Sonnet 72: O! Lest The World Should Task You To Recite
O! lest the world should task you to recite
What merit lived in me, that you should love
After my death,–dear love, forget me quite,
For you in me can nothing worthy prove.
Unless you would devise some virtuous lie,
To do more for me than mine own desert,
And hang more praise upon deceased I
Than niggard truth would willingly impart:
O! lest your true love may seem false in this
That you for love speak well of me untrue,
My name be buried where my body is,
And live no more to shame nor me nor you.
For I am shamed by that which I bring forth,
And so should you, to love things nothing worth.
This is Shakespeare’s Sonnet 72, a continuation of the themes explored in Sonnet 71. The speaker urges the beloved not to praise them after their death, fearing that such praise would be insincere and would only bring shame to both the beloved and the speaker. Let’s break it down line by line.
Line 1:
“O! lest the world should task you to recite”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Lest: For fear that.
- Task: Demand, require.
- Recite: Speak of, recount.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker begins by expressing concern that the world might demand the beloved to speak of the speaker’s merits after their death. This line introduces the theme of the speaker’s fear of being misrepresented or overpraised.
Line 2:
“What merit lived in me, that you should love”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Merit: Worth, virtue.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker worries that the beloved might be asked to explain what virtues or merits the speaker possessed that made them worthy of love. This line reflects the speaker’s humility and self-doubt, as they question their own worthiness.
Line 3:
“After my death,–dear love, forget me quite,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Forget me quite: Completely forget me.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker urges the beloved to forget them entirely after their death. This line echoes the sentiment of Sonnet 71, where the speaker asks the beloved not to mourn for too long. Here, the request is even more extreme, as the speaker asks to be forgotten altogether.
Line 4:
“For you in me can nothing worthy prove.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Worthy prove: Demonstrate as worthy.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker claims that the beloved will find nothing worthy in them to justify their love. This line reflects the speaker’s deep insecurity and belief in their own lack of merit.
Line 5:
“Unless you would devise some virtuous lie,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Devise: Create, invent.
- Virtuous lie: A well-meaning falsehood.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the only way the beloved could praise them after their death is by inventing a “virtuous lie,” a falsehood meant to honor the speaker. This line highlights the speaker’s belief that their true worth does not merit such praise.
Line 6:
“To do more for me than mine own desert,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Mine own desert: What I truly deserve.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker acknowledges that any praise from the beloved would exceed what they truly deserve. This line reinforces the speaker’s humility and self-deprecation, as they believe their own merits are insufficient to justify such admiration.
Line 7:
“And hang more praise upon deceased I”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Hang more praise: Bestow excessive praise.
- Deceased I: The speaker, after death.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker imagines the beloved heaping praise on them after their death, a gesture they believe would be unwarranted. This line reflects the speaker’s discomfort with the idea of being overpraised.
Line 8:
“Than niggard truth would willingly impart:”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Niggard truth: Stingy or reluctant truth.
- Impart: Give, offer.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker suggests that the truth about their worth is so meager that it would not justify the praise the beloved might give. This line emphasizes the speaker’s belief in their own inadequacy.
Line 9:
“O! lest your true love may seem false in this”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Seem false: Appear insincere.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker worries that the beloved’s true love might appear insincere if they praise the speaker beyond what is deserved. This line reflects the speaker’s concern for the beloved’s reputation and the integrity of their love.
Line 10:
“That you for love speak well of me untrue,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Speak well of me untrue: Praise me falsely.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker fears that the beloved might speak well of them out of love, even if such praise is untrue. This line underscores the speaker’s desire for honesty and their discomfort with false admiration.
Line 11:
“My name be buried where my body is,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Buried: Forgotten, hidden.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker wishes for their name to be forgotten along with their body after death. This line reflects the speaker’s desire to avoid any posthumous praise or remembrance.
Line 12:
“And live no more to shame nor me nor you.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Shame: Bring disgrace or embarrassment.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker hopes that their name will not live on to bring shame to either themselves or the beloved. This line emphasizes the speaker’s concern for both their own legacy and the beloved’s reputation.
