Shakespeare's "That Time of Year" Analysis

750 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Summer and winter poem analysis

In William Shakespeare’s poem “That time of year,” Shakespeare creates various pictures to describe the passing of time. Each metaphor provides a different way expressing death, and each way expressed shortens as the poem continues. The quickening of events provides a contrast to the deceleration of life. The sequence of time-associated metaphors contributes to the theme of realizing deaths inevitability and taking advantage of final moments by providing very distinct and vivid comparisons between the elapsing of time in life and the illustrations of consumption.In the first quatrain autumn is used as a metaphor. The few leaves that remain to hang are yellowed with age, as illustrated in the following quotation: “When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang, / Upon the boughs which shake against the cold,” (1-3). Showing that age takes its toll, these exposed and bare limbs are left to shake. They have declined in their physical beauty and are more susceptible to the cold and harsh elements of life. Not only are the branches shaking in the cold, they are shaking in fear of what is approaching. Death. The next line speaking of “Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.” (4), seems to refer to the remains of what is left, the exposed and raw elements. The branches of the tree are barren. The place where the “choir” would sing it’s sweet melody is now vacant space. The word “late” can possibly mean dead or approaching death. This leads into the next quatrain that takes place late in the day and on the edge of darkness.The next quatrain contains a more expected metaphor between sleep and death. The sunset symbolizes warmth and life that is fading into darkness. When Shakespeare says, “Which by and by black night doth take a...

... middle of paper ...

...derstanding of time passed and time that remains allows one to become comfortable with such circumstances and express a love that must soon retire.The metaphors that represent the theme throughout the poem are similar in the way they all show the devastating and destructive factors of time. Further more, they provide a discourse surrounding the issue of mortality. With anticipation increasing from beginning to end, Shakespeare is able to demonstrate a level of comfort surrounding the inevitable. The continual imposition of death on life is a universal experience. Autumn turning into winter, day turning into night, and a flame diminishing entirely all illustrate this. The increase in intensity of associated color with metaphors mimics the intensity of the ending. As the end draws increasingly near, it becomes undeniable and provides the catalyst for the lesson of love.

Show More
Related

  • An Amateur’s Exploration of, “Because I could not stop for Death”

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this poem, the speaker’s encounter with death is similar to a courtship. In the first stanza of the poem the character Death is introduced as playing the role of the speaker’s suitor. In this way, this poem about death takes on an unexpected light tone, giving the reader a sense that the speaker is content to die and able to approach it with a sense of calm. Death’s carriage is also introduced in this stanza serving as a metaphor for the way in which we make our final passage to death. The final line in this stanza introduces a third passenger in the carriage. Both the uses of Immortality, the third passenger, as well as the use of Death are examples of personification.

    Read More

  • Field of Autumn, by Laurie Lee

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his poem “Field of Autumn”, Laurie Lee uses an extended metaphor in order to convey the tranquility of time, as it slowly puts an end to life. Through imagery and syntax, the first two stanzas contrast with the last two ones: The first ones describing the beginning of the end, while the final ones deal with the last moments of the existence of something. Moreover, the middle stanzas work together; creating juxtaposition between past and future whilst they expose the melancholy that attachment to something confers once it's time to move on. Lee’s objective in this poem was to demonstrate the importance of enjoying the present, for the plain reason that worrying about the past and future only brings distress.

    Read More

  • Henry Viii Figurative Language

    496 Words  | 1 Pages

    Shakespeare employs the use of figurative language to portray images of anger that develop from a shocking dismissal. A metaphor explains the extremely rapid life of a plant from when it “blossoms” with “tender leaves of hope” to the quick death of being struck by a “killing frost”. Blooming is a reminder of spring, a time of hope and rebirth. These feelings do not last long, for the cruel return to winter in the form of an unpredictable frost abruptly kills everything. He later adds that the frost “nips his root”, therefore no hope for survival because the plant is unable to receive nutrients. Wolsey’s situation is represented by the short life span of the

    Read More

  • Topic of Death in Hamlet

    1425 Words  | 3 Pages

    Notice how Shakespeare casually brings us through this voyage of death from the naïve spiritual view to the physical view to the sensible view. Notice how death evolves from two characters sharing the view that death is spiritual to two characters debating on the view of death (with one character giving in to the physical approach, to two characters sharing a completely physical approach to death, to Fortinbras? final view of death. Throughout the play, Shakespeare cunningly shows all the possible views of death and concluded with the universally sufficient perspective that death is imminent and we should glorify the dead for their lives lived and simply hope that there is a contented world to come.

