Shakespeare's 7th Sonnet (Hardcore Analysis) (Patreon)

The procreation sequence continues with Shakespeare's seventh sonnet. 

Today we're discussing how to find a connection to works that don't immediately move us, the voyage of life, midlife crisis, and the wound of being "unlooked on." 

Video Timestamps:

• 0:00 breaking into difficult works
• 3:00 the importance of rereading poems
• 6:00 what is this sonnet about?
• 10:00 reading the sonnet
• 12:00 call to attention/invoking the Muse
• 15:00 the Voyage of Life
• 17:00 midlife anxiety
• 19:00 contemplating sunsets
• 20:00 the wound of being “unlooked on”
• 24:30 the keyword of this sonnet
• 25:30 the English History plays
• 26:30 what did you think of the sonnet?

Sonnet VII

Lo, in the Orient, when the gracious light
Lifts up his burning head, each under eye
Doth homage to his new appearing sight,
Serving with looks his sacred majesty;
And having climbed the steep-up heavenly hill,
Resembling strong youth in his middle age,
Yet mortal looks adore his beauty still,
Attending on his golden pilgrimage:
But when from high-most pitch, with weary car,
Like feeble age he reeleth from the day,
The eyes, fore-duteous, now converted are
From his low tract, and look another way:
So thou, thyself out-going in thy noon,
Unlooked on diest, unless thou get a son.

Shakespeare's Sonnet Project

• Sonnet I
• Sonnet II
• Sonnet III
• Sonnet IV
• Sonnet V
• Sonnet VI 

Questions to Consider:

1) Where would you rank this sonnet amongst the first seven?

2) Is Shakespeare making a compelling argument to the Fair Youth here? Would you be swayed by this line of reasoning?

3) Do you feel like you know the speaker of the sonnets? What about the one he is addressing? 

Happy sonneteering!