Sonnet twelve is a study of both actions and consequences through the decisions we make as young adults. While the context behind sonnet twelve is unknown, we do know that Shakespeare is addressing a young man, as the sonnet falls in the first 126 sonnets.
Sonnet twelve follows the structure of a normal Shakespearean sonnet, consisting of fourteen lines of which the first twelve are broken up in three quatrains, with the final two lines consisting of a couplet. The first three quatrains usually consist of questions, with the couplet reserved to answer the questions established in the quatrains. The rhyme scheme for sonnet twelve follows the ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG pattern seen in other Shakespearian sonnets. Interesting enough, sonnet twelve also uses the volta or turn between the first eight lines and last six lines.
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The point of sonnet twelve is simple, in that Shakespeare is giving advice to a young man. Since the man is both young and single, Shakespeare suggests that he should consider having children, as evident in the final line.
For the sake of understanding sonnet twelve, a close analysis through structuralism will be used for the duration of the essay (subject to change). Structuralism is a literary theory used to interpret and analyze literature. Within structuralism is the system of semiotic analysis; or the relationship of signs, their signifiers (meaning) and the signified (concept). In Sonnet twelve Shakespeare uses three signs: colors for the representation of human life, time for death, and beauty/sweet for virtues. Within the signs exist systematic binaries, a contrast between two similar signs, which Shakespeare uses to illustrate his point.
The use of colors as stated above serves as a representation of human life. In line four of the poem, Shakespeare uses binary between hair colors. Colors in this line serve as the sign in which the man’s hair color goes through during his life. Sable curls refers to the young man’s natural hair color during his youth. So as the man grows old, his natural black hair turns silvery-white, as a representation of old age. Line two uses colors to represent the different time periods the man goes through; brave day as the signifier for youth, and hideous night as the signifier for old age.
Sonnet twelve has two opposing signs of time; with the clock being the first sign, and Time’s scythe being the second. Both the clock and the scythe signified time, but have vastly different signifiers. The clock as seen in the first line suggests the natural flow of progression, and the natural process a human goes through with age. For example, the natural sable color of hair stays only for the duration of the man’s youth. The color will eventually wither away into a silvery-white due to the time that has passed. The scythe on the other hand is more aggressive than natural, as seen in the first line of the couplet. This suggests that while the clock is more natural, the scythe is unpredictable in that it comes at any point in time to take anything away (dying of cancer, car crash). In continuation, both signs represent a way of dying; either you die through the natural flow of life (clock), or die through an unexpected event (scythe).
Beauty and sweet are signs of virtues that Shakespeare sees in the young man. Both also serve as a compliment, as seen in line nine. Beauty is an exterior virtue (physical), while sweet represents the interior virtue. In line five, Shakespeare uses a lofty tree to represent the beauty of a man. The man’s need to provide shade suggests the sweetness the man has for caring.
Through relationships, all signs in the poem serve as a connection Shakespeare uses to address the young man. The beauty that the young man holds is fading away, for all things must die (as evident with brave day, violet past prime), and nothing is forever (sable curls). Shakespeare is saddened by this idea, for he does not like seeing good and beautiful things disappear (line 9-10).
As a result, Shakespeare then suggests that in order for his virtue to live on, the man must have children (line 14). For braving death, instead of sinking or fading away (line 10), the man passes on his virtues to his children, creating a cycle.
In lines 9-10, Shakespeare uses the lofty tree to represent the man. By providing shade for the herd, the man is able to express his sweetness. Which connects back to the cycle, for the man is caring for his children by providing shade, even though his beauty is withering away. While the cycle passes on the virtues of beauty and sweetness to his children, the man grows old but proud of what he did, for it was the man’s decision to challenge death through children.
Suggesting that if someone is beautiful and virtuous, but does not have children, then his virtues means nothing, as those virtues will wither away like brave day into hideous night. Those virtues only mean something when someone has children, as children inherit those virtues through their parents.
Sonnet 12
When I do count the clock that tells the time,
And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;Brave- Bright
When I behold the violet past prime,
And sable curls all silver'd o'er with white; O’er- Pronounced liked or
When lofty trees I see barren of leaves
Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, Erst- formerly
And summer's green all girded up in sheavesCanopy- To cover
Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,
Then of thy beauty do I question make,
That thou among the wastes of time must go,
Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake
And die as fast as they see others grow;
And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence
Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence. Brave: Challenge or defy
Commentary
Lines 1-4
The word “brave” (line two and fourteen) actually has two meanings in this sonnet. The first used of brave is used in line two, where brave serves as a contrast to the word hideous, as both represent a different time of day. The word “brave” actually suggests brightness as oppose to the dark night. In continuation with colors that contrast, sable and silver’d o’er with white are mentioned in line four. Sable refers to the color black, which is the hair color of the young man. As the man grows up, his sable curly hair will wither into a silvery-white color due to his age.
Lines 5-8
The second quatrain in the poem illustrates the man as a lofty tree. As the lofty tree, the man has the ability to create shade using leaves. The leaves and physical structure of the tree represent the exterior beauty the tree has. The act of providing shade represents the interior sweetness the tree has for the animals.
Lines 9-12
In this quatrain, Shakespeare changes the focus from himself to the young man, as seen in line 9. The call for this shift comes from volta, as the switch from “I” in the octave has now become “thy”, as Shakespeare wants to address the young man about having children. Suggesting that Shakespeare wants the young man to have children, for he does not want to see beauty fade away into nothing.
Lines 13-14
The couplet here provides the advice Shakespeare gives to the man, which is to have children in order to brave death.