    Read More

  • Death and Emily Dickinson

    1312 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Death, the end of life: the time when someone or something dies” (Merriam-Webster, 2014). The definition of death is quite simple, the end of life is inescapable. I chose to write about death and impermanence because it is something we all must inevitably face. People often deal with death in a number of different ways. Although it is something that we must eventually face, it can be hard to come to terms with because the idea can be hard to grasp. Some of us fear it, others are able to accept it, either way we all must eventually face it. In this essay I will look at two different literary works about death and impermanence and compare and contrast the different elements of the point of view, theme, setting, and symbolism. The comparison of these particular works will offer a deeper look into words written by the authors and the feelings that they experiencing at that particular time.

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Mary Oliver's 'When Death Comes'

    1381 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the first instance, death is portrayed as a “bear” (2) that reaches out seasonally. This is then followed by a man whom “ comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse / / to buy me…” This ever-changing persona that encapsulates death brings forth a curiosity about death and its presence in the living world. In the second stanza, “measles-pox” (6) is an illness used to portray death’s existence in a distinctive embodiment. This uncertainty creates the illusion of warmth and welcomenesss and is further demonstrated through the reproduction of death as an eminent figure. Further inspection allows the reader to understand death as a swift encounter. The quick imagery brought forth by words such as “snaps” and “shut” provoke a sense of startle in which the audience may dispel any idea of expectedness in death’s coming. This essential idea of apparent arrival transitions to a slower, foreseeable fate where one can imagine the enduring pain experienced “an iceberg between shoulder blades” (line 8). This shift characterizes the constant adaptation in appearance that death acquires. Moreover, the idea of warmth radiating from death’s presence reemerges with the introduction to a “cottage of darkness” (line 10), which to some may bring about a feeling of pleasantry and comfort. It is important to note that line 10 was the sole occurrence of a rhetorical question that the speaker

    Read More

  • Misfortune and Comedy in Shakespeare's Play, A Winter's Tale

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    A Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare is a chilling play full of misfortune and comedy. Throughout the play, the themes of death and suffering are present, but yet the way in which they are presented is both comical and strange. The way in which the dialogue takes place or the way in which actions occur seem to be ambiguous. One of the most pivotal points of the story takes place over a very short time span, climaxing over three pages, and declining almost immediately thereafter. In this case, the death of Hermione and Mamillius occurs and is resolved, with their burial following quickly after. The wording throughout the text can be interpreted in several ways, especially in the way which death is represented throughout the play. Death occurs quickly and there is no real indication to when it is about to take place. The characters die off stage, and as an audience we only hear of their deaths from second hand accounts. Is it thus possible to believe all that is said or heard, or is possible that the sounds and sights of the play are written as such to cause doubt? Shakespeare uses death in A Winter’s Tale as a modem for certain events to be interpreted ambiguously, ultimately leading up to the reveal at the end. The way in which death is presented is as a way for the story to proceed, and it allows for the character to mold to the situation.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Imagery In Sonnet 73

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Sonnet 73,” published by William Shakespeare in 1609, reveals through symbolic imagery and metaphors mans promised fate, death. The theme of “Sonnet 73” is that, as life draws to an end, it becomes more valued. In a melancholy mood, the narrator concedes that many years have passed by and that the end of his life draws ever near. He reflects through imagery, and with a sense of self-pity, the loss of his youth and passion to the ravages of time. In this essay I will detail the use of symbolic imagery and metaphors in “Sonnet 73” and how it portrays the author’s experience of aging.

