William Shakespeare‘s Sonnet 49 is a poignant reflection on the fears of loss and rejection in the context of romantic love. As with many of his sonnets, this poem delves deeply into the complexity of human emotions, particularly the vulnerability associated with love. The speaker in this sonnet anticipates the possibility of a time when his beloved will no longer view him with affection, thus confronting the inevitable change that time may bring to their relationship. Through vivid imagery, intricate wordplay, and a structured progression of thought, Shakespeare explores themes of love, self-worth, and the inevitability of emotional decline.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 49
Against that time, if ever that time come,
When I shall see thee frown on my defects,
Whenas thy love hath cast his utmost sum,
Called to that audit by advised respects;
Against that time when thou shalt strangely pass
And scarcely greet me with that sun thine eye,
When love, converted from the thing it was,
Shall reasons find of settled gravity;
Against that time do I ensconce me here
Within the knowledge of mine own desert,
And this my hand against myself uprear
To guard the lawful reasons on thy part.
To leave poor me thou hast the strength of laws,
Since why to love I can allege no cause.
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 49
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 49 adheres to the typical structure of the Shakespearean sonnet: 14 lines in iambic pentameter, with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The rhyme scheme, which creates a sense of closure in the final couplet, complements the progression of the speaker’s emotional journey.
The tone of the sonnet is one of anxiety and forewarning, as the speaker anticipates a future in which his lover will no longer cherish him. This tone, marked by both sorrow and self-assertion, presents the speaker as someone who is both resigned to the inevitable passage of time and protective of his own sense of worth. The poem’s structure reflects this emotional journey, with the opening quatrains expressing the speaker’s fear and the closing couplet offering a measure of self-defense and reasoning.
Analysis of Sonnet 49
Lines 1–4
“Against that time, if ever that time come,
When I shall see thee frown on my defects,
Whenas thy love hath cast his utmost sum,
Called to that audit by advised respects;”
In the first quatrain, the speaker sets up an anticipatory tone, warning of a future moment “if ever that time come” when his beloved will look upon his flaws with disdain. The phrase “frown on my defects” suggests not only rejection but a deep, personal critique of the speaker’s imperfections. Shakespeare employs financial imagery in “the utmost sum” and “called to that audit,” evoking a sense of a financial reckoning, where the speaker’s emotional worth is subjected to a cold, detached calculation. This suggests that the speaker is worried that his relationship will be reduced to mere accounting—where love is not valued for its intangible qualities but rather assessed by rational, external standards.
Lines 5–8
“Against that time when thou shalt strangely pass
And scarcely greet me with that sun thine eye,
When love, converted from the thing it was,
Shall reasons find of settled gravity;”
The second quatrain expands on the theme of emotional alienation. “Strangely pass” and “scarcely greet me” evoke a sense of distance and indifference that the speaker fears will replace the warmth and affection once shared between him and his lover. The image of “the sun thine eye” is a metaphor for the light and warmth that the lover once bestowed upon the speaker. Shakespeare’s use of “converted” and “reasons find of settled gravity” implies that love, once spontaneous and full of passion, will be replaced by something more calculated and lifeless—love will no longer be a dynamic force, but rather something constrained by reason and duty.
Lines 9–12
“Against that time do I ensconce me here
Within the knowledge of mine own desert,
And this my hand against myself uprear
To guard the lawful reasons on thy part.”
In the third quatrain, the speaker takes a defensive posture. The verb “ensconce” suggests that the speaker is seeking refuge or protection within his own sense of “mine own desert”—his recognition of his own worth or virtue. Here, “desert” can be understood as “merit” or “justification,” implying that the speaker relies on his own understanding of his value rather than depending on his lover’s affection. The phrase “my hand against myself uprear” suggests the speaker’s intent to defend his position, perhaps even in the face of potential self-recrimination. The notion of “lawful reasons on thy part” indicates that the speaker is trying to rationalize his lover’s eventual departure or indifference, asserting that if the love ends, it will not be through any fault of his own.
Lines 13–14
“To leave poor me thou hast the strength of laws,
Since why to love I can allege no cause.”
The final couplet is a critical moment in the sonnet, where the speaker paradoxically recognizes both the inevitability of his lover’s departure and his own helplessness in preventing it. “Thou hast the strength of laws” indicates that the lover has the right or power, within societal or personal norms, to leave the speaker. This brings a chilling sense of legality to the dynamics of love, where emotional decisions may be governed by external rules or rational reasons rather than by passionate affection. The final line, “Since why to love I can allege no cause,” starkly acknowledges the speaker’s inability to provide a reason for love. This suggests that the speaker feels he may not have a compelling reason for his lover to remain committed, leading to the painful conclusion that love, when devoid of cause, is vulnerable to being undone.
Conclusion
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 49 is a masterful exploration of love’s fragility and the fear of emotional abandonment. Through the careful use of metaphor, structure, and tone, the poet conveys the vulnerability of a person anticipating rejection and trying to defend their sense of worth in the face of that inevitable loss. The sonnet’s carefully crafted progression—from fear to self-defense, and ultimately to resignation—reflects the complexity of human emotion in the face of change, loss, and the passage of time. The poem serves as a timeless meditation on love’s delicate nature, offering both a warning and a reflection on the boundaries of affection.
