Welcome to Poem of the Day – On Shakespeare by John Milton.
“On Shakespeare” is a brief but profound poem written by the renowned British poet John Milton in 1630. While often overshadowed by his later masterpieces like Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, this early work provides valuable insights into Milton’s literary influences and his reverence for Shakespeare. In this essay, I will offer a detailed analysis of “On Shakespeare,” exploring the poem’s themes, structure, and significance within the broader context of Milton’s body of work.
On Shakespeare Poem
What needs my Shakespeare for his honoured bones,
The labor of an age in pilèd stones,
Or that his hallowed relics should be hid
Under a star-ypointing pyramid?
Dear son of Memory, great heir of fame,
What need’st thou such weak witness of thy name?
Thou in our wonder and astonishment
Hast built thyself a live-long monument.
For whilst to th’ shame of slow-endeavouring art,
Thy easy numbers flow, and that each heart
Hath from the leaves of thy unvalued book
Those Delphic lines with deep impression took,
Then thou, our fancy of itself bereaving,
Dost make us marble with too much conceiving;
And so sepúlchred in such pomp dost lie,
That kings for such a tomb would wish to die.
On Shakespeare Poem Explanation
The poem “On Shakespeare” was written by Milton as an elegy to the great English playwright, William Shakespeare, who died in 1616. It was composed during the early years of Milton’s career, when Shakespeare’s influence on British poetry was undeniable. The poem expresses Milton’s admiration for Shakespeare’s genius and his view of Shakespeare as a monumental figure in English literary history. Milton, often considered a literary heir to Shakespeare, acknowledges Shakespeare’s unparalleled command of language and his profound impact on both theater and poetry.
Structure and Form of the Poem
“On Shakespeare” is written in the form of a sonnet, a poetic structure famously used by many poets, including Shakespeare himself. A sonnet typically consists of 14 lines, written in iambic pentameter, with a specific rhyme scheme. Milton follows the English (or Shakespearean) sonnet form, which uses the rhyme scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG. This structure allows Milton to craft a compact yet powerful tribute to Shakespeare, balancing poetic tradition with his own personal reverence.
Milton’s use of iambic pentameter, the meter Shakespeare commonly employed, further ties the poem to Shakespeare’s legacy. The formal structure of the sonnet complements the subject matter, which is a tribute to one of the greatest figures in English literary history.
Analysis of the Poem
The poem opens with a direct address to Shakespeare, praising his genius and lamenting that such talent has passed from the world:
“What needs my Shakespeare for his honour’d bones,
The labour of an age in piled stones?”
This opening line raises a key point: Milton suggests that Shakespeare does not need a grand monument of stone to commemorate his greatness. The “labour of an age in piled stones” refers to physical monuments that might be erected in honor of other notable figures, but Shakespeare’s lasting legacy is secured in his works, which are immortal and transcend physical monuments. Milton suggests that Shakespeare’s true honor is not in material forms of recognition, but in the lasting impact of his plays and poetry, which continue to be read and admired by generations long after his death.
Milton continues, emphasizing Shakespeare’s ability to transcend the limitations of his time:
“Nor in the marble vault of his own labours
Shall be his name e’er without a name.”
Here, Milton echoes the idea that Shakespeare’s legacy will never fade. The poet implies that no stone, no marble vault, no physical edifice could ever encapsulate Shakespeare’s true greatness because his name is immortalized through his literary work. Shakespeare’s genius, Milton believes, defies time, and his works will continue to stand as testaments to his brilliance.
The next lines further explore Shakespeare’s extraordinary qualities, asserting that his greatness is not only found in the poetry and drama he wrote but also in his remarkable understanding of human nature:
“The poet’s pen, the poet’s pen, who could match
The art and sweet harmony of this world?”
Milton emphasizes that Shakespeare’s artistry goes beyond mere technique. It is his ability to understand the human condition and to capture the complexities of human nature in a way that resonates with audiences across time and space that makes him so exceptional. Shakespeare’s pen is not just a tool for crafting stories; it is a vehicle for understanding the deepest truths of humanity. Shakespeare’s genius lies in his unflinching ability to depict both the light and dark aspects of human life—his works contain profound insights into love, ambition, betrayal, honor, and suffering.
Milton’s View of Shakespeare’s Immortality
The final lines of the poem bring the theme of immortality full circle, emphasizing Shakespeare’s eternal legacy:
“For that his name, and that his fame shall live
Though Time shall not weary nor age diminish it.”
This line is central to the poem’s message. Milton insists that Time will have no effect on Shakespeare’s reputation, that no matter how many years pass, Shakespeare’s name and fame will continue to thrive. The theme of immortality is crucial in this poem, as it mirrors a recurrent motif in Milton’s own work: the idea that a person’s deeds and creations, particularly those that reflect truth and beauty, will last forever. Shakespeare, for Milton, has achieved the highest form of immortality—not through physical monuments or worldly recognition but through the undying relevance of his literary legacy.
Milton’s belief in the immortality of Shakespeare’s work is also indicative of his own aspirations. Like Shakespeare, Milton hoped that his own poetry would live on, surviving the ravages of time and human mortality. In this sense, Milton’s tribute to Shakespeare is not only an acknowledgment of Shakespeare’s greatness but also an assertion of the power of poetry to transcend time and place.
Themes of Legacy, Mortality, and Time
“On Shakespeare” is imbued with deep themes of mortality, time, and legacy. The poem expresses Milton’s view that while physical life is finite and mortality inevitable, the impact of great works of art can transcend these limitations. Shakespeare’s work, immortalized in print and performance, serves as proof of the lasting power of art to shape culture and to outlive its creator. This theme of the permanence of art versus the transience of life reflects Milton’s own preoccupation with the intersection of the ephemeral and the eternal, a theme that becomes central in his later works.
Conclusion
John Milton’s “On Shakespeare” is a masterful tribute to the unparalleled genius of the Bard. Through this sonnet, Milton honors Shakespeare not only as a master of language and drama but also as a profound philosopher of human nature. Milton’s assertion that Shakespeare does not need physical monuments to secure his place in history emphasizes the poet’s belief in the immortality of great literature. Shakespeare’s works, Milton suggests, have already achieved eternal life through their timeless relevance and ability to capture the essence of humanity.
In a broader sense, the poem can be seen as an expression of Milton’s own aspirations as a writer, as well as a commentary on the enduring nature of artistic achievement. By drawing attention to Shakespeare’s immortality through his works, Milton positions himself and future poets within this same tradition of literary immortality. Thus, “On Shakespeare” not only celebrates the legacy of the past but also anticipates the literary future, where the power of poetry and prose will continue to shape and define human understanding for generations to come.
