Choose one sonnet from our reading packet and write a thesis-driven argument about it, using close reading techniques.
In a close reading assignment, what you want to do is to look at how the components of the text (language, form, content) come together to create a particular effect or meaning which you will analyze carefully. You must argue a single claim in this paper and support it consistently throughout the paper.
Goals for this paper:
- Your paper should have a unifying thesis that is an assertion about the meaning of the text. This thesis should be located at the end of the introductory paragraph.
- Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that is a unique claim that supports your thesis, and it should be supported by evidence in the text (quotes), which are then analyzed by you.
- You must support that thesis convincingly using supporting evidence from the text. Each body paragraph should involve at least one quote and typically more than one.
- You must analyze that evidence-there’s no such thing as a self-evident text, so you’ll need to explain how the textual evidence you’re providing functions as evidence for your claims.
Title: The Power of Love in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18
Thesis: InShakespeare’s Sonnet 18, the author utilizes language, form, and content to convey the enduring and transformative power of love.
Introduction: Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, often referred to as “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”, is a timeless piece that explores the profound impact of love. Through a close reading of the sonnet’s language, form, and content, we can uncover the author’s intention to illustrate how love transcends the transient nature of time and bestows eternal beauty upon its object.
Body Paragraph 1: Topic Sentence: The use of vivid imagery and figurative language in Sonnet 18 emphasizes the transformative power of love.
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (line 1) introduces the central comparison between the beloved and the beauty of nature.
The metaphorical language employed throughout the poem, such as “rough winds do shake the darling buds of May” (line 3), demonstrates the impermanence of nature’s beauty compared to the enduring beauty of love.
The use of personification, such as “And summer’s lease hath all too short a date” (line 4), reinforces the idea that love possesses a lasting and unchanging quality.
Body Paragraph 2: Topic Sentence: The sonnet’s form and structure contribute to conveying the timelessness of love.
The sonnet adheres to a strict iambic pentameter, reflecting the poet’s discipline and control over his emotions.
The sonnet’s rhyme scheme (ababcdcdefefgg) creates a sense of symmetry and balance, mirroring the harmonious nature of love.
The volta, or turn, at line 9 marks a shift in tone from describing nature’s beauty to emphasizing the superiority of love’s eternal qualities.
Body Paragraph 3: Topic Sentence: The content of Sonnet 18 underscores the transformative nature of love.
The speaker praises the beloved’s beauty, stating that they are “more lovely and more temperate” (line 2) than a summer’s day.
The repetition of “thou” throughout the poem personalizes the speaker’s affection, highlighting the individuality and uniqueness of their beloved.
The final couplet asserts that as long as people continue to read this sonnet, the beloved shall forever live in its lines, reinforcing the idea that love has the power to transcend time and mortality.
Conclusion:
Through meticulous analysis of language, form, and content, Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 unveils a profound truth about love’s transformative power. By comparing the beloved to a summer’s day and emphasizing the enduring qualities of love, the poet demonstrates that love has the ability to immortalize and beautify its object. This timeless sonnet serves as a testament to the everlasting impact of love on human existence.