Sonnet 71, No Longer Mourn for Me – Shakespeare
· Structure: Shakespearean sonnet (abab cdcd ef ef gg)
· Speaker does not want the reader to f eel sad af ter he has died
· Irony: Shakespeare was one of the most f amous writers ever, and he is asking not to be
remembered
· As soon as the church bell stops ringing, people
1 No longer mourn for me when I am dead must stop mourning f or him
· Church bell: rung to annonce someone’s passing
2 Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell · Speaker doesn’t like earth and the people on it –
he views it as disgusting
· Diction: shows how he is nonchalant about death
3 Give warning to the world that I am fled · The world is not where he wants to spend eternity
· Alliteration: creates a lyrica tempo, higlisgts the
From this vile world with vilest worms to morose/depressed tone by slowing down the
4
dwell; rhythm of the poem
5 Nay, if you read this line, remember not · If the reader reads the poem, he must not
remember who wrote it – will make him sad again
6 The hand that writ it; for I love you so, and bring back emotions related to the speaker’s
7 That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot, death
· Speaker would rather that the reader f orgets
8 I f thinking on me then should make you woe. about him, than remember him in sadness
9 O, if (I say) you look upon this verse, · Speaker doesn’t want the reader to grieve –
theref ore must not even say his name af ter he
10 When I (perhaps) compounded am with clay, has died
11 Do not so much as my poor name rehearse, · Compounded with clay: buried
· Speaker says that the reader must f orget about
12 But let your love with my life decay, him in the same way that his body is decaying
· Speaker is worries that the world will mock the
Lest the wise world should look into your reader f or grieving
13
moan, · THEORY (CANNOT USE AS TRUTH) –
Shakespeare was gay (the world does not accept
gay people)
· The speaker is portraying himself to be self less,
14 And mock you with me after I am gone.
when in reality he is actually quite self ish – he
does not want the world to mock his name
· Structure: Shakespearean sonnet (abab cdcd ef ef gg)
· Speaker does not want the reader to f eel sad af ter he has died
· Irony: Shakespeare was one of the most f amous writers ever, and he is asking not to be
remembered
· As soon as the church bell stops ringing, people
1 No longer mourn for me when I am dead must stop mourning f or him
· Church bell: rung to annonce someone’s passing
2 Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell · Speaker doesn’t like earth and the people on it –
he views it as disgusting
· Diction: shows how he is nonchalant about death
3 Give warning to the world that I am fled · The world is not where he wants to spend eternity
· Alliteration: creates a lyrica tempo, higlisgts the
From this vile world with vilest worms to morose/depressed tone by slowing down the
4
dwell; rhythm of the poem
5 Nay, if you read this line, remember not · If the reader reads the poem, he must not
remember who wrote it – will make him sad again
6 The hand that writ it; for I love you so, and bring back emotions related to the speaker’s
7 That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot, death
· Speaker would rather that the reader f orgets
8 I f thinking on me then should make you woe. about him, than remember him in sadness
9 O, if (I say) you look upon this verse, · Speaker doesn’t want the reader to grieve –
theref ore must not even say his name af ter he
10 When I (perhaps) compounded am with clay, has died
11 Do not so much as my poor name rehearse, · Compounded with clay: buried
· Speaker says that the reader must f orget about
12 But let your love with my life decay, him in the same way that his body is decaying
· Speaker is worries that the world will mock the
Lest the wise world should look into your reader f or grieving
13
moan, · THEORY (CANNOT USE AS TRUTH) –
Shakespeare was gay (the world does not accept
gay people)
· The speaker is portraying himself to be self less,
14 And mock you with me after I am gone.
when in reality he is actually quite self ish – he
does not want the world to mock his name
