Imagery
Personification
In sonnet 73, William Shakespeare talks about a man who is going through the process of old age all the way to the end, which is death. He uses personification to compare his last months to the seasons. The reader gets a better understanding of the connection of seasons to human beings.
In line 4, Shakespeare says, “bare ruined choirs” when Shakespeare says bare he is referring to the bare branches on a tree, bare branches cannot sing, thus there being personified. They are personified because in this line it talking about the anticipation of the cold. These bare branches are singing because the anticipating the cold. Shakespeare's uses personification so there is an emphasis on winter is coming. In line 7, Shakespeare describes how the “black night” is being taken away, black night is being personified because Shakespeare is using black night as another way to say death and death cannot be taken away, no matter how much you try you cannot escape death. But Shakespeare personifies death to show how close the man in the sonnet is to death.
In line 8, Shakespeare lastly describes how the death-bed is expiring, however a bed can not expire, but he uses personification to show the man in sonnet has either come to his final days in his death-bed or has died.
Throughout Sonnet 73, Shakespeare uses personification to help show that the man in this sonnet is coming to an end in his life by giving human qualities to things that can’t like death-bed or night.
In line 4, Shakespeare says, “bare ruined choirs” when Shakespeare says bare he is referring to the bare branches on a tree, bare branches cannot sing, thus there being personified. They are personified because in this line it talking about the anticipation of the cold. These bare branches are singing because the anticipating the cold. Shakespeare's uses personification so there is an emphasis on winter is coming. In line 7, Shakespeare describes how the “black night” is being taken away, black night is being personified because Shakespeare is using black night as another way to say death and death cannot be taken away, no matter how much you try you cannot escape death. But Shakespeare personifies death to show how close the man in the sonnet is to death.
In line 8, Shakespeare lastly describes how the death-bed is expiring, however a bed can not expire, but he uses personification to show the man in sonnet has either come to his final days in his death-bed or has died.
Throughout Sonnet 73, Shakespeare uses personification to help show that the man in this sonnet is coming to an end in his life by giving human qualities to things that can’t like death-bed or night.
Figurative Language
In sonnet 73, William Shakespeare uses figurative language to create a mental picture in the reader’s head. He uses this to show that the man is close to death.
In line 4, Shakespeare uses figurative language when he says “bare ruined” because what Shakespeare is actually meaning is the bare branches that hang on a tree is reference to the bones in the man’s body are degrading and that this man is becoming weak.
In line 8, Shakespeare uses figurative language to describe what he really means is night. In the sonnet he says “death’s second self” which is death’s twin and his twin is night. Shakespeare using figurative language in this line so that the reader can get a better understanding of the deeper meaning which is the death of the man to night.
Throughout the sonnet Shakespeare uses figurative language to create a mental picture of the man dying and the comparison between night and death. The reader gets a better understanding how much night and death go hand and hand.
In line 4, Shakespeare uses figurative language when he says “bare ruined” because what Shakespeare is actually meaning is the bare branches that hang on a tree is reference to the bones in the man’s body are degrading and that this man is becoming weak.
In line 8, Shakespeare uses figurative language to describe what he really means is night. In the sonnet he says “death’s second self” which is death’s twin and his twin is night. Shakespeare using figurative language in this line so that the reader can get a better understanding of the deeper meaning which is the death of the man to night.
Throughout the sonnet Shakespeare uses figurative language to create a mental picture of the man dying and the comparison between night and death. The reader gets a better understanding how much night and death go hand and hand.
Metaphor
In sonnet 73, William Shakespeare uses metaphor throughout to exhibit the connection between seasons and the growing older, these are two totally different subjects but there being compared to connect the man’s life. Shakespeare connects time periods during the day like twilight, and also he connects seasons like fall or early winter to the time in the man’s life.
In line 1, Shakespeare compares the seasons to the man in the sonnet by saying, “ time of year… in me behold.” Because it's comparing to the man’s age to the seasons, it's an extended metaphor because throughout the sonnet there were smaller metaphors within that contributed to the metaphor found in line 1.
In line 5, Shakespeare compares the man in the sonnet to twilight by saying, “In me thou seest the twilight.” Shakespeare uses metaphor here to show that old age is approaching the man. Again it's referring back to the time of year and time of day to the man in the sonnet, which goes back to line 1 (the extended metaphor).
In lines 7-9, Shakespeare says, “black night… death’s second self… in me thou see'st the glowing of such fire.” This is comparing the man to death’s twin which is figurative language for night. Shakespeare also says black night which has a deeper meaning which is death. So as a whole the man is being compared to the time of day and time of year to the man in the sonnet. Shakespeare uses metaphor in these lines to show that this man is coming to his final days.
Throughout the sonnet, there were lots of smaller metaphors that all contributed to the extended metaphor (found in line 1). Each of the smaller metaphors revealed the stages in the man’s life, to growing old to his final days of his life. This sonnet is about how the man is being compared to the time in his life to the seasons and time of day, with metaphors we wouldn’t understand this concept and connection that happens with this man in this sonnet and that is why shakespeare uses metaphors.
In line 1, Shakespeare compares the seasons to the man in the sonnet by saying, “ time of year… in me behold.” Because it's comparing to the man’s age to the seasons, it's an extended metaphor because throughout the sonnet there were smaller metaphors within that contributed to the metaphor found in line 1.
In line 5, Shakespeare compares the man in the sonnet to twilight by saying, “In me thou seest the twilight.” Shakespeare uses metaphor here to show that old age is approaching the man. Again it's referring back to the time of year and time of day to the man in the sonnet, which goes back to line 1 (the extended metaphor).
In lines 7-9, Shakespeare says, “black night… death’s second self… in me thou see'st the glowing of such fire.” This is comparing the man to death’s twin which is figurative language for night. Shakespeare also says black night which has a deeper meaning which is death. So as a whole the man is being compared to the time of day and time of year to the man in the sonnet. Shakespeare uses metaphor in these lines to show that this man is coming to his final days.
Throughout the sonnet, there were lots of smaller metaphors that all contributed to the extended metaphor (found in line 1). Each of the smaller metaphors revealed the stages in the man’s life, to growing old to his final days of his life. This sonnet is about how the man is being compared to the time in his life to the seasons and time of day, with metaphors we wouldn’t understand this concept and connection that happens with this man in this sonnet and that is why shakespeare uses metaphors.