Sonnet 68: Thus Is His Cheek The Map Of Days Outworn
Thus is his cheek the map of days outworn,
When beauty lived and died as flowers do now,
Before these bastard signs of fair were born,
Or durst inhabit on a living brow;
Before the golden tresses of the dead,
The right of sepulchres, were shorn away,
To live a second life on second head;
Ere beauty’s dead fleece made another gay:
In him those holy antique hours are seen,
Without all ornament, itself and true,
Making no summer of another’s green,
Robbing no old to dress his beauty new;
And him as for a map doth Nature store,
To show false Art what beauty was of yore.
Line 1:
“Thus is his cheek the map of days outworn,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Map: Representation, record.
- Days outworn: Past times, bygone eras.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker describes the beloved’s cheek as a “map” of past times, suggesting that his beauty reflects an earlier, purer era. The word “map” implies that the beloved’s appearance serves as a guide or record of what beauty once was, before it was tainted by artificiality.
Line 2:
“When beauty lived and died as flowers do now,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Lived and died: Existed naturally and faded, like the cycle of life.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker reflects on a time when beauty was natural and fleeting, like the life cycle of flowers. This line emphasizes the purity and transience of beauty in the past, contrasting it with the artificial and enduring beauty of the present.
Line 3:
“Before these bastard signs of fair were born,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Bastard signs: False or illegitimate imitations.
- Fair: Beauty.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker laments the rise of artificial beauty (“bastard signs of fair”), which did not exist in the past. The word “bastard” suggests that these imitations are inferior and illegitimate, lacking the authenticity of true beauty.
Line 4:
“Or durst inhabit on a living brow;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Durst: Dared.
- Inhabit: Reside, exist.
- Living brow: A person’s face.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker criticizes the way artificial beauty now dares to exist on living faces, replacing natural beauty. This line reflects the speaker’s disdain for the modern trend of using makeup or other means to create false beauty.
Line 5:
“Before the golden tresses of the dead,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Golden tresses: Beautiful, golden hair.
- Dead: Deceased individuals.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker refers to a time before the hair of the dead was used to create wigs or other adornments. This line highlights the macabre practice of taking beauty from the deceased and using it to enhance the living, a practice the speaker finds distasteful.
Line 6:
“The right of sepulchres, were shorn away,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Right of sepulchres: The sanctity of graves.
- Shorn away: Cut off, removed.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker criticizes the violation of graves (“sepulchres”) to take hair from the dead. This line reflects the speaker’s belief that such practices disrespect the dead and corrupt the natural order.
Line 7:
“To live a second life on second head;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Second life: A new existence.
- Second head: Another person.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker laments how the hair of the dead is given a “second life” by being placed on another person’s head. This line emphasizes the unnaturalness of such practices and the speaker’s preference for beauty that is genuine and unadorned.
Line 8:
“Ere beauty’s dead fleece made another gay:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Ere: Before.
- Dead fleece: Hair of the dead.
- Gay: Happy, adorned.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker reflects on a time before the hair of the dead was used to adorn the living, making them “gay” or beautiful. This line reinforces the speaker’s preference for natural beauty and their disdain for artificial enhancements.
Line 9:
“In him those holy antique hours are seen,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Holy antique hours: Sacred, ancient times.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker praises the beloved as a living embodiment of the beauty of ancient times (“holy antique hours”). This line suggests that the beloved’s beauty is pure and timeless, untouched by the corruption of the modern world.
Line 10:
“Without all ornament, itself and true,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Ornament: Decoration, artificial enhancement.
- Itself and true: Genuine and authentic.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker celebrates the beloved’s beauty as natural and unadorned (“without all ornament”), emphasizing its authenticity and truth. This line contrasts the beloved’s beauty with the artificial beauty of the contemporary world.
Line 11:
“Making no summer of another’s green,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Making no summer: Not borrowing beauty.
- Another’s green: The vitality or beauty of others.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker praises the beloved for not borrowing beauty from others (“another’s green”) to enhance his own. This line reflects the speaker’s admiration for the beloved’s self-sufficiency and natural beauty.
Line 12:
“Robbing no old to dress his beauty new;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Robbing no old: Not taking from the past.
