3. SONNET - 106 - William Shakespeare William Shakespeare is the most famous and influential play- wright in English literature. He wrote thirty-seven plays, one hun- dred fifty-four sonnets and two epic poems that reinvented and redefined English Language. His plays are categorized as comedies, tragedies nd historical plays. William Shakespeare (26" April 1564 — 23 April 1616), was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in English language and the world’s greatest dramatist. Heis called England’s national poet and the ‘Bard of ‘Avon’ Sonnet 106 is one of 154’sonnets written by Shakespeare, in which the poet expresses his love towards a young man, whose beauty he praises. He rues the limited ability of words to describe beauty, Shakespeare was reading the poems of earlier poets and Tealized that those poets had discovered apt words to describe SeB.com/B.B.A |1 Semester beauty. Here Shakespeare attempts to accomplish the ability to skilfully extol beauty beyond the ability of the past poets, Sonnet 106 describes a beauty that we can not describe but it appears some poets of the past had efficiently succeeded in describing beauty Shakespeare discovered that the poets of yore had already immortalized his friend’s beauty even before he was born, “When in the Chronicle of wasted time, Isee descriptions of the fairest wights And beauty making beautiful old rhyme, In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights,” In the first, quatrain of the sonnet 106, the poet, Shakespeare, reveals that ‘When’ he read the ‘Chronicle of wasted time’, - the historical‘records of the bygone era, he discovered that the poets had attempted to extol beauty. The ancient poets had captured the beauty of the ‘fairest wights’ —lovely people, in their poems. The poets of yore had praised the beauty of ‘Ladies dead’ and handsome brave knights. The lyrical descriptions of their beauty made the poems “beautifull old rime” — rhyme. After having read the first quatrain, we are rather mystified as to why Shakespeare begins the poem with ‘when’ and why he has introduced us to the lyrical description of | beauty, of the ancient poets. “Then in the blazon of sweet beauty’s best Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow, I see their antique pen would have express’d, Even such a beauty as you master now.” =—.com/! B.B.A | 1 Semester | Bengaluru Central University DSi Inthe second quatrain, Shakespeare admits that the ‘Blazon’- ancient records of the poets of yore, had attempted a faithful description of beauty at its best. They had faithfully attempted to describe the beauty of the hand, foot, lips, eyes and brows of lovely and handsome people. So Shakespeare is quite confidant that the poets of yore— ‘antique pens’, would have faithfully described ‘even such a beauty’ — the exquisite beauty, his friend is ‘master’, now. Shakespeare felt that his friend is an epitome of beauty and the poets of yore would have done him great justice in describing his exquisite beauty. Hence, we come to realize what Shakespeare, had wondered ‘when’ he had read the ancient records of past poets. He had wondered if the astounding descriptions of beauty the poets of yore correlated with the beauty of the young man, when they attempted to depict beauty in their poems. But now, Shakespeare is convinced that the poets of yore had the inherent talent to describe even the exquisite beav ty that his handsome friend possessed. “So all tieir praises are but prophecies : Of this our time, all you prefiguring, And for they looked but with divining eyes, They had not skill enough your worth to sing.” Inthe third quatrain, Shakespeare denounces is descriptions of beauty by the ancient poets. He condemns their attennpt x describe beauty as ‘Praises are but prophecies’- anal : 8 future event, Those poets of yore just did some ‘Prefigune ied in. All they did foretelling the present time that Shakespeare lived in.Ss B.com/B.B.A | I Semester ce Ae was merely ‘divining’ — foreseeing the future. They diq not : Posseg the poetic talent to create perfect praises to commemorate beay S They didn’t possess the skill enough ‘to sing’ —to praise, his fiends ‘worth’ —the exquisite beauty ofhis