Analysis of Sonnet 60

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The speaker talks about crawling to maturity which is an interesting choice of word to use as we associate the act of crawling as something purely of infancy. The speaker may be suggesting the similarity between infancy and elderly as you are born unable to walk, then to die-in old age- having great difficulty with walking. These lines can possibly seek relation to the riddle of the Sphinx.

“Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth (L.9)

And delves the parallels in beauty’s brow; (L.10)

Feeds on the rarities of nature’s truth (L.11)

And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow” (L.12)

This section of the sonnet can be seen to have more focus on the physical effects of ageing. In society it is the youth that are viewed to be the most beautiful people as they have desirable features; such as smooth, unlined skin. The speaker tells us how everyone will fall foul to ‘the parallels in beauty’s brow’ as we cannot escape the effects that the passage of time has on our bodies as the lines in a person’s brow often indicate how long they have been living on the planet. These lines make us question if the speaker feels they have reached the point where they are no longer what would be deemed to be young and attractive.

“And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand, (L.13)

Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand” (L.14)

These final two lines give a positive and uplifting conclusion to the sonnet. The speaker appears to accept the fact that time and ageing is inevitable and that while he may have made his lover immortal by mentioning her in his poetry, he has also made himself immortal as long as his poetry lives on.

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