- Dress his beauty new: Enhance his beauty artificially.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker commends the beloved for not using the beauty of the past (“robbing no old”) to create a false or enhanced appearance. This line reinforces the idea that the beloved’s beauty is genuine and untainted by artifice.
Line 13:
“And him as for a map doth Nature store,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Map: Representation, record.
- Store: Preserve, keep.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker suggests that Nature preserves the beloved as a “map” or record of true beauty. This line emphasizes the beloved’s role as a living reminder of what beauty once was, before it was corrupted by artificiality.
Line 14:
“To show false Art what beauty was of yore.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- False Art: Artificial beauty.
- Yore: The past.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker concludes that Nature uses the beloved to show artificial beauty (“false Art”) what true beauty was like in the past. This line underscores the beloved’s significance as a symbol of authentic beauty in a world dominated by imitation and artifice.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 68 celebrates the beloved’s natural beauty as a living reminder of a purer, more authentic past. The speaker contrasts the beloved’s genuine beauty with the artificial beauty of the contemporary world, criticizing the use of makeup, wigs, and other enhancements. Ultimately, the sonnet praises the beloved as a timeless symbol of true beauty, preserved by Nature as a rebuke to the false beauty of the modern age.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 68
Summary
In Sonnet 68, Shakespeare continues his meditation on natural beauty versus artificiality. The young man’s face is described as a “map of days outworn,” meaning it reflects the true beauty of the past before artificial enhancements corrupted it. The poem criticizes practices such as wig-wearing—where “the golden tresses of the dead” are used to beautify the living—implying that modern beauty is false and unnatural. Unlike this deceptive artifice, the young man represents authentic, unadorned beauty, untouched by vanity. Nature preserves him as a living example of what beauty once was, serving as a reminder to false Art of its original form.
Critical Analysis
1. The Youth as a Living Relic of True Beauty
- The sonnet presents the young man as a direct link to a purer past.
- His beauty is “self and true,” untouched by artificial enhancements.
- This aligns with Renaissance anxieties about authenticity, where naturalness was idealized over artificial refinement.
2. Criticism of Artificial Beauty
- Shakespeare directly condemns the use of wigs, calling them “the golden tresses of the dead.”
- The phrase “bastard signs of fair” suggests that modern beauty is illegitimate, a corruption of the past.
- This critique extends beyond physical beauty to a broader distrust of artifice in human expression.
3. The Role of Nature vs. Art
- Nature is depicted as the ultimate preserver of truth.
- Art, by contrast, is portrayed as deceitful and dependent on imitation.
- The young man is a “map” or model of what beauty originally was, serving as a corrective to artificiality.
Theme Analysis
1. The Corruption of Beauty
- The sonnet laments how beauty has become artificial and commodified.
- True beauty, as represented by the young man, is now rare and serves only as a memory of what once was.
2. Nature vs. Artifice
- Natural beauty is portrayed as authentic and sacred, whereas artificial beauty is deceptive and vain.
- The young man stands as a testament to Nature’s superiority over false embellishments.
3. The Passage of Time
- The idea that modern beauty is built upon the remnants of the past suggests a loss of purity over time.
- The young man’s face serves as a record of “days outworn,” emphasizing nostalgia for an era before artificiality took over.
Literary Devices
1. Metaphor: The Youth as a “Map”
- The young man’s face is described as a “map of days outworn,” meaning it reflects past beauty.
- This metaphor reinforces the idea that his natural beauty is a historical relic.
2. Critique Through Word Choice
- Words like “bastard signs” and “false Art” strongly condemn artificial beauty.
- “The golden tresses of the dead” evokes an unsettling image, emphasizing the grotesque nature of wigs made from human hair.
3. Contrast Between “Holy Antique Hours” and Modern Deception
- “Holy antique hours” suggests a sacred past when beauty was pure and natural.
- This is contrasted with contemporary society’s reliance on false adornments.
Conclusion
Sonnet 68 offers a powerful critique of artificial beauty and the corruption of natural aesthetics. The young man serves as a rare remnant of a purer era, untouched by false enhancements. Shakespeare’s disdain for artificial beauty aligns with broader Renaissance concerns about authenticity, particularly in art and human expression. Through vivid imagery and sharp contrasts, the poem argues that true beauty lies in nature, while modern embellishments only serve to distort it.
