When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past,
I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,
And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste:
Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow,
For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night,
And weep afresh love’s long since cancell’d woe,
And moan the expense of many a vanish’d sight:
Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,
And heavily from woe to woe tell o’er
The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,
Which I new pay as if not paid before.
But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,
All losses are restor’d and sorrows end.
Line 1: “When to the sessions of sweet silent thought”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Sessions – Formal meetings, like a courtroom session.
- Sweet silent thought – Deep, reflective, and peaceful contemplation.
Explanation & Context:
The speaker describes a private moment of deep reflection, as if he is holding a session of memories in his mind. The word “sessions” evokes the idea of a courtroom, where he is reviewing past experiences, joys, and regrets. The “sweet silence” suggests a quiet, meditative mood, filled with nostalgia.
Line 2: “I summon up remembrance of things past,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Summon up – To call forth, like a judge calling a case.
- Remembrance of things past – Memories of past events.
Explanation & Context:
He calls upon his memories as if they are witnesses in a courtroom. The phrase “things past” suggests both happy and painful recollections. This line deepens the idea of examining one’s life through memory, which is a central theme in this sonnet.
Line 3: “I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Sigh – To express regret or sadness.
- Lack – Absence or loss.
- Sought – Desired or tried to obtain.
Explanation & Context:
He laments the things he wanted but never achieved. This could include lost opportunities, unfulfilled dreams, or missed chances. The tone becomes more regretful, as he focuses on what he has lost instead of what he has gained.
Line 4: “And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Old woes – Past sorrows or troubles.
- New wail – To cry or lament again.
- Dear time’s waste – The precious time that has been lost.
Explanation & Context:
He grieves all over again for old pains and wasted time. Instead of moving on, he finds himself reliving past sadness, making them feel fresh and painful again. The phrase “dear time’s waste” implies that he deeply regrets how much time has slipped away without fulfillment.
Line 5: “Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Drown an eye – To cry heavily.
- Unused to flow – Not accustomed to crying.
Explanation & Context:
The speaker, who normally does not cry, finds himself overcome with emotion. His tears now flow freely, showing how deep his sorrow is. This suggests that even the strongest people can break down under the weight of memories and regrets.
Line 6: “For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Precious friends – Dear, beloved friends.
- Hid in death’s dateless night – Lost to death, in the endless darkness of the grave.
Explanation & Context:
He mourns friends who have passed away, now hidden in the eternal darkness of death. The phrase “dateless night” emphasizes death’s permanence, as it is a place without time, where his friends are lost forever.
Line 7: “And weep afresh love’s long since cancell’d woe,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Weep afresh – Cry again.
- Love’s long since cancell’d woe – The past pains of love that he thought were forgotten.
Explanation & Context:
The speaker re-experiences old heartbreaks, as if they had just happened. The phrase “long since cancell’d” suggests that these pains were once overcome or buried, but memory revives them painfully.
Line 8: “And moan the expense of many a vanish’d sight:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Moan – To grieve or lament.
- Expense – The cost or loss.
- Vanish’d sight – Things or people that are gone forever.
Explanation & Context:
He mourns the cost of losing people, experiences, or beauty that have disappeared from his life. This reinforces the idea of time taking away everything precious, leading to deep sorrow and regret.
Line 9: “Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Grieve – To feel sorrow.
- Grievances foregone – Past troubles that were supposedly left behind.
Explanation & Context:
He reopens old wounds, suffering again over past troubles that he had already endured. This suggests that pain never truly disappears—it can resurface through memory.
Line 10: “And heavily from woe to woe tell o’er”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Heavily – With deep sadness.
- From woe to woe – From one sorrow to another.
- Tell o’er – To recount or relive.
Explanation & Context:
He goes through his list of past sufferings one by one, feeling each pain anew. The cumulative weight of all his past sorrows makes his grief even stronger.
Line 11: “The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Sad account – A painful record or history.
- Fore-bemoaned moan – Cries that have already been cried before.
Explanation & Context:
The speaker recounts his past sorrows like a debt that must be repaid over and over. This reinforces the idea of emotional suffering as a recurring burden.
Line 12: “Which I new pay as if not paid before.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- New pay – To suffer again.
- As if not paid before – As if the past pain had never been felt.
Explanation & Context:
His suffering feels fresh and new, even though he has already endured it. The idea of grief as a debt that can never be fully paid makes the poem deeply poignant.
Line 13: “But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- The while – During this time.
- Dear friend – The person he loves and cherishes.
Explanation & Context:
A sudden shift occurs—all his grief is momentarily erased when he remembers his beloved friend. This signals a turn from sorrow to hope, as love once again provides solace.
Line 14: “All losses are restor’d and sorrows end.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Restor’d – Given back, regained.
- Sorrows end – Pain and grief disappear.
