Go to the Sonnets INTRO page
|
|
|
Go to the LIST of Sonnets page
Go to the Sonnets INTRO page |
|
. Sonnet 32 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. If thou survive my well-contented day, 02. When that churl death my bones with dust shall cover 03. And shalt by fortune once more resurvey 04. These poor rude lines of thy deceased Lover: 05. Compare them with the bettering of the time, 06. And though they be outstripped by every pen, 07. Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme, 08. Exceeded by the height of happier men. 09. Oh then vouchsafe me but this loving thought: 10. Had my friend's Muse grown with this growing age, 11. A dearer birth than this his love had brought 12. To march in ranks of better equipage, 13. But since he died and Poets better prove, 14. Theirs for their style I'll read, his for his love. |
. Sonnet 32 . (paraphrased) 01. If you live beyond the end of my life, to which I'm resigned, 02. After that rude knave, death, buries my mortal remains, 03. And if you do happen to once more reread, 04. These inadequate, unpolished lines, by your deceased good friend, 05. Compare them to the better poetry of that later time, 06. And although they'll be outdone by every writer worthy of the name, 07. Keep my writings for their expressions of love, not for their merit as poetry, 08. Which will be exceeded by the best work of more fortunate men, 09. Oh, then condescend to grant me only this loving thought: 10. 'Had my deceased friend's talent grown as he aged, 11. His love would have brought forth a more prized production than this, 12. To show alongside the writings of poets better equipped with talent 13. But since he's dead and gone, and other poets are proven better now, 14. I'll read their poetry for its style, but still read his, for his love.' |
|
Sonnet 32 Gloss
L1: survive = live beyond. L1: well-contented = reconciled, resigned. (Note, to the right.) L2: When = after. L2: churl = surly peasant. (Note, to the right.) L2: bones = mortal remains. L3: by fortune = happen to. L3: resurvey = reread. L4: poor = inadequate. L4: rude = unpolished. (However, the Sonnet is quite well written.) L4: lines = writings. (Not necessarily just this Sonnet.) L4: Lover = dear friend. L5: bettering = better poetry. L6: outstripped = outdone. L7: Reserve = Keep. L8: height = best work. L8: happier = more fortunate; more cheerful. (Double meaning.) L9: vouchsafe = condescend to grant. L10: Muse = talent. (Note, to the right.) L10: growing = improving. L11: dearer = more prized. L11: birth - writing a work is compared to bearing a child. L11: brought = brought forth. L12: march = parade. Display, show. Triumph. L12: in ranks = alongside. L12: equipage = company. (Note, to the right.) L13: prove = are proven. L14: style = literary expression. |
Sonnet 32 Notes
Sonnet 32 is by Edward de Vere, to William Shakespeare - no matter what your teacher fabled you in school. ------- L1: well-contented = reconciled, resigned. The term implies being satisfied that he's lived so long, and not necessarily being satisfied with his life. L2: churl = surly peasant. Death, itself, is poetically cast as the gravedigger. The best equivalent is probably "rude knave," because of Hamlet Scene 19 (Act 5 scene 1.) ~ ... why dooes he suffer this rude knaue now ... ~~~ L10: Muse = talent. Talent is ascribed to the favor of a Muse, a daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne in Greek mythology. L12: equipage = company. Refers to poets better "equipped" with talent. From French denoting the crew of a ship, thus 'company,' a group of men engaged in the same activity. |
| Go to: the LIST of Sonnets page -|- or -|- the Sonnets INTRO page | Back to: Sonnet 31 -|- or -|- Ahead to: Sonnet 33 |
|
Go to the |
The Shakespeare Sonnets, courtesy of:
|
See ALL the Sonnets on one long page. |