Shakespere-Shall I Compare Thee to a Summers Day
-ABABCDCDEFEFGG structure,
-He compares a person to a summer day, one that does not end (line 9), nor beauty fade(line 10),
and will last as long as they live(line 13-14).
-Do not enjoy this one much to be honest.
-ABABCDCDEFEFGG structure,
-He compares a person to a summer day, one that does not end (line 9), nor beauty fade(line 10),
and will last as long as they live(line 13-14).
-Do not enjoy this one much to be honest.
Neruda-One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII
-Organized in a 4/4/6 pattern like the first poem.
-He doesn’t love this person as one loves the fine things in life(line 1-2)
-Rather hidden things(lines 3-4). This is cute actually, thinking on how love grows as one walks
deeper into another’s life, discovering more and more around each corner rather than seeing all
of something right away.
-once again hidden beauty(lines 5-6). Possibly alluding to the beauty of children/childbirth?
Pt 2
Choosing Neruda-One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII-
-lines one and two of Neruda’s poem shows a beautiful flower of crystals, and carnations so
beautiful it is like flames themselves, but then is saying that imagery isn’t what he’s feeling. It’s
quite flamboyant bright and vivid, much like the summer day mentioned in lines 4 and 5 of
Shakespeare’s Shall I Compare Thee to a Summers Day; speaking of shining heavens and hot
eyes, dimming gold.
-The following two lines mention that rather, he loves her ‘between the shadow and the soul,’
eliciting a darker, subtler, image- warm and deep. I feel hints of this in the same aforementioned
lines in Shakespeare’s work, where it dulls the harsh edges of the striking image, whereas this
poem sets that image aside and raises up another one.
-The next four lines of Neruda’s poem speak on plants, nature, and more subtlty. The “scent of
the earth” in line 8, and the soft, yet solid feeling that provokes picturing the “earth living firmly
in [his] body.” I see a similar presence in line 15 of Shakespeare’s work, speaking of life and
breath and the comparison of that to love.
-in lines 8-12 it concretes the reality of love through repeating “I love you” in the beginning of
three of the lines, yet adds the air of question next to that certainty through not “knowing how or
when or from where”(line 9). Then in line 10 and 11 it pulls aside the complexness, and sets to
feel more natural, instinctual, and definite as the rules of nature. Similar to how Shakespeare is
comparing one to a very season throughout his whole poem.
-Finally in lines 11-12, showing a closeness and a oneness that reinforces those thoughts.
-Finally in lines 11-12, showing a closeness and a oneness that reinforces those thoughts.
Pablo Neruda, “One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII” from The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems,
edited by Mark Eisner. 2004
edited by Mark Eisner. 2004
Shakespere Willium, “Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” from Shakespeare’s
Sonnets, published by Thomas Thorp. 1609
Sonnets, published by Thomas Thorp. 1609