Sonnet 32: If Thou Survive My Well-Contented Day
If thou survive my well-contented day,
When that churl Death my bones with dust shall cover
And shalt by fortune once more re-survey
These poor rude lines of thy deceased lover,
Compare them with the bett’ring of the time,
And though they be outstripped by every pen,
Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme,
Exceeded by the height of happier men.
O! then vouchsafe me but this loving thought:
‘Had my friend’s Muse grown with this growing age,
A dearer birth than this his love had brought,
To march in ranks of better equipage:
But since he died and poets better prove,
Theirs for their style I’ll read, his for his love.’
Sonnet 32: Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
Line 1: “If thou survive my well-contented day,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Survive – Live longer than.
- Well-contented day – A fulfilled life that ends peacefully.
Explanation & Context:
The speaker is imagining a future where his beloved outlives him, and he himself dies peacefully after a content and satisfying life.
Line 2: “When that churl Death my bones with dust shall cover”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Churl – A rude, selfish person (referring to Death as cruel and greedy).
- Dust shall cover – A reference to burial and decay.
Explanation & Context:
He describes Death as a greedy figure who will eventually claim his body, covering his bones with dust in the grave.
Line 3: “And shalt by fortune once more re-survey”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- By fortune – By chance or luck.
- Re-survey – Look over or read again.
Explanation & Context:
If, by fate or accident, the beloved comes across his poetry in the future, they may read his words once more.
Line 4: “These poor rude lines of thy deceased lover,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Poor rude lines – Simple and unpolished poetry.
- Deceased lover – The poet himself, after his death.
Explanation & Context:
He humbly describes his poetry as crude and unrefined, emphasizing his love over literary skill.
Line 5: “Compare them with the bett’ring of the time,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Bett’ring of the time – The improvement of poetry over time.
Explanation & Context:
He acknowledges that poetry will continue to evolve and improve, and his work may seem inferior to future poets.
Line 6: “And though they be outstripped by every pen,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Outstripped – Surpassed, left behind.
- Every pen – Every poet or writer.
Explanation & Context:
He admits that his poems may be outclassed by newer, better poetry, making them seem outdated or unimpressive.
Line 7: “Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Reserve – Keep or cherish.
- For my love, not for their rhyme – Value the poems for the love they express, not their literary quality.
Explanation & Context:
He asks his beloved to treasure his poems not for their skill, but for the love they contain—as a personal memory of him.
Line 8: “Exceeded by the height of happier men.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Exceeded – Surpassed, outdone.
- Happier men – More fortunate poets (perhaps those with better talent or opportunities).
Explanation & Context:
He acknowledges that his poetry may not reach the same heights as those of more talented poets, but hopes it will still hold meaning.
Line 9: “O! then vouchsafe me but this loving thought:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Vouchsafe – Grant or allow as a favor.
Explanation & Context:
He makes a humble request—if his beloved does read his poetry in the future, he asks them to have one simple, loving thought.
Line 10: “‘Had my friend’s Muse grown with this growing age,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Muse – Inspiration or poetic talent.
- Growing age – The passing of time, the evolution of poetry.
Explanation & Context:
He hopes that the beloved will imagine that, had he lived longer, his poetry might have improved along with time.
Line 11: “A dearer birth than this his love had brought,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Dearer birth – A better or more valuable poetic work.
Explanation & Context:
If he had lived, he might have written even greater poetry, producing works more worthy of his beloved’s love.
Line 12: “To march in ranks of better equipage:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- March in ranks – Keep up with others.
- Better equipage – Better-prepared poets with superior skills.
Explanation & Context:
He suggests that, with more time, he could have improved enough to compete with the best poets of the future.
Line 13: “But since he died and poets better prove,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Poets better prove – New poets become more skilled over time.
Explanation & Context:
Since he has died and cannot improve, the world will see better poets rise and surpass him.
Line 14: “Theirs for their style I’ll read, his for his love.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Theirs for their style – Future poets will be admired for their skill.
- His for his love – The speaker hopes to be remembered for his deep love, rather than poetic greatness.
Explanation & Context:
He asks that his beloved read the great poets for their mastery of language, but read his poetry for the love it contains.
Final Analysis:
1. Theme of Mortality and Time
Shakespeare accepts that he will die, and his poetry will be outdated. However, he hopes his love will preserve his words, even if the world forgets him.
2. Theme of Love vs. Literary Skill
He acknowledges that future poets will surpass him, but believes his poetry will still hold value because of the love it expresses.
3. Theme of Memory and Legacy
Instead of fame, the speaker desires to be remembered personally by his beloved. His poetry is not about literary achievement but about preserving an emotional connection.
