Sonnet 71: No Longer Mourn For Me When I Am Dead
No longer mourn for me when I am dead
Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell
Give warning to the world that I am fled
From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell:
Nay, if you read this line, remember not
The hand that writ it, for I love you so,
That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot,
If thinking on me then should make you woe.
O! if, I say, you look upon this verse,
When I perhaps compounded am with clay,
Do not so much as my poor name rehearse;
But let your love even with my life decay;
Lest the wise world should look into your moan,
And mock you with me after I am gone.
This is Shakespeare’s Sonnet 71, a poignant reflection on mortality and the desire to spare the beloved from grief after the speaker’s death. The speaker urges the beloved not to mourn for too long, fearing that prolonged sorrow would only invite ridicule from the world. Let’s break it down line by line.
Line 1:
“No longer mourn for me when I am dead”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Mourn: Grieve, feel sorrow.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker begins by asking the beloved not to mourn for too long after the speaker’s death. This line sets the tone for the sonnet, introducing the theme of mortality and the speaker’s concern for the beloved’s well-being.
Line 2:
“Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Surly sullen bell: The mournful tolling of a funeral bell.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the beloved should mourn only as long as the funeral bell tolls, symbolizing the brief period of public mourning. This line emphasizes the speaker’s desire for the beloved to move on quickly after their death.
Line 3:
“Give warning to the world that I am fled”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Fled: Departed, died.
Text and Context Explanation:
The funeral bell serves as a warning to the world that the speaker has died. This line reinforces the idea that the speaker’s death should be acknowledged but not dwelled upon.
Line 4:
“From this vile world with vilest worms to dwell:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Vile world: A corrupt and unpleasant world.
- Vilest worms: The decay of the body after death.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker describes the world as “vile” and their fate after death as dwelling with “vilest worms,” a reference to the decomposition of the body. This line reflects the speaker’s bleak view of both life and death, emphasizing the futility of prolonged mourning.
Line 5:
“Nay, if you read this line, remember not”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Nay: No.
- Remember not: Do not remember.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker urges the beloved not to remember them if reading this poem causes pain. This line reveals the speaker’s selflessness and their desire to protect the beloved from sorrow.
Line 6:
“The hand that writ it, for I love you so,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Hand that writ it: The speaker, as the writer of the poem.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker explains that their love for the beloved is so great that they would rather be forgotten than cause the beloved pain. This line highlights the depth of the speaker’s affection and their willingness to sacrifice their own memory for the beloved’s happiness.
Line 7:
“That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Sweet thoughts: Happy memories.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker reiterates their wish to be forgotten by the beloved, even in their “sweet thoughts,” if remembering them would bring sorrow. This line underscores the speaker’s selfless love and concern for the beloved’s emotional well-being.
Line 8:
“If thinking on me then should make you woe.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Woe: Sorrow, grief.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker explains that they want to be forgotten if remembering them would cause the beloved pain. This line reinforces the speaker’s desire to spare the beloved from unnecessary grief.
Line 9:
“O! if, I say, you look upon this verse,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Verse: Poem, sonnet.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker addresses the beloved directly, imagining a future moment when they might read this poem. This line creates a sense of intimacy and immediacy, as if the speaker is speaking to the beloved from beyond the grave.
Line 10:
“When I perhaps compounded am with clay,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Compounded am with clay: Turned to dust, decomposed.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker reflects on their own mortality, imagining a time when their body has decomposed and returned to the earth. This line emphasizes the inevitability of death and the speaker’s acceptance of their fate.
Line 11:
“Do not so much as my poor name rehearse;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Rehearse: Repeat, speak aloud.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker asks the beloved not even to speak their name, fearing that it would cause pain. This line reflects the speaker’s desire to be completely forgotten if it means sparing the beloved from sorrow.
Line 12:
“But let your love even with my life decay;”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Decay: Fade, diminish.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker urges the beloved to let their love fade along with the speaker’s life. This line suggests that the speaker believes love should not outlast the beloved’s happiness, emphasizing their selfless concern for the beloved’s well-being.
