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. Sonnet 11 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. As fast as thou shalt wane so fast thou growest, 02. In one of thine, from that which thou departest; 03. And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestowest, 04. Thou mayst call thine, when thou from youth convertest, 05. Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and increase, 06. Without this folly, age, and cold decay, 07. If all were minded so, the times should cease, 08. And threescore year would make the world away: 09. Let those whom Nature hath not made for store, 10. Harsh, featureless, and rude, barrenly perish, 11. Look whom she best endowed, she gave the more; 12. Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish, 13. She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby, 14. Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die. |
. Sonnet 11 . (paraphrased) 01. As speedily and steadily as you shall decrease, from being the paragon of beauty, you could increase equally, 02. In a growing child of your own, the beauty from which you depart, 03. And that new blood which you house in a new youth, 04. You may call your own, when you have left youth behind; 05. In this knowledge, you will find wisdom, beauty, and growth, 06. Without such awareness, you will find only folly, old age, and deathly decay, 07. If everyone were so oblivious, the time of people on earth would cease, 08. And threescore years would see the end of the human world; 09. Let those whom Nature has not so generously supplied, with good qualities, those who are 10. Rough, lacking in distinguishing features, and common, die childless; 11. Take heed, that those whom Nature best furnished, she gave more than enough, a surplus, 12. Which magnanimous gift, you should honor by being generous in turn; 13. She chose and shaped you to be her seal, and the keeper of her seal, and Nature meant, thereby, 14. That you should "print" more copies of yourself, not let the only copy be lost and disappear. |
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Sonnet 11 Gloss
L1: fast = speedily and steadily. (Double meaning.) L1: wane = fade (as the image of beauty); decline (from the pinnacle of beauty.) Can be read 'decrease.' L1: so = equally. L1: growest - Can be read literally, or as 'increase.' A child grows, literally. L2: that = the very image, or pinnacle, of beauty; the ideal of beauty. L2: departest = leave behind. L3: fresh blood = a child; an heir. "Fresh" = new; young. L3: bestowest = house (your qualities, your beauty.) "House" in the sense of giving a home to. L4: thine = your own. L4: convertest = depart (from youth, i.e. grow old.) L5: herein = in this aforementioned observation; in this generality stated (about an heir.) L5: lives = abides, dwells. The literal is implied. Can be read 'is contained.' L5: increase = benefit. It's literal for 'growth,' in connection with "growing" a family. L6: Without this = Heedlessness of this (leads to.) L6: cold = deathly. L7: were minded so = thought so. In context, 'were so oblivious.' L7: the times - Of humanity on earth. L8: world = the human world. L9: for store = to keep. Also, 'for supply' (to others.) The obsolete meaning of "store" = 'restore' is hinted. L10: Harsh = rough. Generally, 'repellent.' L10: featureless = having no distinguishing features of beauty and quality. L10: rude = common; vulgar. L10: barrenly = childlessly. L11: Look = take heed (that.) L11: endowed = favored; furnished. Hints of a dowry. L11: the - (Note, at the right.) L11: the more = a surplus; more more than the person, himself, has to keep. L12: bounteous = magnanimous; greater than strictly necessary. L12: bounty = generosity. L12: cherish = honor; nurture. L13: carved = molded, shaped. (Note, at the right.) L13: for = as. L13: seal = the word 'seal' itelf; then also, in context, 'imprint.' It implies being Nature's sealer, the one entrusted with Nature's seal to use. L14: die = be lost; disappear. Literal for the addressee, himself. |
Sonnet 11 Notes
L11: the There's a pun. It means "the" for plain reading, but within the immediate clause it can be read as "thee" with a meaning, "she gave thee more, than others." L13: carved = molded; shaped. It also means 'chose.' There's a double meaning. For the second, see, for example, Hamlet Scene 3 (Act 1 scene 3.) ~=~ Laertes: ... He may not, as unvalued persons do, Carve for himself; for on his choice depends =~=~= |
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