Sonnet 56: Sweet Love, Renew Thy Force; Be It Not Said
Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said
Thy edge should blunter be than appetite,
Which but to-day by feeding is allay’d,
To-morrow sharpened in his former might:
So, love, be thou, although to-day thou fill
Thy hungry eyes, even till they wink with fulness,
To-morrow see again, and do not kill
The spirit of love, with a perpetual dulness.
Let this sad interim like the ocean be
Which parts the shore, where two contracted new
Come daily to the banks, that when they see
Return of love, more blest may be the view;
As call it winter, which being full of care,
Makes summer’s welcome, thrice more wished, more rare.
Line 1: Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Sweet love: The emotion of love, personified.
- Renew thy force: Regain your strength.
- Be it not said: Let it not be said.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker begins by addressing love itself, urging it to “renew thy force” (regain its strength). He pleads that it should not be said that love’s power has weakened. This suggests that the speaker is concerned about the waning intensity of love and wants it to remain strong.
Context:
This sonnet is part of Shakespeare’s sequence addressed to the “Fair Youth.” The speaker explores the theme of love’s endurance and the need for it to remain vibrant and strong. The line sets up the central theme of the sonnet: the renewal and preservation of love’s intensity.
Line 2: Thy edge should blunter be than appetite,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Thy edge: Love’s sharpness or intensity.
- Blunter: Less sharp or less intense.
- Appetite: Physical desire or hunger.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker warns that love’s intensity (“thy edge”) should not become “blunter” (less sharp) than mere physical appetite. This suggests that love should remain more powerful and enduring than fleeting desires.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of love’s endurance and the need for it to remain stronger than transient physical desires. It reflects the speaker’s concern about the potential weakening of love.
Line 3: Which but to-day by feeding is allay’d,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- But to-day: Only for today.
- Feeding: Satisfying or consuming.
- Allay’d: Satisfied or appeased.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker explains that physical appetite (“which”) is satisfied (“allay’d”) by feeding, but only for a short time (“but to-day”). This suggests that physical desires are fleeting and easily satisfied, unlike love.
Context:
This line reinforces the contrast between love and physical appetite, emphasizing the transient nature of the latter. It reflects the speaker’s belief that love should be more enduring.
Line 4: To-morrow sharpened in his former might:
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- To-morrow: The next day.
- Sharpened: Made stronger or more intense.
- Former might: Previous strength.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker states that physical appetite, though satisfied today, will return with renewed intensity (“sharpened in his former might”) tomorrow. This suggests that physical desires are cyclical and temporary, unlike love.
Context:
This line reinforces the contrast between love and physical appetite, emphasizing the fleeting nature of physical desires. It reflects the speaker’s belief that love should be more enduring.
Line 5: So, love, be thou, although to-day thou fill
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Be thou: Be like this.
- Although: Even if.
- Fill: Satisfy.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker urges love to remain strong, even if it is satisfied (“fill”) today. This suggests that love should not lose its intensity simply because it has been momentarily fulfilled.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of love’s endurance and the need for it to remain vibrant and strong. It reflects the speaker’s concern about the potential weakening of love.
Line 6: Thy hungry eyes, even till they wink with fulness,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Hungry eyes: Eyes eager to see the beloved.
- Wink with fulness: Close due to being overwhelmed or satisfied.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes how love’s “hungry eyes” (eager desire) may be satisfied to the point of being overwhelmed (“wink with fulness”). This suggests that love can be momentarily fulfilled but should not lose its intensity.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of love’s endurance and the need for it to remain vibrant and strong. It reflects the speaker’s concern about the potential weakening of love.
Line 7: To-morrow see again, and do not kill
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- To-morrow see again: Look again tomorrow.
- Kill: Destroy or diminish.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker urges love to “see again” (remain vigilant) tomorrow and not allow its spirit to be destroyed or diminished. This suggests that love should remain active and vibrant, even after being momentarily satisfied.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of love’s endurance and the need for it to remain vibrant and strong. It reflects the speaker’s concern about the potential weakening of love.
Line 8: The spirit of love, with a perpetual dulness.
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Spirit of love: The essence or vitality of love.
