Analysis of the sonnet 73: “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” – W. Shakespeare

Right from the start, the intelligent reader can see that the title of this sonnet comes from the first line of sonnet itself. It implies that the poem belongs to the collection of 154 Shakespeare’s sonnets. Analysing the title, the reader can understand that the sonnet is about the poet’s personal experience. Indeed the key word of the title is “in me” which makes the reader understand that the speaking voice is the poet himself. It follows that the reader may be curious to find out which “time of year” the poet refers to. Moreover such statement expresses a metaphoric perception of life. Furthermore the reader may be interested in knowing the identity of the person who the speaking voice is talking to.

Considering the layout the intelligent reader can see that the sonnet is organized into 3 quatrains and a rhymed couplet. Each quatrain is made up by 4 lines. The rhyme scheme of the sonnet consists of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

The first quatrain has the function to introduce the main theme of the sonnet using a metaphor. The sonneteer compares his life to the autumn season. The speaking voice evokes into the reader’s mind an image of weakness and desolation. The autumn is a period of instability, when the nature is going to perish. It follows that the poet links his feelings and interiority to this period of life. The instability is given by the “yellow leaves” which can fall of branches and are moved by the wind. Comparing his life to autumn makes the reader understand that the poet is probably old. The instability of the nature reflects to the instability of the body, which now is old and weak. Furthermore the image of the “sweet birds sang” maybe refers to his youth. As the poet’s youth has gone, the birds left the autumn atmosphere. The poet seems to be sad because of his age.

The second quatrain has the function to develop and continue the first one. The first line of the second quatrain reminds the beginning of the poem. In both lines, the speaking voice is talking to “thou” and he reveals that this person can “behold” or “sees” something in him. In the second quatrain the sonneteer compares himself to “the twilight of such day” and not to a “time of year”. Shakespeare doesn’t immediately provide information about “such day”. He uses an enjambment to link the first line to the second one. Such linguistic choice underlines the brevity of “such day”. Comparing his life to the twilight of such day, the speaking voice reveals again to be aware of the brevity of life. He knows about the human being’s limits such as the death. Indeed he expresses that the twilight of such day “by and by black night doth take away”. The black night represents the death. The human being’s life is strictly connected to the cycle of nature. The weakness of life is also marked by the alliteration of the letter b in “by and by black night..”.

The third quatrain develops the speaking voice’s problem. Once again, the speaking voice is talking to this unknown person who can see there is something in the poet. The sonneteer compares his life to “the glowing of such fire that on the ashes of his youth doth lie”.The poet expresses that the flame is now old because the branches are turning into ashes. It confirms that the poet is old. Furthermore he connotes the old fire as “the death bed whereon it must expire”. The word “must” refers to the inevitability of death. On the other hand the poet says that life is “consum’d with that which it was nourush’d by”. Indeed he is consumed by the same energy-vitality which has fed him when he was young.

In the rhymed couplet the sonneteer finally makes clear the nature of the relationship between him and the person he is speaking to. “Thou” is the person loved by the poet. The poet unifies the theme of love and death. Indeed he confesses to her that his time is gone, therefore their love will become “more strong”.