Sonnet 65 Annotation

Quatrain 1-Problem Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, (a)

But sad mortality o'er-sways their power, (b)

How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, (a)

Whose action is no stronger than a flower? (b)

Quatrain 2-Development O, how shall summer's honey breath hold out (c)

Against the wreckful siege of battering days, (d)

When rocks impregnable are not so stout, (c)

Nor gates of steel so strong, but Time decays? (d)

Quatrain 3-Development O fearful meditation! where, alack, (e)

Shall Time's best jewel from Time's chest lie hid? (f)

Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back? (e)

Or who his spoil of beauty can forbid? (f)

Heroic Couplet-Solution O, none, unless this miracle have might, (g)

That in black ink my love may still shine bright. (g)

Purple = Diction
Pink = Euphony
Blue = Personification
Red = Forceful Imagery/Flowery Imagery
Green = Alliteration

DICTION
#1: The poet's use of the word "boundless" shows that the sea is powerful and seemingly
untouchable, yet Time can overcome it. Time has more power than even such a destructive force.
#2: "Wreckful siege" not only presents Time as a large, overpowering army, but also reinforces
Time's strength and invincibility.
#3: The "impregnable" rocks are also affected by Time's harsh ministrations, which supports
Shakespeare's theme that Time is almighty.

EUPHONY
The use of euphony in sonnet 65 opens up a vulnerable side to Shakespeare's writing. Beauty is
shown as a delicate and fragile thing, and its fight against Time appears hopeless because of its
vulnerability.

PERSONIFICATION
By using personification, the speaker casts beauty into the victim role and Time into the villain.
Through personification, Time is made to appear merciless and unrelenting, and beauty is
seemingly innocent and helpless.

IMAGERY
Forceful Imagery: When the poet uses forceful imagery, he is creating an atmosphere of tension
between these two forces, Beauty and Time. An image of battle is conjured by his raging words.
Flowery Imagery: The use of flowery imagery disguises an ominous idea behind a pleasant,
deceiving facade.

ALLITERATION
When Shakespeare uses the literary device of alliteration, he is bringing attention to the phrase
and emphasizing the underlying theme of the sonnet. When he refers to the "steel so strong", he
is asserting the strength of steel, the harshness, as indicated by the sharp “s” sounds. This once
again reaffirms Time’s unyielding strength, as he is able to “decay” even the most tenacious of
materials.

Problem: Time conquers all, even the strongest of elements, such as earth, stone and sea. The
question that is then raised is how beauty, whose “action is no stronger than a flower”, can ever
hope to withstand Time.
Development: The poet goes on to develop the problem, describing the “battering days” and
noting the fact that even “gates of steel so strong” are affected by Time. He wonders who shall
hide Time’s best jewel and prevent him from destroying beauty and love.

Solution: The speaker hopes that through verse, or the written word, the beauty in the world and
his love will continue to live on even against the undefeatable Time.