William Shakespeare’s sonnet, ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ is a timeless exploration of love and beauty. One of the most famous and beloved sonnets ever written, it captures the essence of comparing a loved one to the splendor of a summer’s day. In just 14 lines, Shakespeare masterfully weaves a poetic tapestry that celebrates the enduring power of love and the beauty it finds in the object of its affection. Join us as we delve into the profound emotions and exquisite craftsmanship of this iconic sonnet by the Bard of Avon.
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.