friend. Here, Shakespeare implies that the poets of. yore did not have the talent to describe beauty: They foresaw, divined, Predicted the loveliness and exquisite beauty of his handsome friend in the Present time, and were inspired to write lyrical poems to describe beauty exquisitely, in their verses. “For we, which now be hold these present days, Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to Praise” In the couplet at the end of the poem, Shakespeare sadly rues, “for we” —“for us, - “which now be hold these Present day” —~ who now live inthe Present, - “have eyes to wonder” — can see beauty and wonder at it, - “but lack tongues to praises,” — yet, we lack the talent, lack apt words to praise beauty as it should be praised. Sonnet 106 , looks back in time, recorded in the “Chronicles”, Shakespeare seems to criticize himself because he cannot adequately praise his handsome friend. QOoho Rese Lobovvad wo 1564 QR’ 26 008 16160 OLS 23 CBT Qc aohew 20, meses aba, Sad. aS) Roneat mesic Ze 8) sos. na Baws mouerddom Ttourrjos SAcmACMAMS. aaua, gorfoas cA? BQ as “mate wR Nea’ ooad BSomDRS. mosis 106 ested wGOors 154 msiened commney, e509 74Ye com) BBA | [Semester | Bengaluru Central University Dns wach 2, onadd shed sang, Reodap, Bede xz, ens #0 a8, Banems. SOA was Porigwer, Barden sande gpsg 208 BANGS HH ed vow BS Baa. sepnoborosd Bah, LOO wore ooskirivad, LOmS, eadoorio Fonda, Seleae Roy Bore Ags adsy exon woe, eAeAnRRS. BY APPORVUSH LOS wed Karenos PsoHod wgaqsa & CORES POGTg AmbmaAg aomd 87 wars. meer 10609 Beir AS Podobr sy vais PosdAm, Mose con ati AOPNY, SAS FO BAIsd Thooss MoDgode Pocohr aay, AMPFoON OCHIAI See Aangs. aes oho oss weeeaissos BRT WEY OOS POTQobe & andes Pocd sm, Bare, BFA, PRAOGATQS. SBS wad DIQHS vas dodde, am seri? “When in the Chronicle of wasted time, Isee descriptions of the fairest wights And beauty making beautiful old rhyme, In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights,” BOND B BOS mQCows Rado WPAoHodY wogod weod MIEnY BRd 6008 awnag waned Ponds, Beir AdAsA, LO Asbo ajgiromcte, shoadd saris xy Boch Sorias Pocobe sha hoods Jonrmedread AomOda, Ser ACRES. BHOY qainewgs QadeMoca soos, & see HPododes Boh Scoseh ODAECoas. Sod EY cided slows aney menriveh, (PaOaDR) coon Wotag seer deborah sick sqvogicigobe ‘ogpanrt (When)’ 200d a8 owas cena comatose abo wade’ sponds aesegs SSieloda, SacbsRAS aowntd e@raerdsy,B.com/B.B.A |I Semester ic “Then in the blazon of sweet beauty’s best Ofhand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow, Isee their antique pen would have express’, Even such a beauty as you master now,” AVASoh woe wWPBHobY Hes Vooodsa bong ay DMIs. MAGAGY Powobr Hw, wysaoq 6 OwTah, AAROQIS. 00s gare DOGERET sang ne BOND, aeiriss, “semare, Baynes, Dodds Bema aajenoss Boney ams. wsebsood Borie mesh, CREmoge Bessa, nods gone ALNMB Potlobrasy, » Deco, SEF ARG, Usid Hebd 6 dedeargen LOomRc Aes Hee Vodovdss meaiaios OBS Akos Pododeg ABobosn 3, OOS BAND OBS PwewG, Aorima Pocisay 4 Robaina, BerAamMS doommnd. wscsdood aQ me) ear BRAKE Sema dong Res Robo-sHon a WRITS FANW ODT Aes ANN Fay, DB &Orode Bay Raed ari ayaa, sowd Onjshotnoteng, DBY SZobFHoS wows: sare Poder sm, Beers wosnrs Rsy5 ROWOGOD Bah Ages P POSTAL, 9, Seeraceats QOD SHAHOS HBsowew. “So all their praises are but prophecies Of this our time, all you prefiguring, And for they looked but with divining eyes, They had not skill enough your worth to sing.” Matson PwBHodd aes podordsad sooegs 8anw PoBobe a srr dood BNAAm, HBOAYS. & sarisd DOS Pode ga, Redde ews Loner soared 7 —————t 16p.com/B-B.A | 1 Semester | Bengatury Central Un; "Oop MAOODSR, DOBBS. & mogs BOM Pog, BnosBar CDA, Res Loborggy Rog. 3B, BAD, Box ay Y gach SRBDASeQ smomrbyyq a” t 7% Haomey, cn > Baaede BLONDE eg sored PODODF AR, TOR soy Bedea, AEM Ed Fe eee Snon Motosratss, ‘acter, BAN cee eDASHOON, SHUG Hod Arg Sonne Ponape s, arash Awsosaad, RQ KeMLODTTIO xaweey S29. 