Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paws,
And make the earth devour her own sweet brood;
Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger’s jaws,
And burn the long-liv’d phoenix, in her blood;
Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleet’st,
And do whate’er thou wilt, swift-footed Time,
To the wide world and all her fading sweets;
But I forbid thee one most heinous crime:
O! carve not with thy hours my love’s fair brow,
Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen;
Him in thy course untainted do allow
For beauty’s pattern to succeeding men.
Yet, do thy worst old Time: despite thy wrong,
My love shall in my verse ever live young.
Line 1: “Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paws,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Devouring Time – Time that consumes or destroys all things.
- Blunt – To dull or weaken.
- Lion’s paws – Symbolizes strength, power, and might.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare personifies Time as a relentless force that consumes everything. The phrase “Devouring Time” conveys how time gradually erodes even the strongest elements of nature. The poet commands Time to “blunt the lion’s paws,” meaning he wishes for time to weaken the mighty lion, a creature representing strength and power. This reflects the inevitable decay that time brings to all living beings, no matter how strong they are.
By addressing Time directly, Shakespeare sets the tone for the poem: a meditation on the unstoppable force of time and its effect on nature and beauty. The poet acknowledges that time can weaken even the strongest creatures, which foreshadows the theme of inevitable aging and decay in the rest of the sonnet.
Line 2: “And make the earth devour her own sweet brood;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Devour – To consume or destroy.
- Earth – Represents nature, the world, or the mother figure.
- Sweet brood – Refers to offspring, children, or the creatures that the earth has given birth to.
Explanation & Context:
Here, Shakespeare deepens the theme of destruction by depicting the earth as a mother who consumes her own children. This paradox suggests that everything born from the earth—whether plants, animals, or humans—will eventually be reclaimed by it. Time ensures that all living things die and return to the earth, reinforcing the idea of inevitable decay.
The phrase “sweet brood” adds a layer of tenderness, highlighting the tragic nature of time’s destruction. Even the most beautiful and innocent beings are not spared from the ravages of time. This further emphasizes the universal power of time over all living things.
Line 3: “Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger’s jaws,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Pluck – To pull out or remove forcefully.
- Keen – Sharp or powerful.
- Fierce – Wild, aggressive, or intense.
- Tiger’s jaws – Represents strength, aggression, and dominance.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare continues his theme of time’s destructive power by describing how it can strip even the most fearsome creatures of their strength. The “keen teeth” of the tiger symbolize power and ferocity, and the act of plucking them suggests that time has the ability to weaken and render even the strongest beings powerless.
The imagery of a tiger losing its sharp teeth emphasizes that nothing, no matter how fearsome or mighty, can resist time’s effects. This aligns with the previous lines, reinforcing the idea that time spares no one—not even the most powerful forces of nature.
Line 4: “And burn the long-liv’d phoenix, in her blood;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Burn – To destroy with fire.
- Long-liv’d – Having a long lifespan, seemingly immortal.
- Phoenix – A mythical bird that regenerates by burning itself and rising from its ashes.
- Her blood – Represents the self-sacrificial nature of the phoenix’s rebirth.
Explanation & Context:
The phoenix is a legendary bird that symbolizes immortality and renewal, as it burns itself to ashes and is reborn from them. However, Shakespeare suggests that even the phoenix is subject to time’s power. Rather than allowing it to be reborn, time is depicted as burning it permanently in its own blood, implying that even creatures associated with eternal life cannot escape time’s reach.
This line serves as a powerful metaphor for the absolute dominance of time—it can even end the cycle of rebirth and regeneration. It also continues the pattern established in the first three lines, showing how time can weaken, destroy, or consume even the most formidable and seemingly eternal entities.
Line 5: “Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleet’st,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Glad – Happy or joyful.
- Sorry – Sad, sorrowful, or unfortunate.
- Seasons – The changing times of the year, symbolic of life’s different phases.
- Fleet’st – (Archaic) Fleeting, moving quickly, passing by.
Explanation & Context:
Here, Shakespeare acknowledges that time controls the changing of seasons, bringing both joy and sorrow. This dual nature of time reflects the cycle of life—there are moments of happiness (spring and summer) and moments of sorrow (autumn and winter).
By stating that time “fleets,” the poet highlights its swift movement. This suggests that both good and bad moments are temporary, reinforcing the idea that nothing lasts forever under time’s rule. The contrast between glad and sorry seasons also reminds us of life’s inevitable ups and downs, all dictated by time’s unstoppable passage.
