Alison Mason

Gardner

English 10, Period

17 September, 2014

Alison’s Analysis:In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 27, the subject deals with the lasting dilemma of being separated from his youthful lover: Shakespeare uses loving imagery and soothing diction to express the feelings of lost, distant love. The sonnet begins with the subject retiring to bed and falling asleep. “To work my mind, when body’s work’s expired” conveys the idea that the man is entering the state of dreams. Even though he is not physically working, his head and mind are going through a great deal of thoughts and visions. The main image the man sees in his dreams at night is the face of his lover, who brightens his dreams. “Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new.” The man sees his lover at night during his dreams; he sees her face from back to when he last saw her. She was a great deal younger back when they last saw each other so that is why it is portrayed as young. He could also choose to imagine her as young because it was a happier, brighter time back then. We confirm that the man takes a mental journey to see his lover through the line, “ intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee.” The word choice zealous indicates that he wants to take the journey and we know that it is to his lover because he refers to her as thee. Throughout the sonnet, he references her and her “old new face” which confirms who this sonnet was about and what Shakespeare was thinking about at the time of writing it. In the end, the subject and his love are still faced with the complication of being apart. Though their love was strong, seeing a person in dreams is not nearly as satisfying as being with them in person. Lost, distant love is something that everyone faces and Shakespeare captured the emotions with it perfectly.