Line 13:
“Lest the wise world should look into your moan,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Wise world: The judgmental and cynical world.
- Moan: Grief, lamentation.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker warns that if the beloved mourns too long, the “wise world” (a metaphor for society) will notice and judge their grief. This line reflects the speaker’s fear that prolonged mourning would expose the beloved to ridicule or pity.
Line 14:
“And mock you with me after I am gone.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Mock: Ridicule, make fun of.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker concludes by expressing their fear that the world would mock the beloved for continuing to mourn after the speaker’s death. This line underscores the speaker’s desire to protect the beloved from both emotional pain and social judgment.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 71 is a heartfelt plea from the speaker to the beloved, urging them not to mourn for too long after the speaker’s death. The speaker’s love is so selfless that they would rather be forgotten than cause the beloved pain. The sonnet reflects on mortality, the inevitability of death, and the desire to protect the beloved from both grief and the judgment of the world. It is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of human emotion.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 71
Summary
In Sonnet 71, Shakespeare speaks about his own death, instructing the young man not to mourn for him longer than the funeral bell tolls. He urges his beloved to forget him completely, as remembering him would only bring sorrow. The poet even insists that if the young man reads these lines after his passing, he should not recall the hand that wrote them. His love is so deep that he does not wish to burden his beloved with grief. Furthermore, he warns that excessive mourning may invite the ridicule of the world, which might mock the young man for grieving too much over someone who is gone.
Critical Analysis
1. Love Beyond Death
- The poem expresses a selfless love—Shakespeare wishes to spare the young man from sorrow.
- The speaker would rather be forgotten than cause pain to his beloved.
- This contrasts with many of the other sonnets, where the poet desires immortality through verse.
2. The Poet’s View of the World
- The “vile world” is presented as cruel and mocking.
- The poet implies that public grief may lead to ridicule rather than sympathy.
- This suggests a cynical view of society and its insensitivity to personal sorrow.
3. The Irony of Forgetfulness
- Shakespeare asks to be forgotten, yet he preserves himself in verse.
- The contradiction lies in the fact that the sonnet itself ensures his memory will live on.
- This irony highlights the tension between personal emotions and the power of poetry.
Theme Analysis
1. Love and Selflessness
- The speaker’s love is so great that he prioritizes his beloved’s happiness over his own memory.
- Unlike previous sonnets that seek eternal remembrance, this one seeks to protect the young man from grief.
2. Mortality and the Fear of Being Mocked
- Death is presented as inevitable, but the focus is on the reaction of the living.
- The fear of being mocked in death adds an unusual psychological dimension to the poem.
3. The Power (and Limitations) of Poetry
- The poem itself is a contradiction—it asks to be forgotten while ensuring remembrance.
- Shakespeare explores whether poetry can truly immortalize someone, or if it only prolongs sorrow.
Literary Devices
1. Imagery: The Surly Sullen Bell
- The “surly sullen bell” symbolizes funeral rites and the transition from life to death.
- It sets a solemn tone and evokes the finality of death.
2. Irony: Asking to be Forgotten in a Poem
- The poem’s existence contradicts its message of forgetfulness.
- Shakespeare acknowledges the paradox but leaves it unresolved.
3. Metaphor: “Compounded Am with Clay”
- This phrase refers to the body decomposing and returning to the earth.
- It emphasizes the physical reality of death.
Conclusion
Sonnet 71 is a deeply selfless and poignant meditation on love, death, and memory. Unlike earlier sonnets that seek eternal remembrance through poetry, this one paradoxically asks to be forgotten while ensuring that Shakespeare’s words endure. The poet’s cynicism about the world suggests that excessive mourning is futile, as society will not honor deep grief. Ultimately, the sonnet raises profound questions about the nature of love, the fear of being mocked, and the power of poetry to preserve or distort memory.
