Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true… | Poetry Foundation A Sonnet Response paper expressing your interpretation and reaction to it. I am most interested in having you “figure out” the sonne

Zahiya Kassab- Sonnet 17

Introduction

People sometimes encounter phenomena for which they cannot give a detailed account because of the fear of not being believed. In the same way, Shakespeare opens his heart and mind in his 17th sonnet to tell a woman that his poem cannot give a full depiction of what she represented. He argues that if he were to depict her for who she was, some people might not believe him and dismiss his poetry as an artistic exaggeration. In the following response, I share my experiences and compare them to Shakespeare's 17th sonnet while analyzing his employees' artistic devices.

Themes

The themes of love, admiration, fear, and suspicion are evident. In the sonnet, Shakespeare tells the audience that his poetry is not sufficient to describe the real qualities of the woman he addresses. He argues that if he were to explain who she is, his poetry would be dismissed as an exaggeration and maybe as a poet's madness. He further heaps praise on her saying that if she had a child living when his poetry is read, she would live on in the child and his poetry (In 14).

Metaphors

Shakespeare describes the aging of his poems on paper as "yellowing," which is not a literal meaning of aging (In 9). The author also uses a metaphor when he tells the woman that she will live in her child and his poetry. Literary, she will be dead after many years. Therefore, living in her child and his poetry would be figurative and not literal in meaning.

Diction

Diction comprises of a careful selection of words or phrases in writing. For instance, Shakespeare uses the phrase "high most deserts" to mean the woman's best and admirable qualities (In 2). Another example of diction is "stretched meter," to mean an exaggeration.

Personification

The author personifies heaven when he states, "…yet heaven knows…" (In 3). He gives heaven the attribute of a human who can know something. He also personifies the pages of his poem when he talks about their aging. Personification enhances the meaning of the poem.

Alliteration

The author employs alliteration when he says, "…in fresh numbers number your graces." Alliteration is also seen in "…heavenly touches ne'er touched…" (Shakespeare, 2000, 8). The alliteration has the effect of making the poem more memorable.

Hyperbole

The author states that the poem does not reveal half of her beauty. He says, "… which shows not half your parts" (In 4). Hyperbole is also used to describe the audience's beauty and desirable traits when the author states that his poetry would be dismissed as lies by people who read about her beauty. He says that they would dismiss her beauty as heavenly touches that have never been on earth.

Rhythm

Iambic pentameter is apparent in the sonnet as used in multiple lines. For instance, in the first line: who will believe my verse in time to come (In 1). In this rhythm, an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. Rhyme is apparent in words "graces," "lies," and "faces," which occur at the end of three successive lines (In 6).

Imagery

The author uses imagery to describe a woman's beauty. He describes her beauty as heavenly touches. He further argues that his description of her beauty would be termed as a "stretched meter" of an ancient song, leaving the reader to wonder how beautiful she must have been (In 12).

Conclusion

The figures of speech and rhythm applied by the author make the poem more vivid and memorable. Shakespeare has succeeded in using rhythm, hyperbole, and imagery to deliver his message: a woman's beauty that cannot be contained in his poetry.

Personal Reaction

Shakespeare's 17th sonnet resonated with my experience as a child when I encountered my first pet, Egan, a dog. He was a brown Labrador Retriever. I found Egan to be a unique dog, so outstanding that I have never shared a comparable experience with other pet dogs after he died. I found him not only to be cute but also to resonate with my interest. Egan would be there for me as a child, fetching objects for me, and even protecting me from other people and animals. He would keep me company most of the time, and I liked him for his empathy. I was amazed by the emotional contagion we shared with him. When I was bored, he would be bored and happy when I was happy. Besides, he would seamlessly react to my voice and gestures. Egan was so good he knew the names of my toys, which made him unique to me. It seemed to me like he had learned some of the human words because he would fetch my toys by name. Giving a detailed description of Egan and what he could do might appear out of the world for some people. Therefore, I resonate with Shakespeare when he says that some people might not believe his poetry to be true if they never encountered the woman he was described.