That Time of Year Thou Mayst

“That time of year thou mayst in me behold”, William Shakespeare

In the poem “That time of year thou mayst in me behold”, author William Shakespeare attempts to explain to his readers the emotions one would likely feel during the passing of time and entering into old age, when one senses the end of their life is near. The theme of this poem is that of sorrow and bereavement over the certain fact we all must face, that of mortality. While death is certainly not a thought anyone enjoys pondering, this poem successfully puts into perspective the fact that everyone eventually breathes his or her last breath and it is a natural and inevitable part of the life process. Shakespeare attempts to make the reader see that it is he who is suffering from old age in lines one and five, and even in the title “mayst in me behold” (957). Shakespeare uses metaphors in this poem in order to communicate the sense of sadness and loss one feels as their time of passing approaches them.

Poets often use a metaphor to compare one thing, usually the intended subject, with another. More often than not, the poet will carry one metaphor through the length of the entire poem. However, in “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” (957), Shakespeare

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This comparison allows a reader to feel the startling sense of urgency one likely would feel knowing these precious seconds are to be their last. Lastly, the third metaphor, which associates a fire, its embers and bed of ashes, to the process of passing on allows likely only a fraction of a second for a still burning ember to fade and die to ash, making the death process nearly instantaneous. This comparison allows for preparation, able to foresee the coming end. Shakespeare depicts the tree itself to be frail, shaking against the cold in line three. During the sunset, light is beginning to fade, much as one dying would perhaps feel as though they were fading away. In this light, time should be precious to all people and our lives led reflecting the true importance of how we spend our time. Shakespeare even personifies death and names the sleepy night “Death’s second self” (957) in line eight. Specifically, Shakespeare equates what one might burn a fire, such as a simple log, to a being, full of life. During autumn, most of the birds

have migrated south and take with them their song, leaving quiet lifelessness behind, as Shakespeare illustrates in line four “Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sound”(957).

This use of comparative time frames, allows the reader to better understand the sense of nostalgia one dying would feel. The bed of ashes, which one might think of as the gathering of dead embers, is compared to a deathbed in line eleven “As the deathbed whereon it must expire” (957).

Shakespeare finalizes the poem in lines thirteen and fourteen, “This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which thou must leave ere long” (957). Yet no matter the despair one feels, and the certain desire to slow the passing of time, there is absolutely no way to stop it, or even slow it. By comparing the death cycle of our life process with the process of a burning fire, Shakespeare perhaps makes this metaphor the most powerful.

Approximate Word count = 1102
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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