6008 Rog sanen PoDobE aay, BES Pye Wrsy 22BOY. Wad BDO Agbss doe Poche aad, Laciele aby, BOz Se, BOG. wopooriete S80 Tayvg Pong Aowrinn, MINRwys—A Beams, “For we, which now behold these Present days, Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise” . BORON aves PRONED Dod» 3a, OMWITA, SEPADLODS. SAS BDO Bebo Pociobr aia, my sah ERYIY ThOOE Aeee xodecx Bay Szpdr aad, Seraxwaep, sod Som, Benge sax Podohr odes oes 2B W Bseiooy hy xngworee ay, 80h) Boor soriend, Oke we Oe Sede zen Smhsagay RAF 106 RaDobg, &oOd/A Snemyd WY Zmosneg 2 my ROOMANG, Les nodordsch Bah Aehss Lerma POCKDE Bad, XDI to arS-x09 BAG SNOQSY ocd sayAh, saaie ued RAkooams. Lata “hronicle a written account of events anions “ i S “ights living creatures, especially human being: supernatural being: : a ee oeB.com/B.B.A |1Semester + verse or a tale told in verse aria : aliterary catalogue of the physica} attrib ofasubject, usually fe-male. This, devicg : made popular by Petrarch and €Xtensiy, = followed by Elizabethan poets thoughts and words of past poets antique pen prophecies predictions prefiguring a specific instance in which Something ig foreseen Comprehension gz Whom does the Speaker address in the sonnet? The poet addresses his handsome friend in the sonnet, 2. What does a chronicle do? According to Shakespeare a Chronicle describes the beauty of beautiful and handsome people. 3. Whose description does the Speaker give and where had he read it? The speaker gives the discription of the most beautiful and handsome people, Praising the ladies who are dead and that of lovely knights. He had read it in ancient cronicles. 4. What does the ‘antique pen’ mean? “Antique Pen’ means thoughts and words of past poets.jou? B.A |1Semester | Bengaluru Central University com! B- who lacks the ‘tongues to praise’? Why? : The poets of the present days lack the ‘tounges to praise’ e they have only eyes to wonder but do not have the skill ‘pecaus . (words) to describe his handsome friends beauty. 6, The ‘praises’ are a. prophecies b. prefiguring c. songs ‘Ans, a. prophecies ' 7, Givean example of personification. An example of personification in Sonnet 106 * ‘their antique pen would have express’ d. * “beauty making beautiful old rime’. 1. How did the ancient writers extol the beauty of Youth? Inthe Sonnet 106, the poet says that in the historical records, ofthe ancient writers had attempted to extol beauty. The ancient poets had captured the beauty of the lovely people of that age in their poems. The poets of yore had praised the beauty of ladies who were long dead and of handsome brave knights. The lyrical description of their beauty made the poems “beautiful old rhyme”. the poet admits that in the ancient records, the poets had attempted a faithful description of beauty at its best. They had faithfully attampted to describe the beauty ofthe hand, foot, lips, eyes and brows of lovely and handsome people. 2. ‘All their praises are but prophecies of this our time, all but you prefiguring’. What does the poet mean here? In the lines ‘All their praises are but prophecies of this our ——— TD1 Semester B.com/B.B.A | kespeare donounces the descrip i refiguring’ Shal : time, ey i ancient poet. He waves off their description ae ee feat because their praises are but mere Prophe ‘ ieee of future events. They merely prefigured’, fotesay . ee and were inspired by the exquisite beauty ofhis fa fa before he was born. 3, How were the poets of the past able to describe wd beauty? According to Shakespeare, the poets of the past were able describe such beauty of predicting, foretelling and diving the exquisite beauty of his handsomé friend even before he was born, The imagined the exquisite beauty of his handsome friend and foung adequate words to describe his friends exquisite beauty only when they were-able to divine the exquisite beauty of his friend. They were able to describe beauty in its essense. Shakespere implies that the poets of yore did not have the talent to describe beuty of his handsome friend in the present time, and were inspired to write lyrical poems to describe beauty exqvisitely, in their rerses. They did not have the skill and talent to describe beauty at its best. 4. Why does the poet say he lacks words to describe the beauty of his friend? The poet Shakespeare says that he read books written by ancient author and poets. He read the descriptions of the fies! human-beings. these descriptions make old rhymes in the ¢r ‘onicls beautiful. the poet read that the poets of yore praised dead