Sonnet 115: Those Lines That I Before Have Writ Do Lie
Those lines that I before have writ do lie,
Even those that said I could not love you dearer:
Yet then my judgment knew no reason why
My most full flame should afterwards burn clearer.
But reckoning Time, whose million’d accidents
Creep in ‘twixt vows, and change decrees of kings,
Tan sacred beauty, blunt the sharp’st intents,
Divert strong minds to the course of altering things;
Alas! why, fearing of Time’s tyranny,
Might I not then say, ‘Now I love you best,’
When I was certain o’er incertainty,
Crowning the present, doubting of the rest?
Love is a babe, then might I not say so,
To give full growth to that which still doth grow?
Line 1:
“Those lines that I before have writ do lie,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Writ: Written.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The sonnet opens with the poet admitting that the lines he has written before are lies. This suggests that the poet’s previous declarations of love were incomplete or inaccurate, as his feelings have since grown stronger.
The line sets the tone for the sonnet, which explores the idea that love is constantly evolving and deepening over time.
Line 2:
“Even those that said I could not love you dearer:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Dearer: More deeply or intensely.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet acknowledges that even his previous declarations that he could not love the beloved more deeply were lies, as his love has since grown stronger. This reflects the idea that love is not static but constantly evolving.
The line reinforces the poet’s realization that his love has deepened over time, despite his earlier claims.
Line 3:
“Yet then my judgment knew no reason why”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Judgment: Understanding or perception.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet reflects that at the time he wrote those lines, he could not foresee any reason why his love would grow stronger. This suggests that the poet’s understanding of love was limited by his experience at the time.
The line reflects the poet’s realization that love can grow and change in ways that are difficult to predict.
Line 4:
“My most full flame should afterwards burn clearer.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Full flame: Intense love.
- Burn clearer: Become even more intense or pure.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how his love, which he once thought was at its fullest, has since become even more intense and pure. This reflects the idea that love is not static but constantly evolving and deepening over time.
The line reinforces the poet’s realization that his love has grown stronger and more intense.
Line 5:
“But reckoning Time, whose million’d accidents”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Reckoning: Considering or taking into account.
- Million’d accidents: Countless unforeseen events.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet reflects on the passage of time and the countless unforeseen events that can affect love. This suggests that the poet is aware of the challenges and uncertainties that come with the passage of time.
The line reflects the poet’s understanding that love is subject to the influence of time and external circumstances.
Line 6:
“Creep in ‘twixt vows, and change decrees of kings,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- ‘Twixt: Between.
- Decrees of kings: The commands or decisions of rulers.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how time can subtly affect even the most solemn vows and the decisions of kings, suggesting that nothing is immune to the passage of time. This reflects the idea that love, like all things, is subject to change over time.
The line reinforces the poet’s understanding that love is not static but constantly evolving.
Line 7:
“Tan sacred beauty, blunt the sharp’st intents,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Tan: Fade or diminish.
- Sacred beauty: Divine or perfect beauty.
- Blunt: Weaken or dull.
- Sharp’st intents: The most determined intentions.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how time can fade even the most sacred beauty and weaken the most determined intentions, suggesting that nothing is immune to the passage of time. This reflects the idea that love, like all things, is subject to change over time.
The line reinforces the poet’s understanding that love is not static but constantly evolving.
Line 8:
“Divert strong minds to the course of altering things;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Divert: Turn aside or change.
- Strong minds: Determined or resolute individuals.
- Altering things: Changing circumstances.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how time can change even the most determined minds, suggesting that nothing is immune to the passage of time. This reflects the idea that love, like all things, is subject to change over time.
The line reinforces the poet’s understanding that love is not static but constantly evolving.
Line 9:
“Alas! why, fearing of Time’s tyranny,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Tyranny: Oppressive power or control.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet laments the oppressive power of time, suggesting that he fears its ability to change and diminish love. This reflects the idea that the poet is aware of the challenges and uncertainties that come with the passage of time.
The line reinforces the poet’s understanding that love is subject to the influence of time and external circumstances.
Line 10:
“Might I not then say, ‘Now I love you best,’”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Might I not then say: Could I not have said.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet wonders why he could not have declared that he loved the beloved best at the time, despite his fear of time’s tyranny. This suggests that the poet is reflecting on the nature of love and its ability to grow and change over time.
The line reflects the poet’s realization that love is constantly evolving and deepening.
Line 11:
“When I was certain o’er incertainty,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Certain o’er incertainty: Confident despite uncertainty.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet reflects that he was confident in his love despite the uncertainties of time, suggesting that he believed his love was at its peak. This reflects the idea that the poet’s understanding of love was limited by his experience at the time.
The line reinforces the poet’s realization that love can grow and change in ways that are difficult to predict.
Line 12:
“Crowning the present, doubting of the rest?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Crowning: Honoring or celebrating.
- Doubting of the rest: Uncertain about the future.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet describes how he celebrated the present moment of love while being uncertain about the future, suggesting that he was aware of the challenges and uncertainties that come with the passage of time. This reflects the idea that the poet’s understanding of love was limited by his experience at the time.
The line reinforces the poet’s realization that love is constantly evolving and deepening.