    Read More

  • Metaphors In Sonnet 73

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the poems that William Shakespeare wrote is called “That time of year thou mayst in me behold.” It is also known as William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73. This Sonnet is viewed as being comprised of metaphors, which capture the struggle of life. Life in which there is an end to everything but beauty within it. The speaker within this poem is one that reflects on his life and how nature is closely connected with his journey. In order to understand the theme of the poem, the reader must first recognize and understand the three major metaphors within the poem.

    Read More

  • Hamlet's Fashionable Inaudible

    700 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this piece, Shakespeare weaves an intriguing drama propelled by strong diction and compelling character development to advance deep themes such as mortality.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Time in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale

    2135 Words  | 5 Pages

    Unlike most of Shakespeare's earlier plays, The Winter's Tale moves from tragedy to comedy. The disastrous consequences of Leontes' jealousy and tyranny are resolved by the passing of time. Only after sixteen years can the two royal families come together again. Time also plays a significant role in the reading of the chosen passage. The passage is full of commas, colons, semi-colons, and periods, which force the lines to be slowed and pausing. The frequent punctuations draw the reader's attention to time and its effects on the words being spoken by the characters. The scansion of the passage illustrates Shakespeare's mastery of time as he manipulates the rhythm of the lines using varying foots and meters. Time seems to be the crucial element in not only the scansion of this passage, but in the development of the play as a whole.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Death In Othello and A Doll's House

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    The theme of death is present in many works of literature. It is given metaphors and cloaked with different meanings, yet it always represents an end. Every end signifies a new beginning, and every death gives rise to a new birth. Physical death “...is mere transformation, not destruction,” writes Ding Ming-Dao. “What dies is merely the identity, the identification of a collection of parts that we called a person. What dies is only our human meaning” (49). Figuratively speaking, death symbolizes a change, an interruption or cessation of regular routine. In this sense, death can be viewed as a more positive occurrence, because change leads to new experience, which, in turn, leads to knowledge and a better understanding of life. The plays Othello and A Doll House both encompass the theme of death. While the former deals with physical death, the latter depicts a change, a transformation of a period of time and a way of life.

    Read More

  • Free Essay: Metaphors in Sonnet 73

    486 Words  | 1 Pages

    Another metaphor in this sonnet is the comparison of death to nightfall, "In me thou seest the twilight of such day" (568). He continues, "Which by and by black night doth take away, death's second self, that seals up all rest" (568). Shakespeare perfectly describes death as the fading of a bright day to a dark black night.

    Read More

  • Ever Fixed Mark Symbolism

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    Using personification Shakespeare tells the reader that love does not have any affiliation with time, unlike a jester in the medieval time period when stating “love’s not time’s fool” (Shakespeare 9). Advancing the non-relatable relationship with time, the use of imagery “though rosy lips and cheeks” allows the reader to gain the understanding that love will never fade in comparison to physical appearances as they age and change with time. This point is strengthened by Emily E. Stockard’s article “Patterns of Consolation in Shakespeare's Sonnets 1-126” stating that the “infidelity of love, simply declaring that true love exists and defined it as unchanging” (Stockard 24). Stockard is attempting to showcase to the reader that love unchangeable and will remain the same. The use of symbolism appears once again when the incorporation of a “bending sickle” describes time representing death due to this tool being used by the grim reaper. Due to time not having any relationship with love, death does not have any positive relationships with love as well. In contrast to the bending of the sickle, love is like an arrow because it is straight and true without having any defects to take it off course. When Shakespeare states “love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom” he is explaining how even death is imminent love does not change and will endure to the edge of death (Shakespeare

    Read More

  • The Last Night That She Lived

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    The speaker started the poem by desiring the privilege of death through the use of similes, metaphors, and several other forms of language. As the events progress, the speaker gradually changes their mind because of the many complications that death evokes. The speaker is discontent because of human nature; the searching for something better, although there is none. The use of language throughout this poem emphasized these emotions, and allowed the reader the opportunity to understand what the speaker felt.

    Read More

More about Shakespeare's "That Time of Year" Analysis

Open Document