Line 13:
“For I am shamed by that which I bring forth,”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Bring forth: Create, produce.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker admits that they are ashamed of what they have created or accomplished in life. This line reflects the speaker’s deep self-doubt and dissatisfaction with their own worth.
Line 14:
“And so should you, to love things nothing worth.”
Difficult Words Meaning:
- Things nothing worth: Things of no value.
Text and Context Explanation:
The speaker concludes that the beloved should also feel ashamed for loving someone they believe to be unworthy. This line underscores the speaker’s profound insecurity and their belief that their love is undeserved.
Summary of the Sonnet:
Sonnet 72 is a deeply self-deprecating poem in which the speaker urges the beloved not to praise them after their death. The speaker believes they are unworthy of such praise and fears that any admiration from the beloved would be insincere or excessive. The sonnet reflects the speaker’s humility, insecurity, and concern for the beloved’s reputation, as well as their desire to avoid bringing shame to either themselves or the beloved. It is a poignant exploration of self-doubt, love, and the fear of being misremembered.
In-Depth Analysis of Sonnet 72
Summary
In Sonnet 72, Shakespeare continues the theme of mortality and self-effacement from Sonnet 71. He urges his beloved to forget him after his death, fearing that any attempt to justify love for him would be met with skepticism. He worries that any praise given to him would be an exaggeration, making his beloved seem insincere. Shakespeare expresses deep self-doubt, implying that his worth is so insignificant that even truthful praise would be insufficient. To prevent both himself and his beloved from embarrassment, he asks that his name die with him and not be remembered.
Critical Analysis
1. The Speaker’s Low Self-Worth
- The poet portrays himself as undeserving of love or praise.
- He suggests that his beloved would have to fabricate virtues to justify loving him.
- This extreme self-deprecation contrasts with earlier sonnets where he asserts his poetic ability to immortalize beauty.
2. Love and Reputation
- Shakespeare fears that public scrutiny will cast doubt on his beloved’s love for him.
- The idea that praising the poet could bring shame suggests a preoccupation with reputation.
- This implies that love is not only a private emotion but also a public statement open to judgment.
3. Death and Anonymity
- Unlike previous sonnets that aim for immortalization through verse, this one desires complete erasure.
- The speaker sees death as a release from the burden of an unworthy life.
- His request for oblivion is paradoxical, given that he writes about it in a sonnet meant to be remembered.
Theme Analysis
1. Unworthiness and Self-Doubt
- The speaker doubts his own merit and believes he is undeserving of love.
- This stands in contrast to earlier sonnets where he confidently praises the young man’s beauty.
2. The Futility of Posthumous Praise
- He questions the value of being remembered after death if it requires exaggerated praise.
- This theme connects with Sonnet 71, where he asks to be forgotten to spare his beloved from grief.
3. The Power (and Irony) of Poetry
- While the poet asks for his name to be buried with him, the very act of writing this sonnet ensures his memory survives.
- This contradiction reflects Shakespeare’s ongoing exploration of the power and limitations of poetry.
Literary Devices
1. Irony: Asking to Be Forgotten in a Poem
- Just as in Sonnet 71, the poet’s request to be forgotten is inherently ironic.
- His words will outlive him, making it impossible for him to be entirely erased.
2. Metaphor: “My Name Be Buried Where My Body Is”
- The speaker equates his name with his physical body, reinforcing the idea of complete oblivion.
3. Alliteration: “Lest the world should task you to recite”
- The repetition of the “t” and “s” sounds adds rhythm and emphasis to his concern about being remembered.
Conclusion
Sonnet 72 presents a stark contrast to Shakespeare’s usual desire for immortality through verse. Instead, the poet expresses deep self-doubt, believing himself unworthy of love and remembrance. He worries that any praise for him would be insincere or exaggerated, leading to public shame. The irony of the sonnet lies in the fact that it ensures the very remembrance he seeks to avoid. This work deepens Shakespeare’s meditation on mortality, reputation, and the paradoxical nature of poetry’s ability to preserve the unworthy alongside the worthy.
