Shakespeare's Sonnet 1: From Fairest Creatures We Desire Increase

From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty’s rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decrease,
His tender heir might bear his memory:
But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed’st thy light’st flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.
Thou that art now the world’s fresh ornament
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content
And, tender churl, makest waste in niggarding.
Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
To eat the world’s due, by the grave and thee.

Explanation of Sonnet 1

Line 1: From Fairest ........................increase,

The sonnet sets a eugenic proposition from the first line. The speaker proposes that it is the responsibility of the fairest beings to reproduce themselves.

The phrase 'Fairest creatures' refers to the most beautiful or admirable beings. In the context of the sonnet, it likely refers to young, beautiful people, and 'we desire increase' means that there is a wish or desire for these beautiful creatures to reproduce or multiply. The idea is that their beauty should not end with them but should be passed on to future generations.

The choice of the word "fairest" implies a superlative degree of beauty, setting a high standard for what is considered beautiful. "Creatures" broadens the scope to all living beings, but in the context of the sonnet, it narrows down to humans.

The line introduces the central theme of the sonnet, which is the importance of procreation and the preservation of beauty. It sets up the argument that follows in the rest of the poem: that beauty should not be selfishly hoarded but shared and passed on.

Line 2: That thereby............................never die,

This way, the embodiment of beauty in a human body would never die as it will pass on to the children. The rose in Shakespeare's times was associated with female beauty and, specifically, female reproductive organs. Hence, it can be interpreted that the speaker is motivating the young beauty to have children, and is happy that the youth's beauty will pass on to his children.

The phrase "beauty's rose" in Sonnet 1 by Shakespeare employs metaphor. In this metaphor, "rose" represents beauty itself, equating the natural beauty and elegance of a rose with the abstract concept of beauty. This metaphor emphasizes the idea that beauty is precious, delicate, and worthy of preservation, much like a rose.

Beauty is personified by suggesting it can die, much like a living being. This personification adds depth to the concept of beauty, giving it a life cycle similar to that of a rose.

The repetition of the 'b' sound in "beauty’s" and "by" creates a musical quality, enhancing the lyrical nature of the sonnet.

This line underscores a central theme of the sonnet: the preservation of beauty through procreation. Shakespeare suggests that by having children, beautiful people can ensure that their beauty lives on through their offspring, much like a rose that never dies because it continually produces new blooms.

Another interesting fact about these first two lines is that the Tudor emblem was a rose, and it can be interpreted that by the technique of allegory, the poet is addressing Queen Elizabeth I, being a fairest creature, to marry and have children

Lines 3 and 4: But as ..................... memory:

As the young person gets close to his old age and will one day die, at least he will have a young heir, who will remember him with love after he is gone. His child will replicate him and in this way, people will remember the speaker.

'Riper' refers to someone who has reached maturity or full bloom, often used to describe someone in the prime of their life. 'By time decease' indicates the natural process of aging and eventually dying. "Decease" is a formal term for dying.

This line acknowledges that even those who are at the peak of their beauty and maturity will eventually succumb to the passage of time and die.

'Tender heir' refers to the offspring or child, who is described as tender, implying youth and potential. 'Bear his memory' means to carry on the legacy or memory of the deceased.

The juxtaposition of "riper" (mature) and "tender" (youthful) highlights the cycle of life, from maturity to the promise of new life.

The metaphor 'bear his memory' suggests that the heir will carry on the essence or legacy of the deceased, much like bearing a burden or carrying a torch.

In the phrase 'time decease', time is personified as an agent that causes death, emphasizing its inevitable and relentless nature.

The imagery of ripeness and tenderness evokes the natural cycle of growth and decay, and the continuity of life through offspring.

This line suggests that although the person will die, his memory and essence can be preserved through his children.

Lines 5 and 6: But thou,...........................fuel,

However, the young person is so enamored with his beauty that the speaker's proposal is seemingly unimportant to him, and his charms are entirely based on his independent existence. He doesn't seem to care for the speaker's wishes.

Here, "contracted" means committed or bound to oneself, suggesting a self-centered or narcissistic focus. Thine own bright eyes' refers to the person's beauty and attractiveness, emphasizing self-admiration. This line suggests the person is overly focused on his beauty, to the point of being almost in a contract with it, highlighting a sense of self-absorption.

The phrase "feed thy light's flame" uses metaphor. In this metaphor, the "light's flame" represents the vitality or life force of the person being addressed. The idea of "feeding" this flame suggests nurturing or sustaining one's inner vitality or beauty. This metaphor vividly illustrates the concept of self-preservation and self-enhancement.

'Self-substantial fuel' means using one's substance or resources to sustain oneself. This line implies that the person is using his own resources or essence to sustain their beauty or life force, rather than sharing it or allowing it to grow through others (such as through procreation).

Lines 7 and 8: Making a ......................cruel.

In these lines, the speaker talks about the gift of fertility given to him by the divine and compares his resistance to producing children with 'making a famine where abundance lies'. By refusing to commit to the physical relationship, the young person is his enemy, and too unkind to himself.

'Making a famine' metaphorically suggests creating scarcity or deprivation, and 'abundance' represents the potential for procreation and continuation of beauty. 'Thyself thy foe' personifies the person's actions as antagonistic towards themselves while 'to thy sweet self too cruel' personifies the person's behavior as unnecessarily harsh towards himself.

