Sonnet 15 This sonnet introduces that time has ravaged people and the author tries everything to prevent it from happening. “Men as plants increase” means that men grow as plants grow. “Wasteful Time debateth with decay” tells that time is corroding men, which makes the author very uncomfortable. Therefore, the speaker exerts all to stop this, and he “engraft you new,” giving men new life without growing old. In conclusion, this is a sonnet that expresses speaker’s love and care for “you”.
Sonnet 46 This sonnet portrays the conflicts between eyes and heart. Both want to get the attention from “you”. “Mine eye my heart thy picture’s sight would bar.” Eyes prevent the heart from seeing “you”; “My heart mine eye the freedom of that right.” Heart prevents eye from understanding “you”. However, they come to an agreement that they enjoy “you” together. “Mine eye’s due is thy outward part.” Eye takes the appearance of you; “My heart’s right thy inward love of heart.” Heart accepts the inside of you. Therefore, everything is fine.
Sonnet 116 This sonnet basically defines what love is. “It is the star to every wandering bark,” love guides every lost ship and person. “Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks,” love is not the mercy of time. “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,” love does not change with time. In addition, the speaker proves his statement again in the end. “If this be error and upon me proved， never writ, nor no man ever loved.” No men would love if he were wrong; consequently, what he says must be truth. Love is what love is.
This sonnet introduces that time has ravaged people and the author tries everything to prevent it from happening. “Men as plants increase” means that men grow as plants grow. “Wasteful Time debateth with decay” tells that time is corroding men, which makes the author very uncomfortable. Therefore, the speaker exerts all to stop this, and he “engraft you new,” giving men new life without growing old. In conclusion, this is a sonnet that expresses speaker’s love and care for “you”.
Sonnet 46
This sonnet portrays the conflicts between eyes and heart. Both want to get the attention from “you”. “Mine eye my heart thy picture’s sight would bar.” Eyes prevent the heart from seeing “you”; “My heart mine eye the freedom of that right.” Heart prevents eye from understanding “you”. However, they come to an agreement that they enjoy “you” together. “Mine eye’s due is thy outward part.” Eye takes the appearance of you; “My heart’s right thy inward love of heart.” Heart accepts the inside of you. Therefore, everything is fine.
Sonnet 116
This sonnet basically defines what love is. “It is the star to every wandering bark,” love guides every lost ship and person. “Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks,” love is not the mercy of time. “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,” love does not change with time. In addition, the speaker proves his statement again in the end. “If this be error and upon me proved， never writ, nor no man ever loved.” No men would love if he were wrong; consequently, what he says must be truth. Love is what love is.