Sonnet 4 by William Shakespeare
Analysis
"Sonnet 4" is a poem written by William Shakespeare. This poem, like many of Shakespeare's sonnets, are about children. However, in this writing, Shakespeare is talking to himself. He's wondering why he is wasting his time and not having children in order to live on through his children's beauty.
"Sonnet 4" is a Shakespearean Sonnet written in iambic-pentameter with the rhyme scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG.
Poem
Sonnet 4 Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend Upon thyself thy beauty's legacy? Nature's bequest gives nothing but doth lend, And being frank she lends to those are free. Then, beauteous niggard, why dost thou abuse The bounteous largess given thee to give? Profitless usurer, why dost thou use So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live? For having traffic with thyself alone, Thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive. Then how, when nature calls thee to be gone, What acceptable audit canst thou leave? Thy unused beauty must be tomb'd with thee, Which, used, lives th' executor to be.
Next: Sonnet 5
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Nationality
English
Literary Movement
Renaissance, 16th Century
Subjects
Sonnet, Children, Time
Find out more information about this poem and read others like it.
Nationality
English
Literary Movement
Renaissance, 16th Century
Subjects
Sonnet, Children, Time