Sonnet 66: Tired For All These, For Restful Death I Cry
Tired with all these, for restful death I cry,
As to behold desert a beggar born,
And needy nothing trimm’d in jollity,
And purest faith unhappily forsworn,
And gilded honour shamefully misplac’d,
And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,
And right perfection wrongfully disgrac’d,
And strength by limping sway disabled
And art made tongue-tied by authority,
And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill,
And simple truth miscall’d simplicity,
And captive good attending captain ill:
Tir’d with all these, from these would I be gone,
Save that, to die, I leave my love alone.
Line 1:
“Tired with all these, for restful death I cry,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Tired: Weary, exhausted.
- Restful death: Peaceful death, seen as a release from suffering.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker begins by declaring their exhaustion with the world’s injustices and corruption. They long for “restful death” as an escape from the pain and weariness of life. This line sets the tone for the sonnet, introducing the speaker’s despair and their desire for an end to their suffering.
Line 2:
“As to behold desert a beggar born,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Desert: Merit, worthiness.
- Beggar born: Born into poverty, despite deserving better.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker laments the injustice of seeing deserving individuals (“desert”) born into poverty and hardship. This line critiques the unfairness of a world where merit is not rewarded, and those who deserve better are left to suffer.
Line 3:
“And needy nothing trimm’d in jollity,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Needy nothing: Those who are undeserving or worthless.
- Trimm’d in jollity: Dressed up in joy or luxury.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker criticizes the sight of undeserving individuals (“needy nothing”) living in luxury and happiness. This line highlights the disparity between those who have earned nothing and those who suffer despite their worthiness.
Line 4:
“And purest faith unhappily forsworn,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Purest faith: Genuine trust or loyalty.
- Forsworn: Betrayed, abandoned.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker mourns the betrayal of genuine trust and loyalty (“purest faith”). This line reflects the pain of seeing honesty and integrity discarded in a corrupt world.
Line 5:
“And gilded honour shamefully misplac’d,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Gilded honour: Superficial or false honor.
- Misplac’d: Given to the wrong people.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker criticizes the misplacement of honor, which is given to those who do not deserve it. The word “gilded” suggests that this honor is superficial or fake, further emphasizing the corruption and hypocrisy of the world.
Line 6:
“And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Maiden virtue: Innocence and purity.
- Strumpeted: Treated like a prostitute, degraded.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker laments the degradation of innocence and purity (“maiden virtue”), which is treated with disrespect and exploitation. This line reflects the speaker’s sorrow at the loss of moral integrity in the world.
Line 7:
“And right perfection wrongfully disgrac’d,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Right perfection: True excellence or virtue.
- Disgrac’d: Shamed, dishonored.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker mourns the dishonoring of true excellence and virtue (“right perfection”). This line critiques a world where what is good and perfect is unjustly shamed and rejected.
Line 8:
“And strength by limping sway disabled”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Limping sway: Weak or corrupt authority.
- Disabled: Weakened, rendered powerless.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker criticizes the way true strength and ability are undermined by weak or corrupt authority (“limping sway”). This line reflects the frustration of seeing capable individuals held back by those in power.
Line 9:
“And art made tongue-tied by authority,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Art: Creativity, expression.
- Tongue-tied: Silenced, suppressed.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker laments the suppression of creativity and free expression (“art”) by those in authority. This line critiques the stifling of truth and beauty by oppressive forces.
Line 10:
“And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Folly: Foolishness.
- Doctor-like: Pretending to be wise or authoritative.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker criticizes the way foolishness (“folly”) masquerades as wisdom and controls true skill and knowledge. This line reflects the frustration of seeing incompetence and ignorance valued over true expertise.
Line 11:
“And simple truth miscall’d simplicity,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Simple truth: Honest and straightforward truth.
- Miscall’d: Mislabeled, wrongly called.
- Simplicity: Foolishness, naivety.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker mourns the way honest truth (“simple truth”) is dismissed as foolishness or naivety. This line critiques the world’s inability to recognize and value genuine honesty.
Line 12:
“And captive good attending captain ill:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Captive good: Virtue held captive.
- Attending: Serving, following.
