Zoe Pearson
To me, Fair Friend, you never can be old-William
Shakespeare[104]
1.To me, fair friend, you never can be old, Speaker’s friend defies ravages of time+ preserves his/her
beauty . -introduces the theme of time, reasurring
Me: subjective Friend: patron?
2.For as you were when first your eye I eyed, When they first met->heightened intimacy +affection
suggested by idea of one eye looking right into another
-eye: window of the soul- a recognition of his essential
being: Introduces element of intimacy
3.Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold Although three years have passed, the friend remains as
beautiful as when they first met
Seems:appr vs realities
4.Have from the forests shook three summers’ Seasons used as a metaphor for the passing of time,
pride, illustrating how life is cyclical+this process is how nature
regenrates or renews itself. Life is followd by death,
which, in turn, gives rise to new life.
Shook-suggests movement, time has happened
5.Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn Yet in contrast to this, the subject of the poem is
turned described as immune to the turning yellow of
autumn+burning of 3 hot junes
6.In process of the seasons have I seen, -summers’ pride(leaves, flowers)- shaken off by cold of
winter, spring beauty-turns yellow in autumn, burned by
7.Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burned,
heat of June[process of nature +time]
8.Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green. seen:Link to ‘eye’ and ‘saw’
Fresh: youthful
9.Ah, yet doth beauty, like a dial-hand, Dial-shadow moves ->time changes
Dial hand: clear indication of movement of time earth
moves around sun-can’t stop it
Yet:inevitability of time
10.Steal from his figure, and no pace perceived; Unnoticed
Alliteration-plosive sound- ticking, footsteps
11.So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth Deceived links to ‘seem’-subjective
stand, Sweet hue-beautiful complexion
12.Hath motion, and mine eye may be deceived: Questions speaker’s own assumptions that his friend is
immune to process of time. Speaker experiences moment
of self-doubt conceding that ‘mine eye that may be
To me, Fair Friend, you never can be old-William
Shakespeare[104]
1.To me, fair friend, you never can be old, Speaker’s friend defies ravages of time+ preserves his/her
beauty . -introduces the theme of time, reasurring
Me: subjective Friend: patron?
2.For as you were when first your eye I eyed, When they first met->heightened intimacy +affection
suggested by idea of one eye looking right into another
-eye: window of the soul- a recognition of his essential
being: Introduces element of intimacy
3.Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold Although three years have passed, the friend remains as
beautiful as when they first met
Seems:appr vs realities
4.Have from the forests shook three summers’ Seasons used as a metaphor for the passing of time,
pride, illustrating how life is cyclical+this process is how nature
regenrates or renews itself. Life is followd by death,
which, in turn, gives rise to new life.
Shook-suggests movement, time has happened
5.Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn Yet in contrast to this, the subject of the poem is
turned described as immune to the turning yellow of
autumn+burning of 3 hot junes
6.In process of the seasons have I seen, -summers’ pride(leaves, flowers)- shaken off by cold of
winter, spring beauty-turns yellow in autumn, burned by
7.Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burned,
heat of June[process of nature +time]
8.Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green. seen:Link to ‘eye’ and ‘saw’
Fresh: youthful
9.Ah, yet doth beauty, like a dial-hand, Dial-shadow moves ->time changes
Dial hand: clear indication of movement of time earth
moves around sun-can’t stop it
Yet:inevitability of time
10.Steal from his figure, and no pace perceived; Unnoticed
Alliteration-plosive sound- ticking, footsteps
11.So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth Deceived links to ‘seem’-subjective
stand, Sweet hue-beautiful complexion
12.Hath motion, and mine eye may be deceived: Questions speaker’s own assumptions that his friend is
immune to process of time. Speaker experiences moment
of self-doubt conceding that ‘mine eye that may be
