19 pages • 38 minutes read
William ShakespeareSonnet 73
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1609A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
“Sonnet 71” by William Shakespeare (1609)
This is the first sonnet in the four-sonnet group that includes “Sonnet 73.” This sonnet anticipates the speaker’s death, and the speaker advises the Fair Youth not to hold on to the love he has for the speaker. This is because the speaker fears the world will mock the Fair Youth for loving the speaker, and the speaker does not want anything to cause the Fair Youth pain and suffering. Therefore, he tells the Fair Youth to let his love decay like the speaker’s body will decay.
“Sonnet 72” by William Shakespeare (1609)
This sonnet continues the message of “Sonnet 71.” In this sonnet, the speaker claims he is not worth remembering, and he begs the Fair Youth not to hold onto him or build any monuments for him because to do so would invite mockery from the world, and the Fair Youth would have to lie to give any good reason for why the speaker should be remembered.
“Sonnet 74” by William Shakespeare (1609)
The final sonnet in this section changes the mood from the previous sonnets. Whereas the previous three implore the Fair Youth to forget the speaker, this one suggests the speaker’s love will live on in the poetry about the Fair Youth, defeating time and death. This is because the speaker’s love exists in his spirit, and his spirit is transmitted through the poetry he has written for the Fair Youth. This is a common theme in many of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
Further Literary Resources
“The Mysterious Identity of the ‘Fair Youth’” by Jessica-May Smith (2018)
In this essay, Smith investigates whether the sonnets dedicated to the Fair Youth are romantic or platonic, and she discusses some possible historical figures that could have been the person Shakespeare was writing for. While Smith acknowledges the complexity of Shakespeare’s relationship with the Fair Youth, she concludes that it is undeniable that some of the sonnets are romantic in nature. On the matter of who the Fair Youth was, Smith only provides possibilities; she does not come to a conclusion.
The Sonnets by Oxquarry Books Ltd. (2009)
This database of all of Shakespeare’s sonnets not only provides the full text of each poem, but it also provides detailed commentary on each one, including reference notes. The reference notes explain archaic words and phrasing and provide historical and literary context when needed. This database provides an easy way to explore all of Shakespeare’s sonnets without getting stuck on some of the more obscure aspects of his verse.
Shakespeare's Sonnets by Amanda Mabillard (n.d.)
Similar to the resource above, this database includes the full text of all of the sonnets and all of Shakespeare’s plays with commentary and analysis. There is also historical information about Shakespeare and his time period, a glossary of names, and a selection of Shakespearean themes with a glossary of where those themes appear in his writing. Also useful is a link to selected works of Shakespearean criticism throughout history that provides a sense of how literary critics have discussed, analyzed, and evaluated Shakespeare over the past few centuries.
Listen to Poem
Actor Sir Patrick Stewart reads “Sonnet 73” as part of his “Sonnet a Day” series on YouTube. Stewart has a long and celebrated career as both a Hollywood and Shakespearean actor.
Related Titles
By William Shakespeare
