In Sonnet 18 ('Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?'), what is the primary reason the subject's 'eternal summer' will not fade?
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Correct answer: The subject is preserved in the poet's 'eternal lines'
The poem concludes that as long as men can breathe or eyes can see, the poem itself will live on and give life to the subject. This reflects the Renaissance trope of 'poetry as monument' — immortality conferred through verse.
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More Shakespearean Sonnets questions
- Which figure is introduced in Sonnets 78–86 as a competitor for the Fair Youth's patronage and affection?
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- Which of the following describes the relationship between the quatrains and the couplet in a Shakespearean sonnet?
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