My glass shall not persuade me I am old,
So long as youth and thou are of one date;
But when in thee time’s furrows I behold,
Then look I death my days should expiate.
For all that beauty that doth cover thee,
Is but the seemly raiment of my heart,
Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me:
How can I then be elder than thou art?
O! therefore love, be of thyself so wary
As I, not for myself, but for thee will;
Bearing thy heart, which I will keep so chary
As tender nurse her babe from faring ill.
Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain,
Thou gav’st me thine not to give back again.
Line 1: “My glass shall not persuade me I am old,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Glass – Mirror.
- Persuade – Convince or make someone believe something.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare begins by saying that his mirror will not convince him that he is old. This suggests that he refuses to acknowledge aging as long as his beloved remains youthful. Mirrors typically reflect reality, but in this case, his perception of age is tied to his love, not to his own appearance.
This opening line establishes the theme of time and love, emphasizing how the poet sees his own youth through his beloved.
Line 2: “So long as youth and thou are of one date;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- One date – The same age or era.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare claims that as long as his beloved remains young, he will also feel young. His sense of aging is not based on his own body but on the state of his lover. This line reinforces the idea that love has a power over time, making the poet feel eternally youthful.
Line 3: “But when in thee time’s furrows I behold,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Furrows – Wrinkles or deep lines on the face.
- Behold – See or notice.
Explanation & Context:
Here, Shakespeare acknowledges that time will eventually mark his beloved’s face with wrinkles. This is a shift from the previous lines—while he wishes to believe in eternal youth, he knows that aging is inevitable.
This introduces a contrast between his earlier denial of aging and his acceptance that time will eventually affect them both.
Line 4: “Then look I death my days should expiate.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Look I – I consider or expect.
- Expiate – Atone for, pay off, or come to an end.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare suggests that when he sees his beloved aging, he will recognize that his own life is nearing its end. His sense of life and death is tied to his lover—when they show signs of age, he will accept that his time is also up.
This line deepens the theme of shared existence, emphasizing that his life is intertwined with his beloved’s.
Line 5: “For all that beauty that doth cover thee,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Doth – Does (old English).
- Cover thee – Refers to outward appearance.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare acknowledges that his beloved’s beauty is merely an outer covering, suggesting that true love is beyond physical appearance. This line transitions into a deeper exploration of love beyond youth and beauty.
Line 6: “Is but the seemly raiment of my heart,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Seemly – Proper, fitting, or pleasing.
- Raiment – Clothing or garment.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare poetically states that his lover’s beauty is like clothing for his own heart. This means that his beloved’s appearance reflects his inner emotions—when they look beautiful, he feels beautiful inside.
This line reinforces the idea that their connection is deeper than the physical, linking their appearances to their emotional and spiritual bond.
Line 7: “Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Breast – Heart or soul.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare claims that his heart lives within his beloved, just as their heart lives within him. This expresses deep mutual love and unity. Their connection transcends physicality, making them a single entity in spirit.
This idea of lovers exchanging hearts is a common metaphor in poetry, symbolizing deep emotional interdependence.
Line 8: “How can I then be elder than thou art?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Elder – Older.
Explanation & Context:
Since his heart resides in his beloved and their heart in him, Shakespeare argues that he cannot be older than them. This reinforces the idea that love defies age—if they are the same in spirit, then he cannot grow older while they remain young.
This ties back to the opening line, where he claimed his mirror would not convince him of aging as long as his beloved was young.
Line 9: “O! therefore love, be of thyself so wary”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Wary – Cautious or careful.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare urges his beloved to take care of themselves. Since they share their hearts, his lover’s well-being directly affects him. He implies that if his beloved does not take care of themselves, they both suffer.
This shows a protective and devoted aspect of love.
Line 10: “As I, not for myself, but for thee will;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Will – Wish or intend.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare claims that he does not take care of himself for his own sake but for his beloved. He suggests that his well-being is secondary to theirs, showing selfless love.
This further develops the theme of interconnectedness—their lives and well-being are entirely dependent on one another.
Line 11: “Bearing thy heart, which I will keep so chary”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Bearing – Holding or carrying.
- Chary – Careful or protective.
Explanation & Context:
Since he metaphorically carries his beloved’s heart, Shakespeare promises to guard it with extreme care. This deepens the idea that love involves responsibility—he treasures his lover’s emotions as if they were his own.
This protective tone echoes parental care, reinforcing the depth of devotion in their relationship.
Line 12: “As tender nurse her babe from faring ill.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Tender nurse – A gentle caretaker, like a mother or nanny.
- Faring ill – Becoming sick or suffering misfortune.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare compares his care for his beloved’s heart to a nurse protecting a baby from harm. This simile highlights the intensity of his love—he is not just a lover but also a caretaker, ensuring his beloved remains safe and well.
