Shakespeare

Analysis of Sonnet 30: When to Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought

William Shakespeare lived from fifteen-sixty four to sixteen sixteen. During this time in which he lived he wrote many poems, sonnets and plays. Many of these are recorded in history as poetic greats. “Poetic great” suggests that these are poems and plays that are thought to be some of the best ever written. This may always be a matter of scholarly debate. Yet all who have read his writings will agree that William Shakespeare was an sensational poet who made his mark and forever changed the history of poetry.

Sonnet thirty is one of William Shakespeare’s great sonnet’s. It is called “When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought.” It is a fourteen line sonnet that is broken up into three quatrains and one couplet at the end. In this sonnet Shakespeare speaks of “sessions of sweet silent thinking”. He thinks of memories of the past and is sadden by them. He recalls the times he’s failed to achieve what he set out to do. It seems he’s wasted the best years of his life. Then he begins to cry. Although he’s not used to crying, he cries anyway. He is saddened even more when he thinks of his friends that have passed away into the unending night. Then it

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In the case of this poem he uses the repetition of moaning or sad crying sounds. Using the concept that the character had a account where he already paid for this sadness in the past with tears. Then in the midst of his sadness and pain he thinks of a dear friend from the past.

Works Cited

Roberts, Edgar V. The character was putting himself on trial, interrogating himself about the past he has lived. He goes on to say how he begins to grieve and cry a third time over past sorrows as he repeats to himself all of the mistakes he has made. Even though he thought this account was paid for in full he is this crying over it again. The first metaphor he uses is that of a court room. Anther use of these accounting terms is in line twelve “which I new pay, as if not paid before”. ” The word “sessions” in this sentence I think was picked to compare what this character was going through with that of a person in the witness stand of a court case. Notice the words “summon up” which can give the picture of a judge calling the defendant up to the witness stand to defend his case. In line one it speaks of, “sessions of sweet silent thought. All his losses are compensated for and all of his sorrows end. Then again in the next line the word moan is used to describe the loss of the things he’s losses. He makes the reader feel like he was there, feeling and seeing what the character was going through.

Approximate Word count = 1124
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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