Line 6: “And do whate’er thou wilt, swift-footed Time,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Whate’er – Whatever.
- Wilt – Will (old English form).
- Swift-footed – Moving quickly, never stopping.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare personifies time again, calling it “swift-footed,” emphasizing how quickly it moves. The phrase “do whate’er thou wilt” suggests that time has absolute freedom to act as it pleases, reinforcing its unstoppable nature.
This line serves as a resignation to time’s power. The poet acknowledges that nothing can control time—it moves forward relentlessly, changing and destroying everything in its path. By emphasizing time’s speed, Shakespeare intensifies the sense of urgency and inevitability in the poem.
Line 7: “To the wide world and all her fading sweets;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Wide world – The entire earth, everything in existence.
- Fading – Diminishing, losing brightness, growing weaker over time.
- Sweets – Beautiful and pleasurable things in life.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare extends time’s influence beyond individual beings to encompass the entire world. The “fading sweets” refer to all things that bring joy and beauty—youth, love, nature, and art—all of which time slowly erodes.
The use of “her” to describe the world personifies nature as a nurturing but helpless mother figure, unable to resist time’s relentless march. The phrase “fading sweets” reinforces the poem’s central idea: nothing beautiful or precious can last forever under time’s dominion.
Line 8: “But I forbid thee one most heinous crime:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Forbid – To command against, to prohibit.
- Heinous – Wicked, evil, or terrible.
- Crime – A wrong, an act of harm.
Explanation & Context:
Up to this point, the poet has acknowledged time’s power, but now he takes a defiant stance. He concedes that time can weaken the strong and destroy beauty, but there is one thing he refuses to allow.
Calling time’s actions a “heinous crime” intensifies the gravity of his request. This marks a turning point in the sonnet, shifting from resignation to resistance. The reader is left in suspense—what is the one crime that Shakespeare forbids time from committing?
Line 9: “O! carve not with thy hours my love’s fair brow,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Carve – To mark permanently, to engrave.
- Thy – Your (old English form).
- Hours – A metaphor for the passing of time.
- Love’s fair brow – The forehead of the poet’s beloved, a symbol of youthful beauty.
Explanation & Context:
Here, Shakespeare reveals what he forbids: he does not want time to age his beloved. The phrase “carve with thy hours” suggests the wrinkles that time etches into a person’s face as they grow older. The poet’s plea is deeply emotional—he accepts that time can affect everything else, but he begs that it spare the beauty of his love.
This line introduces the central conflict of the poem: the battle between time’s destructive power and the poet’s desire to preserve his beloved’s youth.
Line 10: “Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Draw no lines – Do not create wrinkles or signs of aging.
- Thine – Your (old English form).
- Antique pen – A metaphor for time’s passage, suggesting aging and decay.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare repeats his plea, reinforcing his request that time should not leave marks (wrinkles) on his beloved’s face. The phrase “antique pen” is a brilliant metaphor, comparing time’s effects to a writer inscribing wrinkles onto a once-smooth face.
The use of “antique” emphasizes time’s old, unchanging nature—just as time has written on the faces of past generations, it will continue to do so unless stopped. This intensifies the poet’s defiance against time.
Line 11: “Him in thy course untainted do allow”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Him – The poet’s beloved.
- Thy course – The journey or passage of time.
- Untainted – Unharmed, pure, unaffected.
- Allow – Permit or let happen.
Explanation & Context:
The poet makes a final plea: he asks time to let his beloved remain untouched by age and decay. “Untainted” suggests not just physical beauty but also purity and perfection.
By placing this request within time’s “course,” Shakespeare acknowledges that time moves forward, but he hopes that, somehow, his love can be exempt from its effects. This plea highlights the poet’s deep admiration and desperation to preserve beauty against time’s natural process.
Line 12: “For beauty’s pattern to succeeding men.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Beauty’s pattern – The ideal example of beauty.
- Succeeding men – Future generations.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare claims that his beloved should serve as the ultimate model of beauty for future generations. If time were to spare his love, then people in the future could see a perfect, unaged example of beauty.
This connects to the Renaissance ideal of preserving perfection through art and poetry. The poet hopes that his beloved’s beauty will be admired by generations to come, even as time destroys everything else.
Line 13: “Yet, do thy worst old Time: despite thy wrong,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Do thy worst – A challenge, daring time to act.
- Old Time – A personification of time as an ancient force.
- Despite thy wrong – In spite of the harm time does.