The contrast between "famine" and "abundance" highlights the stark difference between potential and squandered opportunity. The repetition of the 'f' sound in "famine" and "foe" creates a harsh, biting effect, emphasizing the negative consequences of the subject's actions.

The lines personify the subject's actions and behaviors, treating them as active agents causing harm or deprivation. These lines reinforce the sonnet's theme of the consequences of self-absorption and selfishness. Shakespeare criticizes the subject for failing to fulfill his potential and share his beauty, thereby depriving the world of something valuable and perpetuating his own downfall.

In the context of the sonnet, these lines follow the poet's argument that beautiful people should procreate to preserve their beauty. The poet admonishes the subject for being self-centered and self-destructive, emphasizing that his actions not only harm themselves but also deprive the world of his beauty and potential legacy.

Lines 9 and 10: Thou that.........................spring,

The speaker calls the young man - 'world's fresh ornament'. The speaker uses the word 'fresh' as the man is still unmarried and perhaps a virgin. He calls him the messenger of the bright spring as the spring is the symbol of birth, and a new beginning. Spring is associated with the renewal and the season of hope.

'Thou' refers to the addressed person, likely someone young and beautiful. and 'fresh ornament' describes the person as a new, attractive addition to the world. This line praises the subject as a current embodiment of beauty and elegance, enhancing the world's aesthetic.

The phrase "gaudy spring" employs the figure of speech known as an oxymoron. An oxymoron combines contradictory or incongruous terms for a paradoxical effect. In this case, "gaudy" suggests something excessively showy or flashy, often with a negative connotation, while "spring" typically evokes images of natural beauty and renewal. Combining these two words creates a striking and thought-provoking contrast.

The repetition of the 'o' sound in "world’s," "ornament," and "only" creates a smooth, flowing rhythm, enhancing the lyrical quality of the lines.

Lines 11 and 12: Within thine..............niggarding.

The speaker says that like the beautiful flowers grow from the bud in spring, similarly the man's happiness lies within his 'bud'. Here, the word 'bud' refers to the man's sperm which can give birth to newborns. And a man's misery of not producing children is just a waste and a selfish act.

It also indicates that the person keeps their potential or essence (content) within himself, like a bud that remains closed and does not bloom. 'Buriest thy content' suggests that the person is burying or wasting his potential. This line critiques the subject for not realizing his potential or beauty, keeping it hidden or undeveloped.

As a metaphor, "bud" represents the potential for growth, life, or fulfillment, and "content" symbolizes the inner qualities, happiness, or essence of the person. The act of "burying" these within one's own bud suggests that the person is withholding or stifling his own potential and contentment, much like a flower that never blooms. This metaphor vividly conveys the idea of self-imposed limitation and the failure to realize one's full potential.

"Tender" here means young or delicate, "churl" refers to a miser or someone who hoards, and 'Makest waste in niggarding' indicates that the person wastes or squanders his resources (including their beauty or potential) through miserliness or stinginess. This line further criticizes the subject for being selfish and failing to share his beauty or potential with others.

The repetition of the 'w' sound in "Within," "own," "bud," and "buriest," and the 'm' sound in "makest waste," creates a rhythmic and emphatic effect, drawing attention to the critique of the subject's actions. The poet laments the subject's selfishness and failure to recognize their potential to leave a lasting legacy.

Lines 13 and 14: Pity the ...................... thee.

In these final couplets, the speaker asks the man to pity the world as he is unwilling to give the world some fairest creatures like him, or else the grave will devour what is rightfully his. In simple terms, his beauty would decay after he dies and in this way, he will pay his due to the mother land earth.

This line suggests that the subject should have compassion for the world and fulfill his duty to contribute positively to it, likely by procreating and sharing his beauty or potential. And warns the subject against being selfish or consuming resources (including their own beauty or potential) without regard for others.

The phrase "To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee" employs metaphor and personification. "To eat the world's due" metaphorically describes consuming or taking what rightfully belongs to the world. This can be understood as wasting one's potential or beauty that should benefit the world.

"The grave" is personified as an entity capable of eating, implying that death consumes what one fails to give to the world during their lifetime.

Together, these figures of speech enhance the idea that by not sharing one's beauty or potential, one allows death to claim what could have been the world's benefit.

The repetition of the 'w' sound in "world," "glutton," and "waste" creates a rhythmic and emphatic effect, drawing attention to the critique of the subject's actions.

Some Facts about Sonnet 1

Published: Quarto (1609)
Stylistic Form: English Sonnet
Structure: 14 lines (3 quatrains, a couplet)
Rhyming Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Rhyming Type: Eye Rhyme
Meter: iambic pentameter
Sequence: Fair Youth (Sonnet 1-126)
An allegory: Queen Elizabeth I, Mr. W.H.( William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke), H.H.(Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton)
Themes: Reproduction, Time, Beauty, Mortality, Death, Fertility, Selfishness, Self-obsession, Ways of the World
Each quatrain introduces a different problem related to the same subject introduced at the start of the sonnet.
Tone: Alternatively dark and bright
Imagery: Rose, Bright eyes, Flame, Famine, Ornament, Herald, Spring, Bud, Grave

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Comments

AnonymousOctober 5, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Great work. Nice explanation of thoughts. All the best.
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