Shakespeare and His Sonnet 18 “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” William Shakespeare (1564-1616), English poet and playwright, recognized in much of the world as the greatest of all dramatists, is perhaps the most famous writer in the history of English literature. By writing plays, Shakespeare earned recognition from his late 16th and early 17th century contemporaries, but he may have looked to poetry for enduring fame. His poetic achievements include a series …showed first 75 words of 692 total…

…showed last 75 words of 692 total…theme: poetry gives timeless life to beauty. In the poem “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” Shakespeare compares the summer’s imperfection with his beloved’s perfection. The poet employs the step-by- step arguments, to reach the conclusion: poetry is immortal and makes beauty immortal. According to Shakespeare, the grace and effectiveness of the art of poetry is superior to nature, and thus makes it timeless and eternal, just like his beloved.