4. Shakespeare’s Message
Shakespeare reminds us that what matters in art is not always technical perfection, but the sincerity of emotion. He emphasizes that love endures, even when poetic skill fades.
Conclusion:
This sonnet is a humble yet touching reflection on love, mortality, and poetic legacy. It suggests that while time erases artistic achievements, love remains timeless.
Summary
In Sonnet 32, the speaker anticipates his own death and addresses his beloved, asking them to remember his love through his poetry. He acknowledges that his verses may not stand the test of time and might be outshined by future poets who have more skill or opportunity. However, he asks that his beloved keep his poems not for their literary excellence but for the love they represent.
He imagines a future where poetry has improved, and his own writing seems poor and outdated in comparison. Despite this, he hopes his beloved will cherish his sonnets, thinking: “If my friend had lived in a more refined literary age, his poetry would have been greater.” Even if his skill falls short, his love is what gives his poetry value.
Critical Analysis
Sonnet 32 explores the tension between artistic merit and personal sentiment, reflecting Shakespeare’s awareness of poetic evolution. The poem’s tone is humble and wistful, as the speaker resigns himself to mortality while hoping for a kind remembrance.
This sonnet is a departure from Shakespeare’s usual confidence in his poetry’s immortality (seen in sonnets like 18 and 55). Here, he doubts that his work will endure based on quality alone. Instead, he shifts focus from the external value of poetry to its emotional significance, arguing that love is what makes words meaningful, not just their stylistic refinement.
Theme Analysis
1. Mortality and the Fear of Being Forgotten
The speaker directly confronts his own death, recognizing that time will move forward without him. His concern is not just about his physical absence but whether his words—and therefore his love—will continue to exist. This aligns with the recurring Shakespearean theme of poetry as a way to defy death.
2. Love as a Measure of Value
The speaker suggests that his poetry may not be the best, but its true worth lies in the love it represents. He hopes his beloved will judge his poems based on affection, rather than literary skill, emphasizing the idea that art is deeply personal.
3. The Evolution of Art and Literature
Shakespeare acknowledges that writing styles change over time, and he assumes that future poets will surpass him. This is a rare moment where he expresses artistic insecurity, suggesting that literary greatness is relative to its era.
4. Humility and Self-Doubt
Unlike some of his other sonnets that proclaim the enduring power of poetry, this sonnet questions his own legacy. He humbly suggests that his poetry might not be good enough to last, but he still hopes it will be cherished for its sincerity.
Literary Devices
1. Metaphor
- “That churl Death my bones with dust shall cover”
→ Death is personified as a “churl” (a miserly, rude person) who hoards and covers his bones with dust. This highlights death’s cruel and inevitable nature. - “To march in ranks of better equipage”
→ The idea of poetry as an army, where future poems are better “equipped” than his own, suggests that literature is a progressing battlefield, where old works get left behind.
2. Contrast
- “Compare them with the bett’ring of the time,”
→ The speaker contrasts his simple poetry with the more advanced poetry of the future, admitting that his work may be outdated. - “Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme,”
→ Here, Shakespeare contrasts emotional value with artistic value, suggesting that love is more important than poetic technique.
3. Alliteration
- “Had my friend’s Muse grown with this growing age,”
→ The “g” sound creates a flowing rhythm, emphasizing the passing of time and how literature evolves. - “A dearer birth than this his love had brought,”
→ The “b” sounds reinforce the idea of poetry as a child-like creation, suggesting that if the speaker had lived longer, his poetry would have been more refined.
4. Personification
- “Had my friend’s Muse grown with this growing age,”
→ The Muse (poetic inspiration) is given human qualities, suggesting that if the speaker had lived in a different era, his poetry would have matured alongside it.
5. Repetition
- “Theirs for their style I’ll read, his for his love.”
→ The repetition of “their” vs. “his” emphasizes the contrast between better poets (for skill) and the speaker (for love), highlighting how his poetry’s worth is emotional rather than artistic.
The Volta (Shift in Tone)
- The first part of the poem is somber, focusing on death and poetic inadequacy.
- The final couplet shifts to a plea for remembrance, where love becomes more important than literary greatness. This softens the melancholy by reaffirming the enduring power of emotional connection.
Conclusion
Sonnet 32 is a deeply introspective poem where Shakespeare humbly acknowledges his own mortality and the limitations of his poetry. Unlike his usual confidence in poetry’s immortality, here he doubts that his work will withstand time’s test.
However, he offers a new perspective on poetic value—suggesting that words should be cherished not for their technical skill but for the love they express. Even if future poets write better, his poetry will remain special because of the personal connection it holds with the beloved.
Ultimately, the sonnet presents love as the true measure of poetry’s worth, reinforcing the idea that human emotions, rather than artistic perfection, define the legacy of a poet.
