The general theme of the sonnet is that what is written about in poetry is eternal – specifically in this poem, Shakespeare is admiring a woman, and saying that her beauty will never fade because he is putting it into verse. He begins by comparing her to a summer day, and then saying she is much more beautiful.

The sonnet as a form, especially as developed by Petrarch, was often associated with the theme of love. Shakespeare is no exception to this, and the majority of the sonnets have love as a theme. This theme can be handled in many ways. Some of the sonnets praise the beloved directly and others indirectly.

The sonnets cover such themes as the passage of time, love, infidelity, jealousy, beauty and mortality. The first 126 are addressed to a young man; the last 28 are either addressed to, or refer to, a woman.

Sonnet 18 is a typical English or Shakespearean sonnet, having 14 lines of iambic pentameter: three quatrains followed by a couplet. It also has the characteristic rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem reflects the rhetorical tradition of an Italian or Petrarchan Sonnet.

Main idea is what the poem is mostly about. Theme is the lesson about life or statement about human nature that the poem expresses. To determine theme, start by figuring out the main idea. Then keep looking around the poem for details such as the structure, sounds, word choice, and any poetic devices.

The young man to whom the poem is addressed is the muse for Shakespeare’s first 126 sonnets.

Identify the Theme What question is it asking of the reader? The answer to this should be in the first and last quatrains: lines 1–4 and 13–14. Quatrain One: These first four lines should set out the subject matter of the sonnet.

In ‘Sonnet’ Johnson explores themes of motivation, fear, and courage. The tone is optimistic throughout, even when the mood is dark and fearful. Johnson addresses these fears head-on, showing his heart what it’s going to take to make it through life positively and successfully.

Which of the following best describes a theme of the sonnet? Nature is indifferent to mankind and is often cruel and punishing.

Like many other sonnets, Sonnet 18 contains a volta, or turn, where the subject matter changes and the speaker shifts from describing the subject’s beauty to describing what will happen after the youth eventually grows old and dies. “Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,” Shakespeare writes.

Themes in Sonnet 18 Admiration. Throughout the whole poem, the speaker talks about the beauty of his beloved. Cruelty of Nature. Nature is depicted as a harsh and cruel antagonist in this poem. Inevitability of Death. The poem highlights the idea that no one can escape death. Poetry as a Source of Immortality.

At first glance, the mood and tone of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 is one of deep love and affection. It is highly sentimental and full of feeling. This sonnet may seem at first to simply praise the beauty of the poet’s love interest. However, there is also a subtle hint of frustration in the poet’s tone.

Sonnet 18 is perhaps the best known of all sonnets. Sonnet 18’s purpose focuses on the loveliness of a friend or lover, begins with a rhetorical question comparing them to a summer’s day.

Beside above, what is the message of Sonnet 18? Expert Answers info The main purpose of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 is embodied in the end couplet: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this and this gives life to thee. The sonneteer’s purpose is to make his love’s beauty and, by implication, his love for her, eternal.