sonnet 73

[capuccino]

How can I answer this question of this sonnet?
state the central and basic conceit of the poem and justify its relevance and coherence to the rest of the sonnet.

[capuccino]

How can I answer this question of this sonnet?
state the central and basic conceit of the poem and justify its relevance and coherence to the rest of the sonnet.


That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see'st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,
Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.
This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.

[amuse]

so, where are you so far in answering this? :)

[capuccino]

because it is a question for an essay I must do for next week.

[verybaddmom]

i think amuse was asking how much information you have gathered on your own, capuccino. the point of this forum is to discuss works of literature (and many other things), not to complete difficult assignments for other students. i am familiar with the poem you are asking about, as are (im sure) many of the other members. but i think it would be more appropriate for you to perhaps share some of the thoughts that you have had and ask for someone to contribute to that base. we are happy to discuss the work with you, but you need to be doing some thinking about it too. sound fair?

[capuccino]

i think maybe the poet fell in love with somebody who didn't love him. i don' know

[verybaddmom]

think more along the lines of aging lovers. much poetry has been written about young lovers, (think spring) but i think this comments more on persons approaching the winter of their lives. there is plenty of rich symbolism in this poem. try taking each word out of context and thinking of the connotations of the word (eg: yellow leaves? death's second self?)

Edit: are you familiar with the literary term "conceit"?

[mono]

Living in the autumn of the year, think of a love that, despite the references of death (to leaves of trees and the twilight giving a sense of gloom), that subsists throughout the death (or second death) of the year. Love, in its full and pure definition, may thrive throughout anything, including the point in time when surroundings are dying, such as leaves falling from the trees. Good luck!