William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 106 is a reflection on the nature of beauty, time, and poetic representation. In this sonnet, the poet praises the unparalleled beauty of the person to whom the poem is addressed, asserting that their beauty surpasses even the idealized portraits of past figures. Through a careful examination of its structure, tone, and detailed analysis of each quatrain, we will uncover the complexities and subtleties of the poem.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 106
When in the chronicle of wasted time
I see descriptions of the fairest wights,
And beauty making beautiful old rhyme
In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights,
Then in the blazon of sweet beauty’s best,
Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow,
I see their antique pen would have expressed
Even such a beauty as you master now.
So all their praises are but prophecies
Of this our time, all you prefiguring;
And, for they looked but with divining eyes,
They had not skill enough your worth to sing.
For we, which now behold these present days,
Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise.
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 106
Sonnet 106 follows the traditional Shakespearean sonnet structure: 14 lines divided into three quatrains and a final rhymed couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, typical of Shakespeare’s work. This structure lends itself to a logical progression, with each quatrain expanding upon the central idea, culminating in a couplet that offers a resolution or reflection on the preceding argument.
The tone of the poem is admiring, reverent, and almost awe-struck. The poet reflects on the “chronicle of wasted time,” looking at the past with a sense of both nostalgia and superiority, as he marvels at the beauty of the addressee. At the same time, there is a hint of regret or frustration, as the poet implies that the earlier poets were unable to fully capture the subject’s beauty, even though they tried.
Analysis of Sonnet 106
Lines 1–4
“When in the chronicle of wasted time
I see descriptions of the fairest wights,
And beauty making beautiful old rhyme
In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights,”
The first quatrain sets the stage by describing how, when the poet looks back at history (“the chronicle of wasted time”), he finds that poets of the past have immortalized beautiful women and noble knights in their verses. These historical figures—those “fairest wights”—have been praised for their beauty and valor. The phrase “wasted time” here suggests that these previous depictions are outdated, and yet, their descriptions are still considered beautiful. The “old rhyme” refers to past poetic efforts to capture idealized beauty, but Shakespeare quickly implies that their efforts fall short in comparison to the present.
Lines 5–8
“Then in the blazon of sweet beauty’s best,
Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow,
I see their antique pen would have expressed
Even such a beauty as you master now.”
In the second quatrain, Shakespeare acknowledges that earlier poets tried to capture beauty in meticulous detail, listing specific body parts (“hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow”). These elements represent the physical features of beauty that were idealized in earlier poetry. However, Shakespeare argues that even these detailed descriptions fall short of expressing the beauty of the person to whom the poem is addressed. He suggests that the poets of the past could not have fathomed the unparalleled beauty of the present figure, even though they attempted to articulate it. This line emphasizes how the beauty of the addressee surpasses that of the women and knights immortalized in past poetry.
Lines 9–12
“So all their praises are but prophecies
Of this our time, all you prefiguring;
And, for they looked but with divining eyes,
They had not skill enough your worth to sing.”
Shakespeare now asserts that the praise of the past poets, though limited, can be seen as “prophecies” of the present beauty. The “divining eyes” refer to the poets’ ability to glimpse a future ideal, yet they were unable to fully comprehend or articulate the true extent of the beauty they foresaw. The use of “prefiguring” emphasizes the sense of prediction or foretelling; the poets’ praise, although unable to capture the full magnificence of the present beauty, nonetheless pointed toward it. Shakespeare here is recognizing that, while these earlier poems missed the mark, they still had an intuitive sense of something greater to come.
Lines 13–14
“For we, which now behold these present days,
Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise.”
In the final couplet, the poet reflects on the present moment, recognizing that while contemporary observers possess the “eyes to wonder,” they lack the “tongues to praise.” This line acknowledges that the beauty of the addressee is so extraordinary that words cannot do it justice. While the “eyes to wonder” indicate the awe and admiration the poet feels, “lack tongues to praise” suggests the inadequacy of language to capture the full scope of that admiration. In this sense, Shakespeare presents an ironic twist—despite being in an age where beauty can be fully perceived, language itself seems insufficient to adequately praise it.
Conclusion
Sonnet 106 serves as a meditation on the relationship between beauty, time, and poetic expression. Shakespeare acknowledges that the poets of the past tried and failed to capture the fullness of the beauty they saw, which is now embodied in the present addressee. Through the metaphor of “prophecies,” he suggests that earlier poets were blind to the true nature of the beauty they foresaw, which only the present age can fully appreciate—though even in the present, language itself falls short. Ultimately, the poem reveals Shakespeare’s awareness of the transience of time and beauty, while also emphasizing the timeless nature of poetic admiration.
