By saying so, the author indicates that human worth is higher than the previously worshipped authority of kings, princes, and church leaders. The poet says that his beloved one’s beauty will outlive the “marble” and “the gilded monuments / Of princes” (Shakespeare, “Sonnet 55” 1, 1-2). Sonnet 55 is concerned with Renaissance humanism concepts similar to those expressed in Sonnet 18, but in this one, the rejection of medieval authority is also manifested. Hence, Sonnet 18 typifies the main ideals of Renaissance humanism, such as human perfectibility, individual worth, and human superiority over nature. The individual will of every person and superiority over nature are reflected in the final lines of the sonnet: “So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee” (Shakespeare, “Sonnet 18” 13-14).
Meanwhile, the girl will always remain beautiful and young: “thy eternal summer shall not fade, / Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st” (Shakespeare, “Sonnet 18” 9-10). In this line, the perfectibility of a human is emphasized.įurther, the author notes that even the sun is not perfect, for it can be “too hot” or “dimm’d” (Shakespeare, “Sonnet 18” 5, 6). By saying that the girl is “more lovely and more temperate” than a summer’s day, the poet means that there are features of nature that can be rough and unexpected (Shakespeare, “Sonnet 18” 2). Whereas a summer day is considered by many as a beautiful and pleasant one, Shakespeare mentions that it is nothing in comparison to his beloved lady. In Sonnet 18, the poet describes the unique beauty of a girl whose looks will not fade in any circumstances over time. Sonnets 18 and 55 are some of the best examples of Shakespeare’s Renaissance humanism reflections.
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