When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field,
Thy youth’s proud livery, so gazed on now,
Will be a tatter’d weed, of small worth held:
Then being ask’d where all thy beauty lies,
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days,
To say, within thine own deep-sunken eyes,
Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise.
How much more praise deserved thy beauty’s use,
If thou couldst answer ‘This fair child of mine
Shall sum my count and make my old excuse,’
Proving his beauty by succession thine!
This were to be new made when thou art old,
And see thy blood warm when thou feel’st it cold.
Word Meanings & Line-by-Line Explanation
Lines 1-2
“When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,
- Forty winters – Forty years (symbolizing aging)
- Besiege – Attack or surround (like an army in a siege)
- Brow – Forehead
📖 Explanation: The poet addresses a young man, warning him that when he reaches the age of forty, his face will show the marks of aging, just as an army besieges and wears down a fortress.
“And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field,”
- Dig deep trenches – Create deep wrinkles
- Beauty’s field – The youthful face, likened to a smooth landscape
📖 Explanation: Time will carve wrinkles into the once-smooth and youthful face, just as trenches are dug into a battlefield, marking the passage of age.
Lines 3-4
“Thy youth’s proud livery, so gazed on now,”
- Youth’s proud livery – The glorious uniform (appearance) of youth
- So gazed on now – Currently admired by everyone
📖 Explanation: Right now, the young man’s appearance is like a magnificent uniform, drawing admiration from those who look upon him.
“Will be a tatter’d weed, of small worth held:”
- Tatter’d weed – A worn-out, ragged garment (symbolizing aging and decay)
- Small worth held – Considered insignificant or worthless
📖 Explanation: The once-proud and admired youthful appearance will eventually fade, becoming as tattered and worthless as an old, discarded garment.
Lines 5-6
“Then being ask’d where all thy beauty lies,
- Where all thy beauty lies – Where has all your youthful beauty gone?
📖 Explanation: The poet imagines a future where people will ask the young man where his beauty has disappeared.
“Where all the treasure of thy lusty days,”
- Treasure – Something valuable (referring to youth and beauty)
- Lusty days – Vibrant, energetic youth
📖 Explanation: They will also question where the wealth of his energetic youth has vanished, as it will no longer be visible.
Lines 7-8
“To say, within thine own deep-sunken eyes,”
- Deep-sunken eyes – Eyes that have become hollow due to aging
📖 Explanation: The poet argues that if the young man has to answer that his former beauty now only remains as a faint reflection in his aging, sunken eyes, it would be a sorrowful response.
“Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise.”
- All-eating shame – A disgrace that consumes everything
- Thriftless praise – Useless or wasteful admiration
📖 Explanation: Such an answer would bring shame because it would reveal that his beauty was wasted instead of being preserved through offspring. Any praise for his past beauty would be meaningless since it left no lasting impact.
Lines 9-10
“How much more praise deserved thy beauty’s use,”
- Beauty’s use – The purposeful use of beauty (by producing children)
📖 Explanation: The poet suggests that true praise would come not from vainly holding onto personal beauty but from using it wisely—by passing it on through descendants.
“If thou couldst answer ‘This fair child of mine’”
- Fair child – A beautiful offspring
📖 Explanation: Instead of regret, the young man could proudly say that his beauty lives on in his child.
Lines 11-12
“Shall sum my count and make my old excuse,’”
- Sum my count – Be the total of what I once was (carry on my legacy)
- Make my old excuse – Justify my old age (by showing beauty in the next generation)
📖 Explanation: Having a child would be a way to counteract aging—his son would represent his former self and serve as proof of his once-great beauty.
“Proving his beauty by succession thine!”
- By succession – Through inheritance (passing beauty from one generation to the next)
📖 Explanation: The child’s beauty would serve as undeniable proof that the young man’s beauty did not perish but was instead successfully passed on.
Lines 13-14
“This were to be new made when thou art old,”
- New made – Renewed or reborn
- When thou art old – In old age
📖 Explanation: If the young man has a child, he would metaphorically be “reborn” through his son, ensuring that his beauty does not die with him.
“And see thy blood warm when thou feel’st it cold.”
- Thy blood warm – Life continuing through descendants
- When thou feel’st it cold – When one’s own life and body grow weak with age
📖 Explanation: Even when the young man himself grows old and frail, he could still witness his youthful vitality living on in his child, making his legacy eternal.
Summary of Sonnet 2 (Lines 1-14) Explanation
Shakespeare warns a young man that time will eventually take away his youthful beauty. When he reaches forty, his once-smooth and admired face will be marked with wrinkles, just as a battlefield is scarred with trenches. The vibrant appearance he now proudly wears will become tattered and worthless with age.
In the future, people will ask where his beauty has gone and where the vitality of his youth has disappeared. If he can only point to his own sunken eyes as a reminder of his lost beauty, it would be a shameful and wasteful outcome. Instead, Shakespeare suggests that the young man should use his beauty wisely by having children.