Explanation & Context:
The poet shifts his tone—rather than begging time to spare his beloved, he now defiantly challenges it. He acknowledges time’s power but asserts that he has found a way to overcome it. This marks a triumphant conclusion to the sonnet’s central conflict.
Line 14: “My love shall in my verse ever live young.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Verse – Poetry, written words.
- Ever live young – Remain forever youthful.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare reveals his solution to time’s destruction: poetry. Even if time physically ages his beloved, his love will live on in these verses, preserved in the beauty of his words. This idea—that art can outlast time—is a central theme in many of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
Through this poem, Shakespeare has found a way to make his beloved immortal, proving that poetry has the power to transcend time’s decay.
Summary
In Sonnet 19, Shakespeare addresses Time as a destructive force, calling it “Devouring Time.” He acknowledges its power over nature and all living things, describing how it blunts a lion’s claws, removes the tiger’s teeth, and even burns the mythical phoenix. Time can change the seasons at will and destroy everything in the world.
However, Shakespeare makes a bold plea and command: he forbids Time from aging his beloved. He does not want Time to carve wrinkles into his love’s face or steal his youthful beauty. But even as he demands this, he acknowledges that Time will inevitably win.
In the closing couplet, Shakespeare asserts that poetry will grant immortality. Even though Time will physically alter his love, his verse will preserve the young man’s beauty forever.
Critical Analysis
1. The All-Consuming Power of Time
- Time is personified as a merciless force that can diminish even the strongest creatures (the lion and the tiger).
- The phoenix, a symbol of rebirth and immortality, is also destroyed by Time, reinforcing its unstoppable power.
- This reflects a recurring Shakespearean theme—the fleeting nature of beauty and life.
2. Resistance Against Time’s Destruction
- Shakespeare challenges Time, commanding it not to touch his beloved’s face.
- This defiance is both futile and courageous—he knows he cannot stop time, but he still attempts to preserve beauty.
- This moment reflects both love’s desperation and art’s ambition to defy mortality.
3. The Eternal Power of Poetry
- The final couplet provides a solution to time’s destruction: poetry grants immortality.
- Even if Time destroys the young man’s physical form, his beauty will live on in Shakespeare’s verse.
- This is a powerful statement about the lasting influence of literature—Shakespeare’s sonnets ensure that his love remains forever young.
Themes
1. The Destructive Force of Time
- Time destroys everything, including nature’s fiercest creatures and even immortal beings like the phoenix.
- The poem highlights the inevitability of aging and decay.
2. The Struggle to Preserve Beauty
- The poet attempts to command Time to spare his love, showing a desperate resistance to change.
- This reflects a deep fear of aging and loss—a common theme in the sonnets.
3. Immortality Through Poetry
- While Time destroys physical beauty, poetry can preserve it forever.
- The poem itself serves as proof: we are still reading about Shakespeare’s love centuries later.
Literary Devices
1. Personification – Time as a Devourer
- “Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paws”
- Time is personified as an unstoppable force that consumes everything.
- The phrase “Devouring Time” suggests ravenous destruction, emphasizing its relentlessness.
2. Symbolism – The Phoenix as Immortality
- “And burn the long-liv’d phoenix, in her blood”
- The phoenix is a mythical bird that is reborn from its ashes, symbolizing eternal renewal.
- By stating that Time can even kill the phoenix, Shakespeare stresses that nothing escapes decay.
3. Commanding Tone – Imperative Verbs
- Shakespeare uses imperative verbs like “blunt,” “make,” “pluck,” and “burn”, as if he is ordering Time.
- This defiant tone gives the impression that he is challenging Time’s authority.
4. Metaphor – Time’s “Antique Pen”
- “Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen”
- This compares wrinkles to lines written by Time’s pen, reinforcing the idea of aging as an irreversible script.
5. Heroic Couplet – The Power of Poetry
- “Yet, do thy worst old Time: despite thy wrong, / My love shall in my verse ever live young.”
- The final rhyming couplet encapsulates the poem’s message—poetry is the only true defiance against Time.
- This also follows the Shakespearean sonnet structure, where the ending couplet provides resolution.
Conclusion
Sonnet 19 explores the inevitable passage of time and the poet’s desperate attempt to preserve his beloved’s beauty. Shakespeare acknowledges Time’s absolute power but makes a bold challenge, commanding it not to touch his love.
While he recognizes that physical beauty will fade, he finds solace in poetry—a medium that can grant immortality. The closing couplet asserts that his love will forever remain young in his verses, making literature a weapon against time’s decay.
