This is a short summary of Shakespeare sonnet 56. Continue reading for complete analysis and meaning in the modern text. For the complete list of 154 sonnets, check the collection of Shakespeare Sonnets with analysis. It is highly recommended to buy “The Monument” by Hank Whittemore, which is the best book on Shakespeare Sonnets.
Shakespeare Sonnet 56 (Original Text)
Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not saidThy edge should blunter be than appetite,Which but today by feeding is allayed,Tomorrow sharpened in his former might.So love be thou; although today thou fillThy hungry eyes even till they wink with fullness,Tomorrow see again, and do not killThe spirit of love with a perpetual dullness.Let this sad int’rim like the ocean beWhich parts the shore, where two contracted newCome daily to the banks, that when they seeReturn of love, more blest may be the view;Else call it winter, which being full of care,Makes summer’s welcome, thrice more wished, more rare.
Shakespeare Sonnet 56 Modern Text (Translation)
Shakespeare Sonnet 56 Analysis
The poet calls the fair youth sweet love exhorting him to remain as strong as possible. “Sweet love, renew thy force” He says not to allow people to tell him that love should be blunt and duller than his lust “Thy edge should blunter be than appetite” which is temporarily satisfied today “today by feeding is allayed,” but again aroused tomorrow “Tomorrow sharpened”
He tells the youth to be like that “love be thou” and even though the youth may see a lot of love till his eyes are forced to blink, “hungry eyes even till they wink” he should fill his eyes with love again tomorrow “although today thou fill by looking upon it,” he tells the youth not to kill the love by being lethargic and lazy “do not kill The spirit of love with a perpetual dullness
He again tells the youth to allow the sad separation between them be like a vast ocean “sad int’rim like the ocean” be between two different shores “Which parts the shore” where newly married lovers “where two contracted new” come to the opposite banks in hopes to see each other “daily to the banks” and when they do, “when they see “Return of love,” then they feel blessed for the sight of each other more “blest may be the view”
Or alternately he can compare the separation to winter “Else call it winter” which is full of misery and makes people wish for summer “Makes summer’s welcome” which would be thrice as much if it were more rare “ thrice more wished, more rare”