Line 13:
“Love is a babe, then might I not say so,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Babe: A baby or infant, symbolizing growth and potential.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The poet compares love to a baby, suggesting that it is constantly growing and developing. This reflects the idea that love is not static but constantly evolving and deepening over time.
The line reinforces the poet’s realization that love is constantly evolving and deepening.
Line 14:
“To give full growth to that which still doth grow?”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Full growth: Complete development.
- Still doth grow: Continues to grow.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
The sonnet concludes with the poet acknowledging that love is still growing and developing, suggesting that it has not yet reached its full potential. This reflects the idea that love is constantly evolving and deepening over time.
The line reinforces the poet’s realization that love is not static but constantly evolving.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 115 explores the idea that love is constantly evolving and deepening over time. The poet admits that his previous declarations of love were incomplete or inaccurate, as his feelings have since grown stronger. He reflects on the passage of time and the countless unforeseen events that can affect love, acknowledging that nothing is immune to the passage of time. The poet compares love to a baby, suggesting that it is constantly growing and developing, and concludes that love has not yet reached its full potential. The sonnet reflects Shakespeare’s understanding that love is not static but constantly evolving and deepening over time.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 115
Summary
In Sonnet 115, Shakespeare reflects on how his past declarations of love were premature because his love has continued to grow beyond what he once thought possible. He wrestles with the unpredictability of time, which changes everything, yet he insists that his love has only strengthened.
- First quatrain: The speaker contradicts his earlier poems, saying that his past claims were false—he thought he loved fully, but now his love burns even brighter.
- Second quatrain: He reflects on how time alters everything, from royal decrees to physical beauty.
- Third quatrain: He questions whether he was wrong to say, “I love you best,” in the past, since he now realizes love keeps growing.
- Final couplet: Love is like a child—always growing—so he was not wrong to claim fullness before, as love’s fullness is ever-expanding.
Critical Analysis
1. The Fallibility of Past Declarations
- “Those lines that I before have writ do lie, / Even those that said I could not love you dearer:”
- The speaker rejects his previous sonnets, admitting that they underestimated his capacity to love.
- This is a rare self-contradiction in Shakespeare’s sonnets, emphasizing how love is not static, but ever-growing.
2. The Tyranny of Time
- “But reckoning Time, whose million’d accidents / Creep in ‘twixt vows, and change decrees of kings,”
- Time is personified as an unpredictable force that interrupts even the strongest vows.
- The reference to kings’ decrees changing suggests that nothing is immune to time—not even power or beauty.
- This echoes Sonnet 116, where love is described as an unchanging star that withstands time’s assaults.
3. Love vs. the Fear of Change
- “Alas! why, fearing of Time’s tyranny, / Might I not then say, ‘Now I love you best’”
- The speaker wonders if his past self was justified in claiming that his love was at its peak.
- He implies that love’s nature is paradoxical—even though he feared time would weaken love, he now realizes that love only strengthens.
4. The Final Metaphor: Love as a Child
- “Love is a babe, then might I not say so, / To give full growth to that which still doth grow?”
- Love is likened to a growing child—no matter how mature it seems, it is still in development.
- This imagery redefines love not as a fixed state, but as a continuous evolution.
- The couplet resolves the paradox: past declarations were true in their moment, but love has no final form—it keeps expanding.
Theme Analysis
1. Love’s Ever-Growing Nature
- The sonnet suggests that love is not a fixed quantity but something that constantly deepens.
- Even when one thinks love is at its fullest, it can still surpass expectations.
- This is an evolution from earlier sonnets, where the speaker often tries to capture love as eternal and unchanging.
2. The Power of Time
- Time is depicted as a disruptive force, capable of changing minds, weakening beauty, and even influencing rulers.
- Yet, unlike everything else, love seems to defy time’s destructive power—it does not fade, but grows stronger.
- This contrasts with Shakespeare’s usual portrayal of time as an enemy to love (e.g., Sonnet 60: “Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore”).
3. Self-Doubt and Certainty in Love
- The speaker questions his own past certainty, showing how love’s true depth is only realized with time.
- He acknowledges that his declarations were honest at the time, even if they now seem incomplete.
- This introduces a philosophical paradox—how can one ever claim to love “the most” if love can always grow?
Literary Devices
1. Personification of Time
- “Time, whose million’d accidents / Creep in ‘twixt vows”
- Time is depicted as an unpredictable force that interferes with human affairs.
- The verb “creep” suggests that change happens subtly and inevitably.
2. Metaphor: Love as a Child
- “Love is a babe, then might I not say so”
- Love is personified as a child that keeps growing.
- This metaphor reinforces the fluid, ever-expanding nature of love.
3. Contrast: Certainty vs. Uncertainty
- “When I was certain o’er incertainty”
- This paradox emphasizes how one can be sure of love in the moment, yet still discover deeper love later.
Conclusion
Sonnet 115 presents a profound reflection on the evolving nature of love. Shakespeare challenges the idea that love has a peak, arguing instead that it constantly deepens over time. The speaker’s past claims were not lies, but incomplete truths, as love is like a child that continues to grow. By exploring the power of time, the fluidity of love, and self-doubt, this sonnet offers one of the most introspective meditations on how love surpasses even our own expectations.
