Shakespeare's Sonnets 30 and 62

Paper Summary:

This paper examines William Shakespeare's Sonnets 30 and 62. The paper maintains that, in each of these sonnets, the poet must look outside himself to find virtue, truth, and love. This act of realization brings self-knowledge to the poet. The paper argues that, by the end of each sonnet, the poet is aware of what is important as opposed to what he once believed to be important. It concludes that each sonnet shows us how we can find virtue, truth, and love if we choose to be open to what the universe brings to us.

From the Paper:

"In both sonnets, the poet is reflective. Sonnet 30 begins with a somber mood as the poet looks back over his life and friends. It is important to note that the poem ends on a more positive note as the poet looks to what he has in the present. This sonnet expresses a sense of self-reflection as the poet weighs what is important with what is not important. In addition, we see how the poet brings virtue to things in the present, namely friendship, and does not allow himself to stay lost in the memories of the past for too long. We see the significance of friendship in this poem as the mere thought of a friend can erase all of the woe associated with a dim past. The poet sees virtue in the things that are important now as opposed to what was then. In Sonnet 62, we see reflection that begins with the poet's own attributes. The poet is very aware of his vanity, noting that it is a "sin of self-love" (Sonnet 62 1) that possesses "all mine eye,/And all my soul, and all my every part" (1-2). While this seems arrogant, there is a level of self-knowledge in this poem because the poet realizes it is a sin "grounded inward in my heart"". (4)

Sample of Sources Used:

• Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 30." Complete Sonnets and Poems. Airmont Publishing Company, Inc. 1966.
• Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 62." Complete Sonnets and Poems. Airmont Publishing Company, Inc. 1966.

More papers on Shakespeare's Sonnets 30 and 62:

• Essay # 28071 : "Shakespeare's Sonnets 57 and 58"
• Essay # 86029 : "Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra"
• Analytical Essay # 27703 : "Shakespeare's Sonnets 57 and 58"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: