Go to the Sonnets INTRO page
|
|
|
Go to the LIST of Sonnets page
Go to the Sonnets INTRO page |
|
. Sonnet 1 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. From fairest creatures we desire increase, 02. That thereby beauty's Rose might never die, 03. But as the riper should by time decease, 04. His tender heir might bear his memory: 05. But thou contracted to thine own bright eyes, 06. Feed'st thy lights flame with self substantial fuel, 07. Making a famine where abundance lies, 08. Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel: 09. Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament, 10. And only herald to the gaudy spring, 11. Within thine own bud buriest thy content, 12. And tender churl makest waste in niggarding: 13. Pity the world, or else this glutton be, 14. To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee. |
. Sonnet 1 . (paraphrased) 01. We desire more from the most beautiful people, 02. So that the "rose" of beauty will never die, 03. But as the older beauty must, with time, pass away, 04. His young heir should carry on the reminder of his beauty. 05. But you, like Narcissus, "married" only to what you see, 06. Are feeding the flame of your "light" with the fuel of your own substance, 07. Which will lead to a "famine" of beauty where it's now abundant, (when your substance is entirely consumed.) 08. You are your own enemy, too cruel to your friendly self. 09. You, who are now a young "decoration" on the world, 10. And the first flower of the showy spring, 11. Are hoarding your beauty entirely within the "bud" of yourself, alone, 12. And, mortal miser, you'll create waste with your stinginess. 13. Take pity on the world's love of beauty, or else be the kind of glutton, 14. Who consumes the beauty the world is owed, when it's lost to the grave, because of your own behavior. |
|
Sonnet 1 Gloss
L1: fairest = most handsome; most attractive. L1: we - Lovers of beauty. L2: Rose = premier symbol. L5: contracted = married (figuratively speaking.) (Note, to the right.) L5: bright eyes - What he sees with his eyes. Reference to his own reflection. Eyes are reflective. L6: thy lights flame = the "fire" of your own "delightful" beauty. L7: famine = shortage; dearth. L8: sweet = friendly. Implying he should be a better friend, to himself. L9: ornament = adornment; decoration. L10: herald = leader. Also 'primary one.' The "first flower" (of spring.) L11: bud = self. A loose usage for 'blossom.' L11: buriest = hoards (all to himself.) Implies his beauty being buried with him, when he dies. L11: content = what he contains; i.e. his beauty, his quality. L12: tender churl = young miser. (Note, to the right.) L12: niggarding = stinginess; being miserly. L13: this glutton = this kind of glutton. L14: eat = consume. |
Sonnet 1 Notes
L5: contracted = married (figuratively speaking.) Reference is to the marriage contract. The idea is that the addressee is "married" to his own reflection in the mirror. It's a Narcissus allusion. L12: tender churl = young miser. "Tender" primarily means "young," but also implies "mortal." The same usage of "tender" is found in Hamlet, Scene 15 (Act 4 scene 4.) ~=~ Hamlet: Led by a delicate and tender prince. =~=~= Hamlet is speaking there of Fortinbrasse being young and mortal, like himself. (The phrase "delicate and tender" is somewhat redundant, but not exactly. It would take a while to draw the distinction between the words that the context in Hamlet indicates.) In the use of "tender" there is also a subtle suggestion of "kind," in connection with the advice that the addressee should reproduce his own kind, by having an heir. Overall, the Sonnet can be seen as the Poet cautioning the Addressee that he's only an "annual," not a "perennial" type of flower, so to speak, which means that if there is to be a beautiful flower in the garden next spring, he must "pollinate." |
| Go to: the Sonnets LIST page :|: or :|: the Sonnets INTRO page | Ahead to: Sonnet 2 |
|
Go to the |
The Shakespeare Sonnets, courtesy of:
|
See ALL the Sonnets on one long page. |