitating humanity in battle.Line 12 reveals Time to be the victor, the only one standing, with his scythe ready to mow.
- Arbour acknowledges that although time has been proclaimed the victor, the couplet proposes that the preservation of poetry (the merit of humanity) can defeat Time. Sonnet 60 gives the image of Time as a destructive force that no one can escape, but ends with the hopeful message that the preservation of human value through poetry. Shakespeare uses this sonnet to express that through literature you can find immortality.