Explanation & Context:
The final line delivers a powerful resolution: his beloved friend has the power to heal all wounds. No matter how deep his regrets and pains, the memory of love restores joy and peace, making all suffering seem insignificant.
Final Analysis:
- Theme of Memory & Regret – The speaker relives past pain, showing how memory can be both a blessing and a curse.
- Theme of Love’s Power – Despite all his suffering, the thought of his dear friend brings comfort and healing.
- Contrast Between Sorrow and Joy – The first 12 lines are filled with grief, but the final 2 lines shift to hope and renewal.
- Time’s Role in Emotion – The past never truly leaves us, but love can give it meaning and soften its pain.
This sonnet beautifully illustrates the endurance of love over time—how it can transform even the deepest sorrows into peace and joy.
Summary
In Sonnet 30, the speaker reflects on past sorrows and regrets, engaging in a mental session of self-examination. He recalls unfulfilled desires, lost friends, past heartbreaks, and missed opportunities, reliving his grief as if old wounds were fresh again.
However, the volta (shift) in the final couplet brings a transformation—when the speaker thinks of his dear friend, all sorrow vanishes, and his emotional wounds are healed. Love and friendship have the power to restore what was lost, bringing peace and consolation to a troubled heart.
Critical Analysis
Sonnet 30 is a deeply introspective meditation on memory, loss, and the power of love or friendship. The poem captures the way people revisit past pains, sometimes making them feel as fresh as when they first occurred.
The legal metaphor in the first few lines sets the tone for this reflection, as the speaker conducts a mental trial, revisiting his past sorrows like a judge reviewing old cases. He goes through a list of grievances—unfulfilled dreams, lost loved ones, and wasted time.
However, just as he seems consumed by despair, the final couplet brings a sudden relief. The thought of his beloved (whether a friend or a lover) restores his sense of happiness, demonstrating the redemptive power of love and companionship.
Theme Analysis
1. The Burden of Memory
The poem highlights how memory can be both a gift and a curse. The speaker recalls past misfortunes and losses, which make him experience old grief as if it were happening again. This reflects the human tendency to dwell on past regrets, making them feel as fresh as the present moment.
2. The Healing Power of Love and Friendship
Despite the overwhelming sorrow, the speaker finds complete solace in thinking of his friend. This suggests that human connection can overcome even the deepest regrets. The final lines show that love and friendship act as a form of emotional wealth, restoring what time and fate have taken away.
3. Time as a Destroyer and a Restorer
Time is portrayed as both a force of destruction and restoration. It steals friends, opportunities, and youth, but love has the power to counteract its effects, proving that emotional bonds transcend time’s losses.
4. The Nature of Grief
The poem explores how grief never truly disappears. The speaker re-experiences past pains as if they were happening again, illustrating how the mind often revisits old wounds. This suggests that people never fully escape their sorrows, but they can find relief in companionship.
Literary Devices
1. Legal Metaphor
- “When to the sessions of sweet silent thought / I summon up remembrance of things past”
→ The speaker compares his reflection to a courtroom trial, where he reviews past grievances like a judge reviewing old cases. - “The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan, / Which I new pay as if not paid before.”
→ Grief is treated like a debt that must be repaid, suggesting that the speaker continuously suffers the same emotional losses.
2. Alliteration
- “sessions of sweet silent thought”
→ The repetition of the “s” sound creates a soft, reflective mood, enhancing the sonnet’s contemplative tone. - “Then can I grieve at grievances foregone.”
→ The repeated “g” sounds emphasize the intensity of the speaker’s sorrow.
3. Personification
- “I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought”
→ Time is personified as something that steals dreams and opportunities, reinforcing the theme of regret. - “For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night”
→ Death is personified as a never-ending night, emphasizing its permanence and inescapability.
4. Repetition
- “And heavily from woe to woe tell o’er / The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan.”
→ The repeated “woe” and “moan” highlight the cyclical nature of grief, suggesting that past pains never truly disappear.
5. Imagery
- “Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow”
→ The speaker imagines himself drowning in his own tears, creating a powerful visual of sorrow. - “For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night”
→ The dark imagery of “death’s night” emphasizes the permanence of loss.
6. The Volta (Shift in Tone)
- “But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, / All losses are restor’d and sorrows end.”
→ The dramatic shift from sorrow to joy highlights the redemptive power of love and companionship.
Conclusion
Sonnet 30 is a profound meditation on loss, memory, and the healing power of love or friendship. The speaker’s despair over past regrets and lost loved ones is so overwhelming that he feels his old grief as freshly as when it first occurred. However, the simple thought of his beloved friend transforms his sorrow into joy, proving that love and companionship are the greatest sources of emotional healing.
Shakespeare uses legal metaphors, personification, repetition, and vivid imagery to illustrate the depth of the speaker’s sorrow and the power of love to restore happiness. The final couplet delivers a hopeful message—though time takes away many things, love has the power to restore even what seems lost.
