William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 32 is a contemplative reflection on mortality, love, and the legacy of a poet’s work. As with many of his sonnets, it explores themes of time, death, and the survival of affection beyond the physical realm. The poem follows the conventions of the Shakespearean sonnet, featuring 14 lines in iambic pentameter and a consistent rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Shakespeare’s use of language and his reflection on love and time create a poignant meditation on how the poet’s works will be remembered.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 32
If thou survive my well-contented day
When that churl Death my bones with dust shall cover,
And shalt by fortune once more resurvey
These poor rude lines of thy deceasèd lover,
Compare them with the bett’ring of the time,
And though they be outstripped by every pen,
Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme,
Exceeded by the height of happier men.
O, then vouchsafe me but this loving thought:
“Had my friend’s muse grown with this growing age,
A dearer birth than this his love had brought
To march in ranks of better equipage.
But since he died and poets better prove,
Theirs for their style I’ll read, his for his love.”
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 32
The structure of the poem adheres to the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form: three quatrains followed by a concluding rhymed couplet. The sonnet has a regular meter of iambic pentameter, a rhythmic pattern that reinforces the meditative and reflective nature of the poem. Shakespeare’s language is formal, and the diction is often lofty, but the thematic depth allows for various interpretations.
The tone of the poem is wistful, reflective, and tinged with melancholy. While there is a resignation to the inevitability of death, the speaker also evokes a deep love and desire for his work to be remembered with affection. There is a tension between the poet’s self-awareness that his work may be overshadowed by future poets and his wish for his love to transcend the limits of time. This tension between temporal limitation and eternal love gives the poem a sense of pathos and poignancy.
Analysis of Sonnet 32
Lines 1–4
“If thou survive my well-contented day
When that churl Death my bones with dust shall cover,
And shalt by fortune once more resurvey
These poor rude lines of thy deceasèd lover”
In the opening quatrain, the speaker imagines a future where he is no longer alive. The phrase “well-contented day” indicates that the speaker is at peace with his life and anticipates death calmly. He refers to death as a “churl,” a term used in Shakespeare’s time to describe a rude, uncivil person, giving death an unceremonious and harsh character. The speaker imagines that after his death, his work will be revisited by the person he loves, referred to as “thy deceasèd lover,” a term that underscores the intimacy and emotional connection between the two. These “poor rude lines” represent the speaker’s poetry, which he believes may not be of great literary quality but is nevertheless a product of his love and affection.
The use of “fortune” suggests the role of chance in whether his poems will survive beyond his death. The speaker’s self-deprecating reference to his poetry as “poor rude lines” conveys modesty and perhaps an acknowledgment of the inadequacy of his work in comparison to future generations of poets. However, this line also introduces the notion of posthumous legacy, asking if his work will live on after his death and whether it will be worthy of the love he has for the person he addresses.
Lines 5–8
“Compare them with the bett’ring of the time,
And though they be outstripped by every pen,
Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme,
Exceeded by the height of happier men.”
In this quatrain, the speaker anticipates that future poets, with their greater skill and refinement, will surpass his own poetry. The phrase “bett’ring of the time” acknowledges the progress of poetry as an art form, implying that the standard of writing will improve as time moves forward. The phrase “outstripped by every pen” expresses the speaker’s fear that his work will be eclipsed by the talents of other, more accomplished poets.
However, in a shift from pure self-criticism, the speaker requests that his poetry be preserved not for its literary merit, but for the love it expresses. The line “Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme” suggests that the emotional connection and the sincerity behind the poetry should outweigh its technical faults. The poet asks his beloved to honor the sentiment rather than the craftsmanship, with “love” taking precedence over “rhyme.” The speaker’s love for the addressee transcends the poet’s concerns about formal artistic achievement.
The line “Exceeded by the height of happier men” further highlights the speaker’s awareness of the inevitable progression of literary standards, yet it also conveys the speaker’s deep desire for his work to be cherished for its emotional significance rather than judged by objective artistic standards.
Lines 9–12
“O, then vouchsafe me but this loving thought:
‘Had my friend’s muse grown with this growing age,
A dearer birth than this his love had brought
To march in ranks of better equipage.'”
In this turn of thought, the speaker shifts his focus from the survival of his work to a longing for the hypothetical potential of his poetry had he lived longer. The word “vouchsafe,” meaning to grant or bestow, suggests that the speaker is requesting a final token of affection or acknowledgment. The speaker imagines that had he lived longer, his “friend’s muse” (his own poetic voice) would have matured and produced greater works. “A dearer birth” implies that his poems would have been more refined, carrying greater emotional or artistic value.
The speaker then imagines his works marching “in ranks of better equipage,” evoking the idea of well-dressed, high-ranking soldiers. This metaphor suggests that, had the speaker had more time, his works would have been part of a more prestigious literary tradition, able to compete with the finest poets of his time. This longing for an unrealized potential adds to the melancholic tone of the poem, as the speaker faces the limitations of his life and his art.
Lines 13–14
“But since he died and poets better prove,
Theirs for their style I’ll read, his for his love.”
In the final couplet, the speaker reconciles with the reality that he will never fulfill the potential he imagines. He acknowledges that death has prevented him from producing greater works and that future poets, with “better prove,” will surpass him in style and technical achievement. Yet, he makes a final distinction between the two kinds of poetry: “theirs for their style” refers to the formal excellence of other poets, while “his for his love” suggests that his own work, despite its flaws, is more valuable for its emotional authenticity and the love it expresses.
This concluding sentiment is a powerful declaration of the enduring power of love over technical prowess. The speaker suggests that while future poets will be remembered for their stylistic innovations, his love and affection for the person he addresses will ensure that his work remains meaningful, even if it does not measure up to the best poetry of the future.
Conclusion
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 32 is a rich exploration of time, love, and legacy. The speaker grapples with the inevitability of his death and the perceived inadequacies of his poetry, but he ultimately requests that his work be valued for its emotional sincerity rather than its technical execution. Shakespeare’s meditation on the passage of time and the progression of artistic standards reflects a deep understanding of the ephemeral nature of life and art. Through this sonnet, Shakespeare emphasizes that love, rather than skill, is the ultimate measure of a poet’s success and that affection can transcend the limitations of time and technique.
