William Shakespeare‘s Sonnet 107, part of the Fair Youth sequence, is a deeply reflective and personal piece. It centers on the themes of love, time, immortality, and defiance of death. Like many of his sonnets, it blends personal emotion with philosophical contemplation. In this analysis, I will first examine the overall structure and tone of the sonnet and then provide a detailed breakdown of its individual sections, following a methodical approach to reveal the nuances within the lines.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 107
Not mine own fears nor the prophetic soul
Of the wide world dreaming on things to come
Can yet the lease of my true love control,
Supposed as forfeit to a confined doom.
The mortal moon hath her eclipse endured,
And the sad augurs mock their own presage;
Incertainties now crown themselves assured,
And peace proclaims olives of endless age.
Now with the drops of this most balmy time
My love looks fresh, and Death to me subscribes,
Since, spite of him, I’ll live in this poor rhyme,
While he insults o’er dull and speechless tribes;
And thou in this shalt find thy monument
When tyrants’ crests and tombs of brass are spent.
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 107
Sonnet 107 follows the traditional Shakespearean sonnet form, consisting of 14 lines divided into three quatrains and a concluding couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The sonnet is written in iambic pentameter, with each line containing ten syllables arranged in an alternating pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. This rhythmic structure provides a smooth, almost musical quality to the sonnet while allowing the poet to unfold his thoughts in a disciplined and ordered manner.
The tone of Sonnet 107 is one of defiance, hope, and resolution. The speaker reflects on the power of love and poetry in the face of time and death. While acknowledging the transience of life and the limitations of mortal existence, the speaker maintains a sense of confidence in the enduring power of his love and his verse. The tone fluctuates between melancholy, as the speaker alludes to the ravages of time, and a triumphant assertion of immortality through poetry. This duality forms the emotional core of the poem.
Analysis of Sonnet 107
Lines 1–4
Not mine own fears nor the prophetic soul
Of the wide world dreaming on things to come
Can yet the lease of my true love control,
Supposed as forfeit to a confined doom.
In the opening quatrain, the speaker challenges the common fears and prophecies that predict doom for his love. “Not mine own fears” suggests that the poet is not swayed by personal anxieties or uncertainties. He also dismisses “the prophetic soul” of the world, a metaphor for the common wisdom or fatalistic outlook that foresees a tragic future. The “lease of my true love” is a reference to the limited time or life that his love might have, which is often thought to be subject to “a confined doom.” However, the speaker asserts that neither personal fears nor the predictions of the world can control or determine the fate of his love. In this way, Shakespeare introduces the central theme of the poem: the defiance of time and fate in favor of a love that transcends worldly limitations.
Lines 5–8
The mortal moon hath her eclipse endured,
And the sad augurs mock their own presage;
Incertainties now crown themselves assured,
And peace proclaims olives of endless age.
The second quatrain expands on the theme of defying fate, using celestial imagery. The “mortal moon” refers to the moon’s eclipse, which symbolizes the passing of time and the inevitable changes that occur in the natural world. Yet, the moon “hath her eclipse endured,” suggesting that it has withstood this momentary darkness and continues on its eternal cycle. Similarly, “sad augurs” (those who predict the future) mock their own presage, meaning their prophecies of doom have proven false. The speaker notes that uncertainties, which once seemed threatening, now become a source of assurance, as they give way to the inevitability of peace. “Peace proclaims olives of endless age” refers to the olive branch, a symbol of peace and eternity. The speaker seems to suggest that despite the threats of time and death, a sense of eternal peace will prevail, further reinforcing the notion that love and poetry can defy mortality.
Lines 9–12
Now with the drops of this most balmy time
My love looks fresh, and Death to me subscribes,
Since, spite of him, I’ll live in this poor rhyme,
While he insults o’er dull and speechless tribes;
In this section, the speaker celebrates the present moment, described as “this most balmy time,” referring to the gentle and favorable conditions in which his love now flourishes. “My love looks fresh” suggests that the beloved appears youthful and vibrant, as if unaffected by the passage of time. The speaker claims that “Death to me subscribes,” implying that death acknowledges his power over the temporal realm but cannot touch the immortality of his love. The poet asserts that, in defiance of death, his love will endure through poetry. “This poor rhyme” refers to the humble yet powerful written verse through which the speaker’s love will be immortalized. The speaker contrasts the fleeting nature of death with the enduring nature of poetry, which outlasts “dull and speechless tribes,” those who are unworthy of remembrance because they have no lasting legacy.
Lines 13–14
And thou in this shalt find thy monument
When tyrants’ crests and tombs of brass are spent.
The closing couplet brings the poem to its final assertion of immortality. The speaker declares that the beloved will find their “monument” in the poem itself, suggesting that the verse will serve as a lasting tribute to the loved one’s beauty and virtue. This monument is more enduring than the physical structures built by tyrants—”tyrants’ crests” and “tombs of brass” are symbols of human power and authority, which are ultimately transient. The final image is one of defiance against the ravages of time and the decay of empires: the speaker’s love and poetry will outlast them all, creating a permanent record of the beloved’s legacy.
Conclusion
Sonnet 107 is a celebration of the power of love and poetry to transcend time, death, and the limitations of the mortal world. Shakespeare contrasts the fleeting nature of human existence with the eternal quality of his love, which he believes will live on through his verse. By dismissing fears of doom and defying the predictions of mortality, the speaker asserts that love, embodied in poetry, is immortal. Through its rich use of imagery, metaphor, and thematic depth, Sonnet 107 underscores the enduring human desire to outlast death, leaving behind a legacy that defies time.
