5 Questions
What does the speaker compare the beloved to in Sonnet 18?
A summer's day
How does the speaker describe the beloved's beauty in comparison to a summer's day?
More lovely and more temperate
What tends to happen to summer's days according to the speaker?
They are shaken by rough winds
How does the speaker suggest the beloved's beauty will last forever?
Thy eternal summer shall not fade
What is the speaker's explanation for the beloved's beauty not perishing?
The beloved's beauty will accomplish this feat
Study Notes
Sonnet 18 Analysis
- The speaker compares the beloved to a summer's day, suggesting that the beloved's beauty is more enduring and ideal than a summer's day.
- The speaker describes the beloved's beauty as more lovely and temperate than a summer's day, which can be too hot or too cold.
- Summer's days tend to decline, with the sun often hiding behind clouds, and the season itself eventually coming to an end.
- The speaker suggests that the beloved's beauty will last forever because it is preserved in the poem, which will live on for generations to come.
- The speaker's explanation for the beloved's beauty not perishing is that it is captured in the poem, which will continue to be read and appreciated long after the speaker and the beloved are gone.
Test your knowledge of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 with this quiz. Challenge yourself with questions about the poem's themes, structure, and literary devices. See how well you understand the speaker's comparison of the beloved to a summer's day.
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