If he were to father a child, he could proudly say that his beauty still exists in his offspring, proving that his youthful charm did not vanish but was passed on. In doing so, he would metaphorically be “reborn” through his child, ensuring his legacy continues even when he himself has grown old and weak. The son would be living proof that his bloodline and beauty persist, offering him a form of immortality.
Critical Analysis of Sonnet 2
Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 2” continues the theme of aging and the importance of procreation, which he introduces in Sonnet 1. The poet urges the Fair Youth (a young, beautiful man) to have children to preserve his beauty, warning that time will eventually steal his youthful charm.
1. Themes in the Sonnet
Aging and the Destruction of Beauty
Shakespeare presents aging as an unstoppable force that will eventually ruin the young man’s beauty. The phrase “forty winters shall besiege thy brow” suggests that time is like an army attacking his face, leaving wrinkles behind as scars of battle. The metaphor of “deep trenches” being dug into his skin reinforces the idea that beauty will be eroded over time.
Vanity vs. Legacy
The young man’s pride in his current beauty is contrasted with how little it will matter in the future. Right now, people admire him, but once his youthful looks fade, he will be like a “tattered weed”—something once valuable but now discarded. Shakespeare warns that if he does not have children, his beauty will die with him.
Shame of Wasting Beauty
The poet emphasizes the wastefulness of hoarding beauty. If the young man grows old without children, people will ask where his beauty has gone, and if the only answer is in his “deep-sunken eyes,” it will be an embarrassing waste. Shakespeare calls this a “thriftless praise”—admiring one’s beauty without using it for a greater purpose.
Procreation as a Form of Immortality
The poet presents an alternative to aging and decay—having a child. If the young man fathers a son, he can proudly say, “This fair child of mine shall sum my count,” meaning his child will carry on his beauty and legacy. The son’s inherited beauty will be proof that the young man’s own youth has not vanished but continues through the next generation.
2. Literary Devices and Their Impact
Metaphors and Imagery
- “Forty winters shall besiege thy brow” → Aging as an attacking army, implying that time is relentless.
- “Dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field” → Wrinkles are compared to trenches in a battlefield, reinforcing the idea that beauty will be lost to time.
- **”Thy youth’s proud livery” → Beauty is described as a fine *uniform*, suggesting it is temporary and subject to wear.
- **”A tatter’d weed” → Once youth fades, beauty becomes like an *old, worthless piece of clothing*.
Personification
- Time as a Conqueror → The idea that time will “besiege” the young man gives time an active, destructive role.
- Beauty as a Treasure → The poet treats beauty as something that can be hoarded or passed on, reinforcing the idea of inheritance.
Persuasion and Rhetoric
The poem follows a logical progression:
- Statement of Fact – The young man will age, and his beauty will fade.
- The Consequence – If he has no children, his beauty will be lost forever.
- The Solution – Having a child will allow his beauty to survive.
This structured argument, combined with vivid imagery, makes the poem both persuasive and poetic.
3. Renaissance Beliefs and Cultural Context
During the Renaissance, the idea of legacy and lineage was extremely important, especially for noble families. Having children was seen as a duty, ensuring that beauty, status, and family name were passed down. Shakespeare reflects this belief, suggesting that hoarding beauty for oneself is selfish and that true greatness comes from leaving behind something meaningful.
Additionally, the poem touches on the Renaissance obsession with immortality. Since physical beauty fades, the only way to truly live on is through offspring or art—a theme Shakespeare explores throughout his sonnets.
4. Tone and Emotional Appeal
The tone of the sonnet is both admiring and urgent. The poet acknowledges the young man’s beauty but warns him that it will not last. There is also a sense of gentle reproach, as if Shakespeare is frustrated by the young man’s failure to think beyond his own vanity. The use of strong imagery and persuasive argumentation makes the poem both intimate and universal.
5. Structure and Style
Like all Shakespearean sonnets, this poem follows the 14-line structure with an ABABCDCDEFEFGG rhyme scheme.
- First Quatrain (Lines 1-4): Describes the inevitable effects of aging.
- Second Quatrain (Lines 5-8): Presents the problem—if he does not have children, his beauty will be lost.
- Third Quatrain (Lines 9-12): Suggests the solution—he can live on through his child.
- Final Couplet (Lines 13-14): Reinforces the main point: having children allows one to be “new made” even in old age.
The structure mirrors the development of an argument, making it clear and convincing.
Conclusion: The Significance of Sonnet 2
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 2 is a powerful reflection on time, beauty, and the necessity of procreation. Using strong metaphors, logical persuasion, and emotional appeal, the poet urges the Fair Youth to think beyond his present beauty and ensure his legacy through a child.
While rooted in Renaissance values, the poem remains relevant today, as it addresses universal fears of aging and the desire for lasting impact. Whether through children, art, or personal influence, Shakespeare’s message is clear: true immortality comes from what we leave behind.
