Sonnet 37: As A Decrepit Father Takes Delight
As a decrepit father takes delight
To see his active child do deeds of youth,
So I, made lame by Fortune’s dearest spite,
Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth;
For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
Or any of these all, or all, or more,
Entitled in thy parts, do crowned sit,
I make my love engrafted to this store:
So then I am not lame, poor, nor despis’d,
Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give
That I in thy abundance am suffic’d,
And by a part of all thy glory live.
Look what is best, that best I wish in thee:
This wish I have; then ten times happy me!
Line 1: As a decrepit father takes delight
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Decrepit: Weakened or worn out by age or illness.
- Delight: Great pleasure or joy.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker begins with a simile, comparing himself to a “decrepit father” who finds joy in watching his “active child” thrive. The image of a frail, aging father suggests vulnerability and dependence, while the “active child” symbolizes vitality and success. This sets up the theme of deriving comfort and pride from someone else’s achievements.
Context:
This sonnet is part of Shakespeare’s sequence addressed to the “Fair Youth.” The speaker, who feels diminished by misfortune, finds solace in the youth’s accomplishments and virtues. The comparison to a father and child suggests a deep emotional bond and a sense of vicarious fulfillment.
Line 2: To see his active child do deeds of youth,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Active: Energetic, vigorous, or lively.
- Deeds of youth: Actions or achievements typical of young people.
In-Depth Explanation:
The “active child” represents youth, energy, and accomplishment. The “deeds of youth” symbolize the achievements and potential of the younger generation, which bring joy and pride to the older, “decrepit” father. This line reinforces the idea of finding happiness through someone else’s success.
Context:
The speaker, who feels limited by his own circumstances, takes comfort in the youth’s vitality and accomplishments. This reflects the theme of vicarious joy and the deep emotional connection between the speaker and the beloved.
Line 3: So I, made lame by Fortune’s dearest spite,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Lame: Crippled or disabled (literally or metaphorically).
- Fortune’s dearest spite: The most malicious or harmful actions of fate.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker compares himself to the “decrepit father,” describing himself as “made lame” by Fortune’s malice. This suggests that he has been weakened or hindered by misfortune, whether physically, emotionally, or socially. The phrase “dearest spite” implies that Fortune’s actions are particularly cruel or personal.
Context:
This line introduces the speaker’s sense of vulnerability and his reliance on the beloved for comfort and validation. It reflects the theme of finding strength and joy in another’s success when one’s own circumstances are difficult.
Line 4: Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth;
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Comfort: Solace, consolation, or relief.
- Worth: Value, merit, or excellence.
- Truth: Honesty, integrity, or faithfulness.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker finds all his comfort in the beloved’s “worth and truth”—his virtues, achievements, and integrity. This suggests that the beloved’s qualities provide the speaker with a sense of purpose and happiness, even in the face of his own misfortune.
Context:
This line emphasizes the speaker’s dependence on the beloved for emotional support. It reflects the theme of vicarious joy and the deep bond between the two.
Line 5: For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Birth: Noble lineage or high social status.
- Wit: Intelligence, cleverness, or wisdom.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker lists qualities that the beloved may possess: beauty, noble birth, wealth, and intelligence. These attributes represent the beloved’s excellence and the reasons why the speaker takes pride in him.
Context:
This line highlights the beloved’s virtues, which the speaker admires and celebrates. It reinforces the idea that the beloved’s success and qualities bring the speaker joy and comfort.
Line 6: Or any of these all, or all, or more,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Any of these all: Any combination of the listed qualities.
- More: Additional virtues or achievements.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the beloved may possess some, all, or even more of the qualities listed in the previous line. This emphasizes the beloved’s exceptional nature and the speaker’s admiration for him.
Context:
This line further underscores the beloved’s excellence and the speaker’s pride in him. It reflects the theme of vicarious joy and the deep emotional connection between the two.
Line 7: Entitled in thy parts, do crowned sit,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Entitled: Given a right or claim to something.
- Parts: Qualities or attributes.
- Crowned sit: Symbolically honored or celebrated.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker imagines the beloved’s qualities as being “crowned,” or honored, as if they were royalty. This suggests that the beloved’s virtues are so exceptional that they deserve recognition and celebration.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s admiration for the beloved and his belief in the beloved’s superiority. It reinforces the theme of vicarious joy and pride.
Line 8: I make my love engrafted to this store:
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Engrafted: Attached or joined firmly (like a grafted plant).
- Store: Collection or abundance of qualities.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker declares that he has attached his love to the beloved’s abundance of virtues (“this store”). This suggests that his love is deeply rooted in the beloved’s excellence and that he derives his sense of self-worth from the beloved’s achievements.
Context:
This line emphasizes the speaker’s emotional dependence on the beloved and his belief that their fates are intertwined. It reflects the theme of vicarious joy and the deep bond between the two.
Line 9: So then I am not lame, poor, nor despis’d,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Lame: Crippled or disabled.
- Despis’d: Looked down upon or scorned.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker asserts that, through his connection to the beloved, he is no longer “lame, poor, nor despis’d.” This suggests that the beloved’s virtues and achievements elevate the speaker’s own status and self-worth.
Context:
This line reflects the speaker’s belief that his relationship with the beloved compensates for his own misfortunes. It reinforces the theme of vicarious joy and the transformative power of love.
Line 10: Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Shadow: Reflection or representation.
