Shakespeare’s Sonnet 60, like many of his other sonnets, contemplates the passage of time, the effects it has on human life, and the hope of immortality through art. The sonnet employs a tightly structured form, with a clear progression of thought and emotion, and it exhibits Shakespeare’s mastery of poetic devices to enrich its themes. In this essay, we will first analyze the overall structure and tone of the sonnet, before offering a detailed breakdown of each quatrain, examining the main argument and thematic development.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 60
Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore,
So do our minutes hasten to their end,
Each changing place with that which goes before;
In sequent toil all forwards do contend.
Nativity, once in the main of light,
Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crowned,
Crookèd eclipses ’gainst his glory fight,
And Time that gave doth now his gift confound.
Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth
And delves the parallels in beauty’s brow,
Feeds on the rarities of Nature’s truth,
And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow.
And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand,
Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand.
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 60
Sonnet 60 follows the traditional form of a Shakespearean or English sonnet, consisting of 14 lines divided into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final rhymed couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, with each line written in iambic pentameter. This meter, characterized by ten syllables per line with an alternating pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables, lends a rhythmic quality to the poem that mirrors the inexorable passage of time it describes.
The tone of Sonnet 60 is somber and reflective, tinged with a sense of inevitability. Shakespeare speaks of time’s destructive power with a mixture of resignation and defiance, contemplating its impact on both the individual and beauty itself. Despite the grim subject matter, the closing couplet offers a note of hope, suggesting that poetry can preserve the subject’s beauty beyond the ravages of time.
Analysis of Sonnet 60
Lines 1–4
“Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore,
So do our minutes hasten to their end,
Each changing place with that which goes before;
In sequent toil all forwards do contend.”
The opening quatrain establishes the central metaphor of the sonnet—comparing the passage of time to the waves of the sea. Just as waves constantly rush toward the shore, the minutes of our lives move inexorably toward their end. Shakespeare uses the image of waves and pebbles to suggest the relentless and repetitive nature of time. The waves change places with the pebbles they touch, just as each moment replaces the one before it, creating a continuous cycle. The phrase “in sequent toil” emphasizes the tireless, almost mechanical, progression of time. There is no stopping this forward march, and every minute, like a wave, “hastens” to its inevitable conclusion.
Lines 5–8
“Nativity, once in the main of light,
Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crowned,
Crookèd eclipses ’gainst his glory fight,
And Time that gave doth now his gift confound.”
In this quatrain, Shakespeare shifts from the abstract image of waves to a more specific reflection on human life. “Nativity” refers to birth, and the phrase “once in the main of light” could be interpreted as birth emerging into the world, where light symbolizes the beginning of life. The line “crawls to maturity” suggests the slow and difficult progression from youth to adulthood, with “crawls” evoking a sense of struggle and slowness. The metaphor of “crooked eclipses” introduces an image of obstruction and decline. Eclipses, which block the sun’s light, represent the various obstacles and hardships that interfere with the potential and glory of maturity. Time, the giver of life and vitality, now turns against its creation, making its gifts (youth, beauty, vigor) ultimately “confounded” or undone. Time, once nurturing, is now a force of destruction.
Lines 9–12
“Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth
And delves the parallels in beauty’s brow,
Feeds on the rarities of Nature’s truth,
And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow.”
In the third quatrain, Shakespeare deepens his exploration of time’s ravages, particularly on youth and beauty. The word “transfix” suggests that time does not simply pass; it halts or freezes youthful vitality, making it a target for decay. “Flourish” refers to the vibrant vitality of youth, but time’s power gradually diminishes it. The line “delves the parallels in beauty’s brow” evokes the image of age creeping into the face, where wrinkles and lines (“parallels”) appear as time “delves” or digs into beauty. The phrase “feeds on the rarities of Nature’s truth” could be interpreted as time consuming or devouring the rare and precious qualities of life and beauty that nature bestows. Finally, Shakespeare invokes the grim image of the “scythe,” the traditional symbol of death, to emphasize that nothing—be it youth, beauty, or vitality—can escape time’s inevitable harvest.
Lines 13–14
“And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand,
Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand.”
The final couplet shifts the focus from the destructive power of time to the redemptive power of poetry. Shakespeare acknowledges the cruelty of time and its inevitable destruction of beauty and life, but he asserts that his verse will endure, “standing” in defiance of time’s effects. The word “hope” is key here, as Shakespeare suggests that through art, especially poetry, the beauty of the subject can be immortalized. Even though time’s “cruel hand” will erase the physical form of the subject, poetry offers a form of permanence that transcends mortality. By “praising thy worth,” Shakespeare implies that the subject of the sonnet (most likely a beloved person) will live on through the enduring power of his verse, preserved for posterity.
Conclusion
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 60 is a meditation on the destructive power of time, which diminishes the beauty and vitality of all living things. The sonnet conveys both the inevitability of aging and decay and the hope that art, particularly poetry, can transcend time’s effects, offering a form of immortality to the subject. Through rich metaphors, vivid imagery, and careful attention to the rhythm and structure of the sonnet, Shakespeare captures the tension between time’s cruel passage and the possibility of literary preservation. Ultimately, Sonnet 60 underscores the power of the written word to resist time’s ravages and immortalize beauty.
