Which group of sonnets (1–17) specifically urges the addressee to have children to preserve his beauty?
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Correct answer: The Procreation Sonnets
The opening sequence of sonnets 1–17 is known as the 'Procreation Sonnets.' The poet argues that the only way to defeat Time's ravages is for the Fair Youth to pass his beauty on to a new generation through children.
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More Shakespearean Sonnets questions
- In sonnet sequences, what is the 'volta'?
- Sonnets 127 through 152 are famously associated with which character?
- 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?
- Which figure is introduced in Sonnets 78–86 as a competitor for the Fair Youth's patronage and affection?
- What is the standard metrical foot used in Shakespeare's sonnets?
- In Sonnet 130 ('My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun'), what traditional poetic convention is Shakespeare satirizing?