William Shakespeare‘s Sonnet 37 is a poignant meditation on the themes of love, aging, and the redemptive power of another’s beauty and virtue. As with many of his sonnets, Shakespeare uses the traditional structure of a Shakespearean sonnet—three quatrains followed by a rhymed couplet—employing iambic pentameter to explore the complex feelings of a speaker towards his beloved. In this particular sonnet, the speaker compares himself to an aging father and expresses how, despite his personal shortcomings, he finds solace and fulfillment in his lover’s qualities.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 37
As a decrepit father takes delight
To see his active child do deeds of youth,
So I, made lame by fortune’s dearest spite,
Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth.
For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
Or any of these all, or all, or more,
Entitled in thy parts do crownèd sit,
I make my love engrafted to this store.
So then I am not lame, poor, nor despised
Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give
That I in thy abundance am sufficed
And by a part of all thy glory live.
Look what is best, that best I wish in thee.
This wish I have, then ten times happy me.
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 37
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 37 adheres to the formal structure of the Shakespearean sonnet: 14 lines in iambic pentameter, arranged in three quatrains and a final rhymed couplet (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG). This rigid form contrasts with the emotional fluidity of the content, where the speaker’s thoughts on love and aging are laid bare. The tone of the poem fluctuates between melancholy and reverence, tempered by a hopeful optimism. The speaker reflects on his own perceived inadequacies but finds comfort in the attributes of his lover. The sonnet conveys a sense of vulnerability and dependence on the lover’s presence, as if the lover’s virtues compensate for the speaker’s deficiencies.
Analysis of Sonnet 37
Lines 1–4
“As a decrepit father takes delight
To see his active child do deeds of youth,
So I, made lame by fortune’s dearest spite,
Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth.”
In these opening lines, the speaker introduces the central metaphor of the poem. The “decrepit father” is a symbol of aging or decline, contrasting with the “active child” who represents youth and vigor. The image of an elderly father delighting in the actions of his youthful child expresses a sense of joy derived from seeing something younger and more vital than oneself. The speaker mirrors this sentiment, claiming that, like the father, he finds his greatest joy in the “worth and truth” of his lover. This sets up a dynamic where the speaker’s own sense of physical or emotional decline (“made lame by fortune’s dearest spite”) is offset by the beauty and goodness of the beloved.
The use of the word “lame” here emphasizes the speaker’s feeling of physical or emotional handicap, suggesting that age or misfortune has robbed him of youthful vitality. Yet, despite this, he still draws comfort from his lover’s qualities, indicating that his affection is not based on mere physical appearance, but also on deeper virtues.
Lines 5–8
“For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
Or any of these all, or all, or more,
Entitled in thy parts do crownèd sit,
I make my love engrafted to this store.”
In these lines, the speaker enumerates qualities that might traditionally be associated with high status or beauty—beauty, birth (noble lineage), wealth, and wit. These are “crownèd” in the beloved’s character, suggesting they are not just present, but they are dominant, ruling over the lover’s nature. The speaker acknowledges that his lover is endowed with all of these desirable attributes, and his love is “engrafted” or attached to them, implying a sense of deep attachment to the beloved’s virtues.
The idea of love being “engrafted” to the lover’s “store” of virtues suggests a kind of fusion between the speaker’s affection and the lover’s qualities, making his love inseparable from the beloved’s worth. Here, the speaker is not merely infatuated with beauty or wealth, but with the totality of the beloved’s goodness. This idealized view of love transcends superficial attraction, elevating the relationship to a level of spiritual or emotional fulfillment.
Lines 9–12
“So then I am not lame, poor, nor despised
Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give
That I in thy abundance am sufficed
And by a part of all thy glory live.”
These lines reveal the speaker’s profound sense of dependency on the lover’s virtues. “I am not lame, poor, nor despised” implies that the speaker feels these afflictions—physical, financial, or emotional—are alleviated through his connection to the beloved. The “shadow” referenced here could suggest the lover’s image or reputation, which, although not a direct possession of the speaker, has a tangible influence on his sense of self-worth.
The phrase “such substance give” indicates that the beloved’s qualities imbue the speaker’s life with meaning, providing him with a sense of purpose or fulfillment. The speaker lives not by his own accomplishments, but by the “abundance” of the lover’s qualities, which he internalizes and uses as a source of strength. Here, Shakespeare touches upon the theme of love as a sustaining force, one that nourishes the speaker in a way that his own personal resources cannot.
Lines 13–14 (The Couplet)
“Look what is best, that best I wish in thee.
This wish I have, then ten times happy me.”
The concluding couplet brings the sonnet to its resolution. The speaker’s ultimate wish is for the beloved to possess all that is best in life, and this selfless wish is also a source of his own happiness. The phrase “ten times happy me” underscores the depth of the speaker’s joy in the mere act of wishing well for the beloved. The speaker finds fulfillment not in receiving from the lover, but in desiring the best for them, which simultaneously brings him immense joy.
This couplet also reflects the theme of love as an altruistic force, where the speaker’s contentment is not derived from selfish gain, but from the well-being of the person he loves. The repetition of “best” underscores the idealistic nature of the speaker’s affection and his desire for the beloved to embody all that is good and noble.
Conclusion
In Sonnet 37, Shakespeare crafts a deeply reflective meditation on love, age, and the rejuvenating power of the beloved’s qualities. The speaker, in a state of perceived decline, finds solace not in physical beauty alone but in the encompassing virtues of the one he loves. Through the extended metaphor of the aging father and the youthful child, Shakespeare explores how love can transcend personal limitations, offering both solace and a sense of fulfillment. The speaker’s final wish for the beloved to possess the best qualities of life reflects the selflessness that often accompanies true love. The sonnet’s seamless blend of personal vulnerability and idealistic love makes it a powerful testament to the redemptive nature of affection, showing how love can supply emotional sustenance when the speaker feels most impoverished.
