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. Sonnet 71 . (original language, but moderately updated) 01. No Longer mourn for me when I am dead, 02. Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell 03. Give warning to the world that I am fled 04. From this vile world with vildest worms to dwell; 05. Nay if you read this line, remember not, 06. The hand that writ it, for I love you so, 07. That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot, 08. If thinking on me then should make you woe. 09. O if (I say) you look upon this verse, 10. When I (perhaps) compounded am with clay, 11. Do not so much as my poor name rehearse, 12. But let your love even with my life decay. 13. Lest the wise world should look into your moan, 14. And mock you with me after I am gone. |
. Sonnet 71 . (paraphrased) 01. When I am dead, don't mourn for me for any greater length of time 02. Than you can hear the sour, melancholy funeral bell that they'll ring 03. (To) Give notice to the people that I'm gone 04. From this corrupt world, to "live" with inhuman worms; 05. No, if you read this Sonnet, don't remember 06. The person who wrote it - because I love you so much 07. That I'd rather be forgotten from your loving thoughts, 08. If thinking about me then would make you sad. 09. Oh, if - I say - you do look at this Sonnet, 10. Perhaps after I'm dead and buried, 11. Don't even so much as speak my unfortunate name, 12. But instead, let your love for me disappear along with my life, 13. Lest the know-it-all world should make an issue of your grief, 14. And scorn you, along with me, after I'm gone. |
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Sonnet 71 Gloss
L2: surly = sour. (Note, to the right.) A musical bell is "sweet;" a funeral bell is "sour." L2: sullen = somber; melancholy. "Sullen" can also be understood as "lonely," recalling the closing phrase of Sonnet 66: "... I leave my love alone." L3: warning = notice. L3: world = people. L3: fled = gone. L4: vile = wicked; corrupt. L4: vildest - (Note, to the right.) "Vilest" = most inhuman; most beastly. L6: hand = person. Synecdoche. L7: sweet = very friendly; loving. L8: woe = sorrowful; feel woe. L11: poor = unfortunate; pitiful. L11: rehearse = speak; repeat. L12: decay = disappear. L13: wise = pretentious. The usage is sarcastic, with more the meaning of what we now might call "wiseacre." Can be understood as "know-it-all." L13: look into = question; make an issue of. L13: moan = lament; lamentation; grief. L14: mock = scorn; ridicule. |
Sonnet 71 Notes
Sonnet 71 is by Edward de Vere, and the addressee is William Shakespeare. ------- L2: surly = sour. A musical bell is "sweet;" a funeral bell is "sour." One may encounter the idea of "surly" being derived from "sir-ly," but that is probably only a popular assumption, misled by relying only on spelling from a time when spelling was not standardized. "Surly" more likely goes back to a German root meaning "sour-ly." L4: vildest "Vilest" = most inhuman; most beastly. Spelled "vildest" in the original. It is probably intended to be "vilest," however, the hypothetical possibility exists of a neologism combining "vile" and "wild." One would not like to miss a coinage, even if the chance of that seems remote, so I show the original spelling. |
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