The Classic Theatre

Sonnet 34 (Shakespeare)

A Sonnet (or short poem) from a collection written by William Shakespeare, published in 1609.  #34 Synopsis: In this sonnet the sun is again overtaken by clouds, but now the sun/beloved is accused of having betrayed the poet by promising what is not delivered. The poet writes that while the beloved’s repentance and shame do not rectify the damage done, the beloved’s tears are so precious that they serve as atonement.   Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day And make me travel forth without my cloak, To let base clouds o’ertake me in my way, Hiding thy brav’ry in their rotten smoke? ’Tis not enough that through the cloud thou break To dry the rain on my storm-beaten face, For no man well of such a salve can speak That heals the wound and cures not the disgrace. Nor can thy shame give physic to my grief; Though thou repent, yet I have still the loss. Th’ offender’s sorrow lends but weak relief To him that bears the strong offense’s ⌜cross.⌝  Ah, but those tears are pearl which thy love sheds,  And they are rich and ransom all ill deeds. (Project Gutenberg, Public Domain)

Sonnet 33 (Shakespeare)

A Sonnet (or short poem) from a collection written by William Shakespeare, published in 1609.  #33 Synopsis: The poet describes the sun first in its glory and then after its being covered with dark clouds; this change resembles his relationship with the beloved, who is now “masked” from him. But if even the sun can be darkened, he writes, it is no wonder that earthly beings sometimes fail to remain bright and unstained. (This is the first of a series of three poems in which the beloved is pictured as having hurt the poet through some unspecified misdeed.)   Full many a glorious morning have I seen Flatter the mountain tops with sovereign eye, Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy, Anon permit the basest clouds to ride With ugly rack on his celestial face, And from the forlorn world his visage hide, Stealing unseen to west with this disgrace. Even so my sun one early morn did shine With all-triumphant splendor on my brow, But, out alack, he was but one hour mine; The region cloud hath masked him from me now.  Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth;  Suns of the world may stain when heaven’s sun staineth. (Project Gutenberg, Public Domain)

Sonnet 32 (Shakespeare)

A Sonnet (or short poem) from a collection written by William Shakespeare, published in 1609.  #32 Synopsis: The poet imagines his poems being read and judged by his beloved after the poet’s death, and he asks that the poems, though not as excellent as those written by later writers, be kept and enjoyed because of the love expressed in them.   If thou survive my well-contented day When that churl Death my bones with dust shall cover, And shalt by fortune once more resurvey These poor rude lines of thy deceasèd lover, Compare them with the bett’ring of the time, And though they be outstripped by every pen, Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme, Exceeded by the height of happier men. O, then vouchsafe me but this loving thought: “Had my friend’s muse grown with this growing age, A dearer birth than this his love had brought To march in ranks of better equipage.  But since he died and poets better prove,  Theirs for their style I’ll read, his for his love.” (Project Gutenberg, Public Domain)

Sonnet 31 (Shakespeare)

A Sonnet (or short poem) from a collection written by William Shakespeare, published in 1609.  #31 Synopsis: The poet sees the many friends now lost to him as contained in his beloved. Thus, the love he once gave to his lost friends is now given wholly to the beloved.   Thy bosom is endearèd with all hearts Which I by lacking have supposèd dead, And there reigns love and all love’s loving parts, And all those friends which I thought burièd. How many a holy and obsequious tear Hath dear religious love stol’n from mine eye, As interest of the dead, which now appear But things removed that hidden in ⌜thee⌝ lie. Thou art the grave where buried love doth live, Hung with the trophies of my lovers gone, Who all their parts of me to thee did give; That due of many now is thine alone.  Their images I loved I view in thee,  And thou, all they, hast all the all of me. (Project Gutenberg, Public Domain)

Sonnet 30 (Shakespeare)

#30 Synopsis: The poet pictures his moments of serious reflection as a court session in which his memories are summoned to appear. As they come forward, he grieves for all that he has lost, but he then thinks of his beloved friend and the grief changes to joy.   When to the sessions of sweet silent thought I summon up remembrance of things past, I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought, And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste; Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow, For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night, And weep afresh love’s long since canceled woe, And moan th’ expense of many a vanished sight. Then can I grieve at grievances foregone, And heavily from woe to woe tell o’er The sad account of fore-bemoanèd moan, Which I new pay as if not paid before.  But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,  All losses are restored and sorrows end. (Project Gutenberg, Public Domain)