Analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 77

This sonnet is a reflection on, or of, sonnet # 20 on the beauties of the young man. The first line of sonnet # 77 highlights the original beauties of the painting by the nature of the person’s face in the following line: “Your glass will show you how your beauties dress.” Here we find that the young man grows old and his beauties diminish. For example, line # 1 of sonnet # 20 reads: “The face of a woman, with nature itself painted by hand.” In these examples, you can see the contrast and comparison between the two sonnets. To further bring out this comparison, line # 5 of Sonnet # 77 also says: “The wrinkles your glass will actually show.” Here we find an extension of the comparative analysis between sonnet no. 20 and sonnet No. 77 on the beauties of the young man from a broader perspective.

Furthermore, this sonnet is communicative in nature. The poet has given the young man a book to record his activities. The poet has also realized that aging can make the brain forget things; therefore, keeping an activity log should refresh the memory of the young person. For example, line # 4 of sonnet # 77 reads as follows: “And from this book you can test this learning.” Along these lines, the correlation of the brain and the sense of sight should leave a lasting memory. Also, to solidify this link, line # 12 says: “To know your mind again.” In the analysis, this shows that a short pencil is better than a long memory, especially when the memory is failing with the corresponding beauties of the young man.

In addition, these sonnets could be considered especially as a mechanism of union between the poet and the subject. These sonnets have become a tool for social bonding between them. The gift of the notebook to the young person addresses this class dynamic of communication and bonding. As an example, line # 14, which is the second line of the topic, says: “Your book will benefit and enrich your book a lot.” Here, the poet is communicating to the young man that the book will be of great value as a useful tool for him during his aging process. Finally, just as the mirror reflects the beauties of the young man when he was young, so the notebook will reflect the beauties of the person as he ages. Also, as its appearance changes, the mirror will reflect its corresponding nature in the future.