- Captain ill: Evil in a position of power.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker laments the way virtue (“captive good”) is forced to serve evil (“captain ill”). This line reflects the speaker’s despair at the triumph of corruption over goodness in the world.
Line 13:
“Tir’d with all these, from these would I be gone,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Be gone: Escape, die.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker reiterates their exhaustion with the world’s injustices and expresses a desire to escape through death. This line echoes the opening sentiment, emphasizing the depth of the speaker’s despair.
Line 14:
“Save that, to die, I leave my love alone.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Save that: Except that.
- Leave my love alone: Abandon my beloved.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker concludes that the only reason they do not choose death is because it would mean leaving their beloved alone. This line introduces the redemptive power of love, which gives the speaker a reason to endure the world’s injustices.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 66 is a powerful critique of the world’s injustices, corruption, and moral decay. The speaker expresses deep despair and a longing for death as an escape from suffering. However, the final line reveals that love is the one force strong enough to keep the speaker alive, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness. The sonnet captures the tension between despair and the enduring power of love.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 66
Summary
In Sonnet 66, the speaker expresses deep disillusionment with the corruption and injustice in the world. He lists a series of moral and social wrongs, including the undeserving being rewarded while the virtuous suffer, truth being silenced, and wisdom being overruled by folly. These injustices leave him so weary that he longs for death as an escape. However, in the final couplet, he reveals the one thing keeping him from ending his life: his beloved. The fear of leaving his love alone in such a broken world prevents him from giving in to despair.
Critical Analysis
1. A Lament for a Corrupt World
- The poem reads like a personal and moral indictment of society’s failings.
- The speaker presents a list of injustices, showing how virtue is punished while vice is rewarded.
- This makes the poem feel more universal—less about personal suffering and more about collective disillusionment.
2. Shakespeare’s Reflection on Power and Corruption
- The poem critiques how power is misused:
- “Art made tongue-tied by authority” suggests censorship and suppression of creative expression.
- “And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill” points to the incompetence of those in power overriding true expertise.
- These lines suggest Shakespeare’s awareness of political oppression, likely influenced by the Elizabethan court’s rigid structures.
3. The Speaker’s Suicidal Weariness and the Turn at the End
- The repetition of “tired with all these” reinforces the speaker’s exhaustion.
- However, the sonnet does not end in complete despair—his love is the only thing anchoring him to life.
- This shift in the final couplet is significant, showing that despite his grievances, love remains his one solace.
Theme Analysis
1. The Corruption of Society
- The sonnet critiques a world where virtue is punished, justice is inverted, and wisdom is silenced.
- It reflects Shakespeare’s frequent theme of moral decay and disillusionment with human institutions.
2. The Conflict Between Despair and Love
- The speaker longs for death but hesitates because of his love.
- This highlights a tension between personal suffering and the responsibility of love.
3. The Powerlessness of the Individual Against Injustice
- The speaker recognizes that these injustices are beyond his control.
- The world’s flaws appear so deeply ingrained that escape (through death) seems like the only option.
Literary Devices
1. Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)
- “And” begins almost every line, emphasizing the relentless nature of these injustices.
- This technique creates a piling effect, overwhelming the reader just as the speaker feels overwhelmed by the world.
2. Contrast and Irony
- The poem is filled with ironic contrasts:
- “Desert a beggar born” (virtue is poor, while the undeserving are rich).
- “And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill” (ignorance has authority over knowledge).
- These juxtapositions highlight the world’s disorder.
3. Alliteration
- “Maiden virtue rudely strumpeted” uses alliteration to emphasize the violation of innocence.
- “Art made tongue-tied by authority” uses the “t” sound to reinforce the idea of being silenced.
4. Caesura (Mid-Line Pauses)
- The sonnet’s listing style creates natural pauses, mirroring the speaker’s exhaustion.
- Example: “Tired with all these, from these would I be gone, / Save that, to die, I leave my love alone.”
Conclusion
Sonnet 66 stands out as one of Shakespeare’s most direct political and social critiques. It expresses a deep frustration with the world’s injustices, yet, unlike many of his other darker sonnets, it does not end in complete despair. The speaker finds a reason to live despite everything—love. This final shift prevents the poem from being purely nihilistic, making it a deeply human meditation on suffering and hope.
