Background of “Shakespeare”:
This sonnet “Shakespeare” is one of the best tributes ever paid to Shakespeare. It was composed in 1844.
“Shakespeare” is included in the first volumes of his poems—
“The Strayed Reveller and other Poems”.
Summary of the Poem “Shakespeare”:
Stanza 1:
Others abide our question. Thou art free!
We ask and ask: Thou smilest and art still,
Out – topping knowledge.
Explanatory Word-Meanings:
Others= other poets and dramatists. Abide = submit to. Thou art free =you are free from objections. Out topping = touching great heights.
Paraphrase:
Critics have made fruitless attempts to fathom the depth of Shakespeare’s mind. Even to this day, Shakespeare remains a challenge to all the critics and scholars. There are other famous poets and dramatists who submit to the queries of critics and scholars but Shakespeare remains unknown and unguessed. Critics have raised endless questions about him but he only smiled and did not unlock the secret of his heart. He stands all alone, quite distinct and above all human enquiries. He touches the great heights of knowledge which are unattainable to ordinary mortals.
Stanza 2:
For the loftiest hill
Who to the stars uncrowns his majesty,
Planting his steadfast footsteps in the sea,
Making the heaven of heavens his dwelling – place,
Spares but the cloudy border of his base
To the foil’d searching of mortality;
Explanatory Word-Meanings:
Loftiest = highest. Uncrowns his majesty = exposes his grandeur to the view. Planting = rooting. Steadfast = firmly. Footsteps = foundation. Spares = exposes. Cloudy border of his base= the lower part of the mountain covered with clouds. To the foil’d searching of mortality= to the mortal beings whose searches about Shakespeare have proved fruitless.
Paraphrase:
Shakespeare is just like a lofty hill the grandeur of the tops of which is exposed to the view of stars only. The footsteps of the hill are firmly rooted in the dark and deep sea beyond the perception of a mortal being. Only the lower part of the mountain is revealed to us but that, too, is overcast with clouds. That is to say that the heights of Shakespeare’s minds are unscalable. Nothing is known about his beginnings. We know something about his manhood but that, too, is very little. Shakespeare lives in the high heavens which are beyond the approach of critics and scholars. Hence, all the attempts of humanity to search him out have been frustrated and proved fruitless.
Stanza 3:
And thou, who didst the stars and sunbeams know.
Self – school’d, self – scann’d self – honour’d self – secure,
Didst tread on earth unguess’d at – Better so!
Explanatory Word-Meanings:
Sunbeams = the rays of the sun. Self – school’d = self-taught. Self – scann’d =learnt the rudiments of poetry himself. Self – secure = self – made financially. Unguessed = unknown.
Paraphrase:
It is very surprising that Shakespeare whose genius was as lofty as stars and whose grandeur was exposed to the sun rays only was unschooled. He did not receive education at any college or university. He was self – taught. He learned the rudiments of poetry himself. He was self – made financially. He felt honoured in being self-made and self – schooled. It is still more surprising that the world in which he lived and worked did not pay much attention to such a great man. He passed unnoticed and it was better for him. In case, he had been known, he would have been exposed to criticism.
Stanza 4:
All pains the immortal spirit must endure,
All weakness which impairs, all griefs which bow,
Find their sole speech in that victorious brow.
Explanatory Word-Meanings:
Immortal spirit = immortal Shakespeare. Endure =tolerate. Impairs = hurts. Victorious = triumphant.
Paraphrase:
Shakespeare, the immortal genius scaled the depths of human pain and suffering in his tragedies. He expressed through them the heart – felt griefs and sorrows which tamed human spirit. He exposed the weaknesses of his age in the most powerful language. But he stood detached and was triumphant over all the evils and misfortune of life. His sad experience of life did not affect or mar his sunny spirit which is unmasked in his romantic comedies.
Critical Analysis of the Poem:
Background:
This sonnet is one of the best tributes ever paid to Shakespeare. It was composed in 1844. It is included in the first volumes of his poems—“The Strayed Reveller and other Poems”.
Thought – content:
This sonnet refers to the fruitless attempts of critics to measure the depth of Shakespeare’s mind. Shakespeare remains a challenge to all critics and scholars to the present day. Other poets and dramatists submit themselves to our critical enquiry but Shakespeare remains beyond the reach of our knowledge. He is just like a lofty hill revealing its grandeur only to the stars and sunbeams. It is very surprising that such a great genius was self – schooled and self-made. He exposed the evils and weaknesses of his age, and scaled the depths of human pains and sufferings in his tragedies. Yet his sad experience of life did not mar his sunny spirit which is displayed in his romantic comedies.
Form:
This sonnet is written on the Petrarchan or Italian model and is very compact in form. It is divided in two parts. The first part which is known as Octave has eight lines. The second part which is termed as Sestet has six lines. The whole poem reads like a composite unit for there is no heavy pause after the first or second quatrain. The rhyme pattern is as follows: abba, abba, cdc, dcc.
Diction:
The theme of the sonnet is sublime, so is the poet’s treatment of it. The majestic march of the music and the noble diction is in keeping with the subject. The imagery of the lofty hill is very impressive and apt. Much has been said about the greatness of Shakespeare in the most compressed and effective language.