- Substance: Reality, importance, or value.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the beloved’s “shadow” (his influence or reflection) provides him with “substance” (meaning and value). This implies that the beloved’s virtues and achievements give the speaker a sense of purpose and identity.
Context:
This line highlights the speaker’s reliance on the beloved for emotional and existential fulfillment. It reflects the theme of vicarious joy and the deep bond between the two.
Line 11: That I in thy abundance am suffic’d,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Abundance: Great quantity or wealth.
- Suffic’d: Satisfied or content.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker declares that he is satisfied and content with the beloved’s “abundance” of virtues and achievements. This suggests that the beloved’s success fulfills the speaker’s own desires and needs.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of vicarious joy and the speaker’s emotional dependence on the beloved. It reflects the deep bond between the two and the transformative power of love.
Line 12: And by a part of all thy glory live.
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Glory: Honor, fame, or excellence.
- Live: Exist or derive sustenance.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker states that he lives “by a part of all thy glory,” meaning that he derives his sense of purpose and identity from the beloved’s achievements and virtues. This suggests that the beloved’s success sustains the speaker emotionally and spiritually.
Context:
This line emphasizes the speaker’s reliance on the beloved for fulfillment and happiness. It reflects the theme of vicarious joy and the deep emotional connection between the two.
Line 13: Look what is best, that best I wish in thee:
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Look what: Whatever.
- Best: The highest good or excellence.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker declares that he wishes the best for the beloved, whatever that may be. This reflects his selfless love and his desire for the beloved’s happiness and success.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of selfless love and the speaker’s deep admiration for the beloved. It reflects the transformative power of love and the speaker’s emotional dependence on the beloved.
Line 14: This wish I have; then ten times happy me!
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Ten times: Greatly or immensely.
- Happy: Joyful or content.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker concludes by stating that his wish for the beloved’s happiness makes him “ten times happy.” This suggests that the beloved’s joy and success bring the speaker immense fulfillment and satisfaction.
Context:
This line encapsulates the central theme of the sonnet: the speaker’s selfless love and his belief that the beloved’s happiness is his own. It reflects the deep emotional bond between the two and the transformative power of love.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 37 explores the theme of vicarious joy and selfless love. The speaker, who feels diminished by misfortune, finds comfort and pride in the beloved’s virtues and achievements. He compares himself to a “decrepit father” who takes delight in his “active child,” emphasizing his emotional dependence on the beloved. The sonnet highlights the transformative power of love and the deep bond between the speaker and the beloved, as the speaker derives his sense of purpose and happiness from the beloved’s success.
Summary:
In Sonnet 37, the speaker compares their love for the beloved to that of an aging father admiring his youthful child. The speaker, who sees themselves as “lame” due to “Fortune’s dearest spite” (bad luck or misfortune), finds solace in the beloved’s excellence.
The beloved possesses various admirable qualities—beauty, noble birth, wealth, intelligence, or a combination of these—which the speaker metaphorically claims as their own. Despite feeling personally disadvantaged, the speaker takes comfort in the beloved’s greatness, living vicariously through their successes.
The final couplet expresses the speaker’s ultimate happiness: wishing the best for the beloved fulfills them, and in this selfless love, they find joy.
Critical Analysis:
This sonnet explores themes of admiration, self-worth, and love’s ability to uplift. The speaker presents themselves as inferior—”lame, poor, nor despis’d”—and contrasts their misfortune with the beloved’s excellence. However, rather than feeling envious, the speaker derives happiness from this contrast, suggesting an almost parental love, where the beloved’s achievements feel like personal victories.
The idea of being “lame” may symbolize actual physical disability, emotional weakness, or figurative misfortune, making the speaker feel inadequate. Yet, through love, they find validation, highlighting the Renaissance ideal of self-worth being tied to one’s association with greatness.
The metaphor of “engrafting” (grafting one plant onto another) suggests that the speaker’s identity and happiness are intertwined with the beloved’s virtues. This reinforces the idea that love can be transformative, allowing one to transcend personal limitations.
Theme Analysis:
- Love as Admiration: The speaker reveres the beloved’s beauty, talent, and status, suggesting deep appreciation.
- Fortune and Misfortune: The speaker sees themselves as unlucky but finds fortune in the beloved’s greatness.
- Vicarious Fulfillment: The speaker’s happiness is drawn from the beloved’s success, showing selfless love.
- Identity Through Love: The use of “engrafted” suggests that love allows one to share in another’s virtues, reinforcing a deep bond.
Literary Devices:
- Metaphor:
- “As a decrepit father” compares the speaker to an aging father admiring a child, emphasizing a mix of love, admiration, and dependence.
- “Engrafted” symbolizes how the speaker’s love and identity are tied to the beloved.
- Contrast: The speaker contrasts their own misfortune with the beloved’s excellence, emphasizing their dependence on the beloved’s success for happiness.
- Repetition & Amplification: “Or any of these all, or all, or more” intensifies the beloved’s virtues, showing overwhelming admiration.
- Alliteration: “Lame, poor, nor despis’d” and “shadow doth such substance” create rhythm and emphasize key ideas.
- Paradox: The speaker claims to be “lame, poor, nor despis’d” but also “ten times happy” through love, illustrating the transformative power of admiration.
Conclusion:
Sonnet 37 presents love as a source of fulfillment and vicarious success. The speaker, feeling diminished by fate, finds validation and happiness in the beloved’s excellence. Shakespeare uses parental imagery, metaphors of engrafting, and contrasts between fortune and misfortune to craft a sonnet that reflects love’s power to uplift and redefine identity.