wif and handsome knights by describing their hands, feet, HPS bse and brows. He realised that the ancient pens ofthe authors ue panne RN NRRREEOSE SE gee an ge setae see ===| com! p.B.A | 1 Semester | Bengaluru Central University [IST Ce ve praised the exquisite beauty of his handsome friend if they were living today. In fact, all their praises are prohecies, i.e. they a descriptions of his handsome friend in the present time, which they had predicted foresaw, divined, imagined and inspired by the exquisite beauty ofhis handsome friend. However those authors of ore lacked the skill that would be required to do a just and faithful description ofbeauty. Even in the present time, when the poet is able to see the exquisite beauty ofhis handsome friend in reality he jsnot able to describe the beauty of his handsome friend due to the lack of praises, words to do justice to his friends beauty adequately. The poet can only wonder in awe of his friends beauty but lacks the silland talent to faithfully describe his beauty. in -the following questions in about two pages ‘ How does the poet show his dissatisfaction about the poets of the past? : Inthe Sonnet 106, the poet says that in the historical records the ancient writers had attempted to extol beauty. The ancient poets had captured the beauty of the lovely people of that.age in their poems, The poets of yore had praised the beauty of ladies who were long dead and of handsome brave knights. The Lyrical description of their beauty made the poems “beautiful old rhyme”. the poet admits that in the ancient records, the poets had attempted 4 faithful description of beauty at its best. They had faithfully attampted to describe the beauty ofthe hand, foot, lips, eyes and ows of lovely and handsome people. In the lines ‘All their praises are but prophecies of this our ‘ine, all your prefiguring’ Shakespeare denounces the descriptions ofbeauty by the ancient poet. He waves off their description as not Such a great feat because their praises are but mere prophecies, ction of future events. They merely ‘prefigured’, foresaw, andB.com/B.B.A | [Semester —__ SI, he exquisite beauty of his fi lend eve divined and were inspired byt before he was born. According to Shakespeare, the poets of the past Were aie icting, foretelling and diving th ty eaptoen ener Gent even before he ue bon ne Gepeined the exquisite beauty of his handsome friend ang fou. adequate words to describe exquisite beauty only when they wy, able to divine the exquisite beauty of his friend. They were apy. . describe beauty in its essense only when the divined the'ex, isi, beauty ofhis hadsome friend otherwise they had no talent to descr beauty on their own. 2, “Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise” isa statement of confession. Do you agree? Yes, agree the statement is a confession by the poet William Shakespeare. The poet Shakespeare says that he read books written by ancient authors and poets. He read the descriptions of the fairest human-beings. these descriptions make old rhymes in the cronicks beautiful. the poet read that the poets of yore praised dead ladies and handsome knights by describing their hands, feet, lips, eyes and brows. He realised that the ancient pens of the authors would have praised the exquisite beauty of his handsome friend if they were living today. In fact, all their praises are prohecies, ice. they are descriptions of his handsome friend in the present time, which they had predicted fore saw, divined, imagined and inspired by the exquisite beauty of his handsome friend. However those authors of yore lacked the skill that would be required to do give a just and faithful description ofbeauty. Even in the present time, when the poet is able to see the exquisite beauty of his handsome friendit reality he is not able to describe the beauty of his handsome friend due to the lack of praises, words to do justice to his friends beau!)pcoee /B.B.A |1 Semester | Bengaluru Central University Ses) jequately. The poet can only wonder in awe of his friends beauty put lacks the and talent to faithfully describe his beauty. 