Amelia Bell

Mrs. Gardner

Honors English 10

6 September 2016

Time is known to age all living things and kill all love: The poet, however, claims that he nor his love will

ever die with time. The smooth, vibrating sound devices and long vowel sounds William Shakespeare

uses produce the illusion of time passing slowly, full of love and energy. From the very start, you can hear

the long smooth vowels and the s sounds in the first line: My glass shall not persuade me I am old.

This use of euphony and assonance give off a soothing, slow quality. You can also hear the th sound in

almost every line of the sonnet. It is mostly in words such as thou and thy, which address the other

person. This repetitive diction is meant to make a point or have an effect. It gives off the impression that

the poet thoroughly wishes to let his love, or the person he is speaking to, know that they are

acknowledged. It is almost as if he is comforting them, or telling them what to do. In the end, Shakespeare

knows that he will die, as will the people he loves. He knows that his days are numbered. So, with his

soothing words, he instructs his beloved to take care of his heart which she holds, as he will hers. Even

after the poet dies, he assures her that his love for her will still remain. He reminds her that her heart was

given to him, never to be taken back. His love will remain true long after his body is dead, just as he

expects her love to do the same.