In fact, this sonnet works like a perfect college-level essay. In line 2, he states the contrast: “You are more lovely and more temperate” than the summer.Īs a result, lines 1 and 2 contain the argument, much like an argumentative essay. This already gives you a hint that there could be two parts to this sonnet. He wants to compare “thee,” meaning “ you,” to a summer’s day (or to the summer). In Line 1, Shakespeare tells you exactly what he intends to accomplish in this sonnet. Thou art more lovely and more temperate:” “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?Ģ. In line 2, the word “ thou” also simply means “ you.”Īnd in Line 9, ” thy” means “ your” or “ yours.” Let’s take a look at lines 1 and 2ġ. In line 1, the word “ thee” simply means “ you.” Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: How to Read Shakespeare: Sonnet 18 – Part 1: Main Structure () How Is Sonnet 18 Structured?įirst, let’s get some vocabulary out of the way. You can learn this process in this video:

What is the relationship between the parts?.

To analyze Sonnet 18, you need to ask yourself these two questions repeatedly: And then you meet at the top, and you exclaim, “I got it!”Īll you really need to do to understand something is to identify its parts and the relationship among them. So, in the diagram above, as you climb the pyramid along the left ridge (structure), the meaning climbs with you on the right. The better you understand the structure, the easier it will be to understand the meaning of any piece of writing.

To make this really simple and easy, I came up with the idea of the Comprehension Pyramid. In other words, how do you really read a sonnet, a poem, or any piece of writing, so that you would actually understand its meaning? And that’s how you comprehend a piece of writing, such as a poem.įirst, I want to show you how comprehension really works.

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.Īn analysis is really identifying the parts of something and the relationship between the parts.

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,.

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:.

Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,.

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st.

By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d.And every fair from fair sometime declines,.And often is his gold complexion dimm’d.Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,.And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,.Thou art more lovely and more temperate:.Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?.Part 1 – Main Structure Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare Now, let’s dive into a detailed analysis of the sonnet. You’ll get plenty of ideas for writing about Sonnet 18.You’ll discover what Shakespeare really means.You’ll see how Sonnet 18 is structured – in fascinating detail.Ever wondered what Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 really means and how it is organized? In this article,

Sonnet 18 by william shakespeare