3, Identify the literary devices employed in the sonnet. "In Sonnet - 106 Shakespeare uses an extended Metaphor - «when in the Chronicle of wasted time, peed eee Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise” Shakespeare looks back over the whole recorded histroy “Chronicle of Wasted time” - and reads the various descriptions of beautiful people and the beautiful poems written about them. And inthose descriptions of lovely hands, feet, lips and foreheads, he realizes that writers of yore were attempting to describe the same kind of beauty, the exquisite beauty ofhis handsome young friend. Shakespeare Compares those authors of yore to fortune tellers or seers who claim to predict what will happen in the future. He compares their descriptions of beauty to mere foretelling, prediction and diving of the exquisite beauty of his handsome young friend in the present time. But the poets of the present time, including himself (Shakespeare) can wonder at beauty but lack adequate words to describe it. PERSONIFICATION “beauty making beautiful rime” Shakespeare says that the descriptions of the ladies and handsome people long dead makes the poems of the poets of yore beautiful verses, “their antique pen would have expressed” Shakespeare says that the thoughts and words of past poets Would have expressed the handsome beauty ofhis young friend in tstrueform. “Toungs to Praise”B.com/B.B.A | I Semester Here Shakespeare rues that the poets of the Presen adequate words (tongues) to describe beauty in its tru e by today’s poets can do nothing better then merely Wonder ap wt Physical feature motifs. aut ofhand, of foot, of lip, ofeyes, of brow” * diving eyes * eveys to wonder Time motif “When in the chronicle of wasted time” “Even sucha beauty as you master now” | “ofall their praises are but prophecies” “of this ourtime, all you prefiguring” | “For we, which now behold these present day” “The poem starts in the past and ends in the Present” 4. Comment on the ‘time’ motif employed in the sonnet, What exactly does “chronicles of wasted time” mean? Insonnet 106, Shakespeare refers to historical time inorderto compare the beauty of his handsome friend to the descriptions of beauty in the ancient times. He admires their ability to describe beauty but contends that earlier writers described beauty by merely fore shadowing his handsome friends beauty in the present time. +e ee HH “So all their praises are but prophecies Of this our time, all you prefiguring” At the end of the poem the poet compares the by-gone time with the present and finds that, although he was critical of poets of yore for their lack of skill ortalent to describe beauty, he too, int Present time lacks the skill and talent to faithtfllly describe his you? friends exquisite beauty. Inthe lines, qjp.com! BBA [bor owen And for they looked but with divining eyes, end! They had not skill enough your worth to sing.” and «por we, which now be hold these present days, Have eyes to wonder but lack tongues to praise” thepoet creates the paralle imagery in which the past and the present are contrasted. Not only the poets of yore lacked the skill and talent to describe the exquisite beauty of his young handsome friend, but the poet present time lacks the skill and talent to praise his beauty FURS also in the at its best. 5, Do you think the poem records the flawless beauty of the friend or.the love of the poet to him? The poet records the flawless beauty of the friend as well as the love of the poet for him. Shakespeare writes about reading about beauty in the ‘Chronicles’ of by gone era and argues that the poets ofyore were able to describe beauty only after they foreshadowed the exquisite beauty ofhis handsome friend but, he feels that both the poets of yore and be himself in the present time lack the skill and talent to faithfully describe the exquisite beauty ofhis handsome friend. the a Poet loves the handsome young friend dearly. So he writes Who i mmortalize the beauty ofhis friend. The poets of yore - et knew his friend, merely visualized his friends beauty the teens but he himself and those poets of the by-gone 4 lacked thei m skill to record his friends beauty truely and faithfully, itty 2 &°k of skill and talent will not deter them to attempt fo liz ae beauty in its true sense. SS ye