This echoes the theme of protective, almost parental love, reinforcing how much he values and nurtures their connection.
Line 13: “Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Presume not – Do not assume.
- Slain – Destroyed or dead.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare warns his beloved not to assume they will remain unaffected if he dies or suffers. Since they share hearts, his pain or death would also affect them. This reinforces their deep emotional bond—his fate is tied to theirs.
This line carries a tone of emotional urgency, showing how much he depends on their love.
Line 14: “Thou gav’st me thine not to give back again.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Gav’st – Gave (old English form).
- Not to give back again – Not to return or reject.
Explanation & Context:
Shakespeare ends by emphasizing that their hearts were exchanged permanently. Love, once given, cannot be taken back. This line reinforces the idea of eternal devotion—their connection is not something temporary or reversible.
This concluding thought ties the entire sonnet together: their love is so deeply intertwined that time, age, or even death cannot separate them.
Summary
In Sonnet 22, Shakespeare rejects the notion that he has grown old simply because of what he sees in the mirror. Instead, he equates his youth with that of his beloved, asserting that as long as they remain together, his own sense of aging is irrelevant. However, he acknowledges that when he sees signs of aging in his beloved, he will accept his own mortality. The poem expresses a deep connection between the speaker and the beloved, stating that their hearts reside in each other. Because of this, the speaker vows to protect the beloved’s heart with the same care that a nurse shows an infant. The final couplet serves as a powerful declaration of commitment: the beloved’s heart now belongs permanently to the speaker, and it should not be reclaimed even if the speaker dies.
Critical Analysis
Sonnet 22 explores themes of love, aging, and deep emotional unity between the speaker and the beloved. The speaker refuses to acknowledge his own aging because he feels so intimately connected to the youthfulness of his beloved. This denial of time is a recurring idea in Shakespeare’s sonnets, where love often serves as a defense against the ravages of age and mortality.
The poem also suggests a symbiotic relationship between the speaker and the beloved, where each possesses the other’s heart. This mutual exchange elevates their love beyond the physical realm into something eternal and unbreakable.
Additionally, there is an underlying sense of vulnerability—while the speaker seems to take on a protective role, there is an implicit fear of losing the beloved to time. This foreshadows later sonnets where aging and separation become more pressing concerns.
The final couplet contains a plea and a warning: the beloved should not take back their love even if the speaker perishes. This reinforces the idea that true love transcends death, a concept central to many of Shakespeare’s works.
Theme Analysis
1. Love as a Defiance of Time
The speaker refuses to let his mirror dictate his sense of aging, instead tying his youth to the beloved’s. This reflects a broader Shakespearean theme: love has the power to resist time and decay.
2. The Interchangeability of Souls
The poem emphasizes the notion that the speaker and the beloved are spiritually merged—each carrying the other’s heart. This exchange of selves suggests a love so profound that individual identities blur into one.
3. Devotion and Protection
The speaker takes on a protective role, comparing his care for the beloved’s heart to a nurse tending a child. This metaphor highlights tenderness, responsibility, and the fragility of love.
4. The Inevitability of Aging and Death
Despite the initial defiance of aging, the speaker ultimately concedes that when the beloved shows signs of aging, he will accept his own mortality. This introduces a melancholic recognition of time’s power, despite love’s resistance.
Literary Devices
1. Metaphor
- “For all that beauty that doth cover thee, / Is but the seemly raiment of my heart”: The beloved’s beauty is metaphorically described as clothing that covers the speaker’s heart, reinforcing the idea of their emotional unity.
- “As tender nurse her babe from faring ill”: The speaker compares himself to a nurse caring for a child, emphasizing his role as a protector.
2. Personification
- “My glass shall not persuade me I am old”: The mirror is personified as something that tries to convince the speaker of his aging. This suggests an internal struggle between self-perception and reality.
3. Symbolism
- “Heart”: The repeated mention of the heart symbolizes love, devotion, and the essence of identity. The exchange of hearts between the speaker and the beloved suggests a permanent emotional bond.
4. Paradox
- “How can I then be elder than thou art?”: The speaker questions how he can be older than the beloved if their hearts are exchanged. This paradox reinforces the idea of shared existence and inseparability.
5. Enjambment
- Several lines continue into the next without a pause, creating a flowing and natural rhythm that mimics the interconnectedness of the speaker and beloved.
Conclusion
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 22 is a powerful meditation on love’s ability to transcend time and mortality. By intertwining his own youth and existence with that of his beloved, the speaker constructs a vision of love as a timeless and eternal force. The poem’s rich use of metaphor, personification, and paradox deepens its emotional impact, making it a testament to love’s enduring power despite the inevitable passage of time.