- Perpetual dulness: Constant dullness or lack of intensity.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker warns against allowing the “spirit of love” to be killed by “perpetual dulness” (constant dullness). This suggests that love must remain vibrant and intense to endure.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of love’s endurance and the need for it to remain vibrant and strong. It reflects the speaker’s concern about the potential weakening of love.
Line 9: Let this sad interim like the ocean be
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Sad interim: The period of separation.
- Ocean: A vast and separating body of water.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes the period of separation (“sad interim”) as being like the ocean, which separates two shores. This suggests that the separation is vast and challenging but not insurmountable.
Context:
This line introduces the metaphor of the ocean to describe the separation between the speaker and the beloved. It reflects the speaker’s hope that the separation will ultimately strengthen their love.
Line 10: Which parts the shore, where two contracted new
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Parts the shore: Separates the land.
- Contracted new: Newly united or betrothed.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker describes how the ocean separates the shores where two lovers (“two contracted new”) are united. This suggests that the separation is temporary and that the lovers will reunite.
Context:
This line reinforces the metaphor of the ocean and the theme of separation. It reflects the speaker’s hope that the separation will ultimately strengthen their love.
Line 11: Come daily to the banks, that when they see
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Come daily to the banks: Visit the shores regularly.
- See: Witness or experience.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker imagines the lovers visiting the shores daily, waiting for the moment when they can reunite. This suggests that the separation is temporary and that the lovers remain hopeful.
Context:
This line reinforces the metaphor of the ocean and the theme of separation. It reflects the speaker’s hope that the separation will ultimately strengthen their love.
Line 12: Return of love, more blest may be the view;
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Return of love: The reunion of the lovers.
- More blest: More blessed or joyful.
- View: Sight or experience.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker suggests that when the lovers reunite (“return of love”), the experience will be even more joyful (“more blest”). This suggests that the separation will make their love stronger.
Context:
This line reinforces the theme of separation and the idea that it will ultimately strengthen the lovers’ bond. It reflects the speaker’s hope that the separation will enhance their love.
Line 13: As call it winter, which being full of care,
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Call it winter: Compare it to winter.
- Full of care: Filled with worry or hardship.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker compares the period of separation to winter, a time of hardship and worry (“full of care”). This suggests that the separation is difficult but necessary for growth.
Context:
This line reinforces the metaphor of winter and the theme of separation. It reflects the speaker’s belief that the separation, though challenging, will ultimately strengthen their love.
Line 14: Makes summer’s welcome, thrice more wished, more rare.
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Summer’s welcome: The joy of summer.
- Thrice more wished: Three times more desired.
- More rare: More precious or special.
In-Depth Explanation:
The speaker concludes by stating that the hardships of winter make the joy of summer (“summer’s welcome”) even more desired and precious. This suggests that the separation will make their reunion even more joyful.
Context:
This line encapsulates the central theme of the sonnet: the idea that separation, though difficult, will ultimately strengthen the lovers’ bond and make their reunion more joyful. It reflects the speaker’s hope that love will endure and grow stronger through challenges.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 56 explores the theme of love’s endurance and the need for it to remain vibrant and strong. The speaker urges love to renew its force and not become weaker than fleeting physical desires. He compares the period of separation to the ocean and winter, suggesting that the challenges of separation will ultimately strengthen the lovers’ bond and make their reunion more joyful. The sonnet reflects the speaker’s belief in the enduring power of love and his hope that it will grow stronger through adversity. The final lines underscore the idea that the hardships of separation will make the joy of reunion even more precious, capturing the tension between love’s challenges and its enduring strength.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 56
Summary
In Sonnet 56, Shakespeare pleads for love to renew its energy and intensity, comparing it to appetite, which is temporarily satisfied by food but quickly returns with renewed force. He warns against allowing love to grow dull through stagnation, urging that it be constantly refreshed. Using the metaphor of a hungry gaze, he suggests that even if love is fulfilled today, it should be ready to desire again tomorrow rather than becoming lifeless.
The second half of the poem introduces two major metaphors:
- The Ocean and the Shores – Love should resemble an ocean separating two lovers (symbolized as shores), who anticipate their reunions eagerly. The temporary separation strengthens their love, making their meetings all the more joyful.
