Sonnet 73: That time of year thou mayst in me behold

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In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire

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Explain the following lines:

“In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire

That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,”

These lines are taken from William Shakespeare’s (1564-1616) “Sonnet 73” (1609). In this sonnet, the poet talks about old age, the passing of time, and love. He uses different images from nature and daily life to show how he is becoming older. In this part of the poem, the poet compares himself to a fire that is almost dying.

Shakespeare says, “In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire.” This means the poet’s life is like a small fire that is still burning a little. The fire is not strong anymore. It only gives a weak glow. In the same way, the poet’s life is now weak because he is old. His energy is not the same as before. His body and strength are getting weaker every day.

yle="font-weight: 400;">Then he says, “That on the ashes of his youth doth lie.” This means his old age is just a reminder of his lost youth. When a fire burns for a long time, only ashes remain. These ashes show that there was once a strong flame. Similarly, the poet’s “youth” was once full of energy, passion, and strength. But now, only memories of youth remain, like ashes after a fire.

This image of a dying fire shows that the poet’s life is near its end. When the beloved looks at the poet, they understand this.

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