Description

when i do count the clock that tells the time ?

### The Timeless Beauty in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 12

William Shakespeare’s sonnets are a timeless exploration of love, beauty, and the inevitability of time. Today we delve into **Sonnet 12: ‘When I do count the clock that tells the time’**, a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the preservation of love through poetry.

#### **An Analysis of Sonnet 12**

Shakespeare sets the tone of this sonnet with a series of nature-based metaphors. The speaker begins by watching the passing of time, personifying the clock and the fading daylight:

> **When I do count the clock that tells the time,**
> **And see the brave day sunk in hideous night;**
> **When I behold the violet past prime,**
> **And sable curls* all silver’d o’er with white;**
> **When lofty trees I see barren of leaves**
> **Which erst from heat did canopy the herd,**
> **And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves**

This opening section paints a vivid picture of the natural world in decline, marking the passage of time and highlighting the impermanence of life. The images of the sinking sun, wilted flowers, and barren trees symbolize the universal truth that all life eventually withers and dies.

The final lines of the octet directly link the theme of time’s passage to the beauty in the sonnet’s subject:

> **Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard**
> **Then of thy beauty do I question make,**
> **That thou among the wastes of time must go,**
> **Since sweets and beauties do die nevermore.**

The speaker is questioning why this particular beauty, likely referring to a beloved, must also succumb to the ravages of time, while the beauty immortalized in poetry persists. The phrase “borne on the bier with white and bristly beard” poignantly describes the dead, emphasizing the stark contrast between mortality and the enduring nature of poetic memory.

#### **The Significance of the Poem**

Shakespeare’s sonnet not only captures the essence of beauty and mortality but also underscores the power of poetry to defy time. The speaker asserts that through art, love can be preserved and appreciated eternally, despite the transient nature of human life.

> **Therefore, like flowers nodding in the sun,**
> **My mistress’ eyes are turned in embasse* on mine;**
> **For every frown, a painted day is stayed;**
> **And every tear, a lasting rain is shown;**
> **Since the red rose cram*eth not the white rose’s cheeks,**
> **Nor shall the living bury beauty’s dead;**
> **For beauty starved with farewells uncalled**
> **Dies from the mouth of beauty dead and dead:**
> **And yet thy summer shall not lose thine summer;**
> **Nor need thy beauteous truths beWR*oveen**
> **Into the arms of Time that alters right**
> **But thou contracted to thine own bright eyes,**
> **Feed’st thy light’s flame with self-substantial fuel,**
> **Making a famine where abundance lies.**

The concluding lines highlight how his beloved’s beauty, which the poet compares to a rose, defies the inevitable loss of beauty with her unyielding presence and vibrant expression. Her eyes, metaphorically, preserve the essence of beauty, ensuring that even as external beauty fades, the inner beauty remains.

#### **Themes and Poetic Devices**

Several poetic devices are employed in this sonnet:

– **Personification**: The clock is personified as telling time, and night is described as sinking the brave day. These devices lend the abstract concepts of time and the passage of day into night a human-like persona.
– **Imagery**: Vivid imagery of nature, like violets, sable curls, and trees, enhances the reader’s mental visualization of the decaying beauty that the poet observes.
– **Metaphor**: The beloved’s beauty is likened to nature that fades, and the preservation of this beauty is compared to the poet’s gaze upon her, which keeps her beauty alive through his eyes and words.

#### **Conclusion**

Sonnet 12 is a poignant exploration of love, beauty, and time. Through a series of visual and metaphorical images, Shakespeare emphasizes the power of poetry to preserve beauty and love against the inevitable passage of time. This sonnet remains a testament to the enduring theme of love and the belief in the eternal nature of art.

In essence, this sonnet celebrates the idea that true beauty does not perish with time but is instead immortalized in the words of those who love it. It is a powerful reminder of the enduring value of love and art in a world where all else is fleeting.

### Further Reading and Resources

– [PoetryFoundation](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/90067/sonnet-12-when-i-do-count-the-clock-that-tells-the-time-578cfa272532b) – For the full text and further analysis.
– [LitCharts](https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-shakespeare/sonnet-12-when-i-do-count-the-clock) – Detailed analysis and themes.
– [Poem Analysis](https://poemanalysis.com/william-shakespeare/sonnet-12) – In-depth literary analysis.
– [Nosweat Shakespeare](https://nosweatshakespeare.com/sonnets/12/) – Simplified explanations of literary devices used in the sonnet.

Explore these resources to gain a deeper understanding of the nuances in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 12 and its enduring relevance in the world of poetry.

#### **Stay tuned for more explorations of Shakespeare’s profound works!**

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Feel free to leave your thoughts and analyses in the comments! Sharing different perspectives on this beautiful sonnet always enriches the discussion.