Renaissance
Era
Sonnet 18
Image 1: Frontispiece of the First Folio. Image. Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, August 7, 2020.
Unit Overview
In this unit, you will be reading "Sonnet
18" by William Shakespeare.
"Sonnet 18" is one of
Shakespeare's best-known love sonnets, also known as "Shall I compare thee
to a summer's day?"
As you read, you will be discussing the themes
of Beauty
& Happiness and Love as they relate to the text.
We are trying to answer these big questions: "How does love change us?"
and "How
do we define beauty?"
William
Shakespeare, widely recognized as the greatest English dramatist, was born
on April 23, 1564. He was the third of eight
children born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden of Stratford-upon-Avon in
Warwickshire, England. It is believed that Shakespeare left Stratford-upon- Avon
and went to London around 1588. By 1592,
he was a successful actor and playwright. He wrote approximately
38 plays, two epic poems, and over 150 sonnets. His work was prevalent, appealing to all social
spheres, including Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.
"Sonnet 18" is one of Shakespeare's
best-known sonnets.
Literary Terms &
Notes
Below is a flipbook
of important terms and notes that will help you understand the passage. It is important that you go over all the
terms and notes before reading the excerpt.
Let's Practice
Imagery &
Tone
Imagery is the language used
by poets, novelists, and other writers to create images in the reader's mind.
Imagery includes figurative and metaphorical language to improve the reader's
experience through their senses.
Tone, in a written
composition, is an attitude of a
writer toward a subject or an audience. The tone is generally conveyed
through the choice of words or a writer's viewpoint on a particular subject.
Let's Practice
Sonnet 18
Summer is a warm, delightful time of the year often associated with rest and
recreation. Shakespeare compares his love to a summer's day in Sonnet 18. Read the notes below before you read the
passage.
· Shakespeare opens the poem with a metaphor,
comparing the woman he loves to all of a summer's day's best characteristics.
· However, Shakespeare sets her mind at rest by explaining that she is far
more beautiful and even-tempered than the most desirable summer weather.
· First Stanza: the poet praises his beloved,
who is more lovely than a summer's day. Even early summer is marked by strong
winds, which can ruin the buds.
· Second Stanza: the poet says the summer can be
too hot or cloudy and says that beauty will fade as nature changes (people grow
old).
· Third Stanza: the poet says his lover will not
change but becomes an eternal summer after being earlier than changeable
summer. The lover will not lose 'his' beauty and will not die.
· Fourth Stanza: the poet says that as long as
people live, his poetry will live on and ensure his lover's immortality and
life.
Let’s Practice
Sonnet 18
You can read the passage two ways:
1. Click on Unit Resources and
read the printed version of the text.
2. Sign-up on "COMMONLIT"
and receive an enhanced version of the text.
As you read, identify the imagery
and tone the speaker users to
describe the subject of the poem as well as the summer.