- Winter and Summer – Just as winter makes summer feel more precious, temporary absences or difficulties in love can heighten appreciation and rekindle passion.
Through these comparisons, Shakespeare argues that love, like nature’s cycles, should undergo periods of renewal to prevent stagnation and preserve its vitality.
Critical Analysis
Sonnet 56 is a meditation on love’s tendency to weaken over time if not consciously revitalized. The speaker expresses a concern that love might grow dull and passive, urging a renewal of passion and excitement.
- Love as a Self-Renewing Force
- Shakespeare compares love to appetite, an instinct that naturally recharges itself.
- Just as hunger returns after being satisfied, love must also continually refresh itself to remain strong.
- This suggests that relationships require effort to maintain passion and avoid complacency.
- The Threat of Emotional Dullness
- The speaker warns against the “perpetual dulness” that can erode love if it becomes routine.
- He argues that desire should not be permanently quenched but should be rekindled regularly.
- This reflects Renaissance concerns about love’s fragility and the need for conscious nurturing in relationships.
- The Ocean and the Lovers’ Shores
- The image of the ocean separating two lovers suggests that temporary distance can strengthen love.
- By likening lovers to shores that long for each other, Shakespeare emphasizes the power of anticipation and reunion in keeping love fresh.
- This metaphor also acknowledges that absence can be painful, but it ultimately deepens emotional bonds.
- The Seasonal Contrast: Winter and Summer
- Shakespeare uses the natural cycle of the seasons to illustrate how hardships or separations make love’s return even sweeter.
- Just as winter makes summer more cherished, moments of emotional distance can intensify love when it is renewed.
- This aligns with the poem’s overarching theme: love must go through cycles of renewal to stay alive.
Theme Analysis
- The Need for Renewal in Love
- Love, like hunger, must be continuously replenished to maintain its vitality.
- The poem warns against complacency in relationships, suggesting that love thrives when it is refreshed.
- The Role of Absence in Strengthening Love
- Temporary separations, like the ocean parting two shores, can make reunions more meaningful.
- This theme reflects Shakespeare’s belief that love grows stronger when it is occasionally tested.
- The Cyclical Nature of Love and Desire
- Love is compared to natural cycles, such as appetite and the changing seasons, which reinforce the idea that passion must be renewed periodically.
- The poem suggests that love’s highs and lows are necessary for sustaining emotional depth.
Literary Devices
- Metaphor: Love as Appetite
- “Thy edge should blunter be than appetite”
- Love is compared to hunger, which is temporarily satisfied but always returns with renewed intensity.
- This emphasizes that love must be constantly revived to prevent stagnation.
- Metaphor: Love as the Ocean and Shores
- “Let this sad interim like the ocean be / Which parts the shore”
- The separation between lovers is likened to an ocean, reinforcing the idea that temporary distance strengthens love by increasing anticipation.
- Metaphor: Winter and Summer as Emotional Phases of Love
- “As call it winter, which being full of care, / Makes summer’s welcome, thrice more wished, more rare.”
- Winter symbolizes hardship or separation, while summer represents the joy of reunion.
- This suggests that love’s true beauty is best appreciated after periods of difficulty.
- Personification: Love as an Entity That Can Dull or Renew Itself
- “Sweet love, renew thy force”—Love is given agency, as though it has the power to strengthen or weaken itself.
- This personification makes love seem like a living force that must be actively maintained.
- Alliteration: Emphasizing Passion and Dullness
- “Perpetual dulness”—The repetition of the “p” and “d” sounds highlights the poem’s concern with avoiding stagnation in love.
Conclusion
Sonnet 56 is a passionate plea for love’s renewal, warning against emotional dullness and urging lovers to keep their passion alive. Shakespeare uses vivid metaphors—appetite, the ocean, and the seasons—to illustrate the idea that love, like nature, thrives in cycles of renewal. The poem ultimately suggests that absence, change, and conscious effort are essential for sustaining deep and lasting love. By linking love’s fluctuations to the rhythms of nature, Shakespeare offers a timeless reflection on the dynamics of human relationships.
