Connor Bertocci Dr. Bauso Per.

8 August 29, 2011 Shakespeares 18th Sonnet The days of summer are among the best in the year. Summer is the longest period of warmth and sunshine and when planet earth is full to the brim of natural beauty. Shakespeares 18th Sonnet pits the beloved summer day against the woman his heart desires. While summer is the best day, Shakespeare exemplifies its faults through vivid imagery and connotative diction to prove that she is a longer lasting love. The deterioration of summers elegance is very apparent through the first few lines of the sonnet. He believes that summer comes and goes and while it is amazing at the time, it is not eternal. And summers lease hath all too short a date. The connotation in this sentence is when he says summer is all too short which gives off a slightly different message than summer is not long enough. Summer is not long enough implies a slightly higher favoritism of summer, which Shakespeare is trying to avoid in order to promote his beloved. The word eternal was also chosen over words like everlasting and forever because it illuminates a meaning more associated with gods and goddesses. Shakespeares word choice in Sonnet 18 creates a lesser desire for summer, all the while increasing that of the woman. The imagery in the sonnet create a picture book like story in the readers mind and pulls their emotions closer to the message Shakespeare is portraying. The use of personification

creates personalities and human qualities the readers can attach to and gain a deeper understanding for. Nor shall Death brag thou wandrest in his shade. In this example the reader sees death as a living thing and the image of death pulling the woman into his dark shade is painted. And often is his gold complexion dimmed. This personification of summer creates an image of vibrant summer becoming dreary when compared to the lady. Shakespeares utilization of imagery in his sonnet creates a much clearer reception of his theme by the audience. The aspect of an everlasting love is what separates summer and the woman. While Shakespeare compares individual characteristics of the two, his overall pleasure with his beloved is that she will last forever to him. The simplicity of this desire makes the images explode in the readers mind because the concept is so simple to comprehend. This also goes hand in hand with the diction he chooses with simple yet powerful connotative forms. So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. Shakespeares idea is that as long as men can breathe and see, than her love and life will last just as long. Imagery and connotative diction are Shakespeares two tools to providing a powerful and clear theme to his audience. The illumination of the negatives of summer gives way to a more beautiful and eternal woman for whose love will never fade.