Sonnet 18, also called "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day," is one of the most famous sonnets from the 154 sonnets written by William Shakespeare, an English poet and playwright. In the sonnet, the speaker considers whether to compare the Fair Youth to a summer's day but points out that the Fair Youth has qualities that are better than a summer's day, which is a main theme of the poem. The speaker also explains that the qualities of a summer day can change and will eventually fade. The speaker then claims that the Fair Youth will live forever through the words of the poem as long as people continue to read it. The sonnet includes an irony: the actual young man will not be made to live forever, but the description of him in the poem will. However, the poem contains little or no direct description of the young man and instead focuses on vivid and lasting descriptions of a summer day, which the young man is meant to outlive.

Structure

Sonnet 18 is an English or Shakespearean sonnet, which has 14 lines written in iambic pentameter. The poem is divided into three groups of four lines called quatrains, followed by a final pair of lines called a couplet. The rhyme pattern follows ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem shows the style of an Italian or Petrarchan sonnet, which often focuses on themes like love and beauty, sometimes describing a love that cannot be achieved. The poem also includes a volta, or a change in its main topic, which begins in the third quatrain. The first line of the couplet is an example of regular iambic pentameter rhythm.

Context

The poem is part of the Fair Youth sequence, which includes sonnets 1 through 126 according to the numbering used in the first edition from 1609. It is the first poem in this group that follows the opening sequence now called the procreation sonnets. However, some scholars argue that it belongs to the procreation sonnets because it discusses the idea of achieving eternal life through writing, a theme also found in sonnets 15 through 17. In this view, the poem marks a shift toward the time-related themes in sonnet 20.

Analysis

The word "complexion" in line six has two meanings:

• It can describe a person's face appearance compared to the sun mentioned earlier, or
• It can refer to an older meaning related to the four bodily fluids (called "humours") that were believed to affect health and mood.

During Shakespeare’s time, "complexion" was used to describe both a person’s outer look and their inner state, just like the word "temperate," which could mean weather conditions or a balanced mix of humours. The second meaning of "complexion" suggests the beloved’s cheerful and steady nature is constant, unlike the sun, which can be hidden by clouds. The first meaning is clearer: it shows a change in the beloved’s outer appearance.

The word "untrimmed" in line eight has two interpretations:
1. It can mean the loss of decorations or fancy details, or
2. It can refer to a ship’s sails that are not adjusted to wind changes.

If read as the loss of decoration, the poem suggests that beautiful things lose their fanciness over time. If read as unadjusted sails, it suggests nature is like a ship that does not change course to adapt to wind shifts. This creates a contradiction: nature changes constantly, yet change itself is the only thing that never stops. This line shifts the poem from showing change in the first eight lines to showing the lasting idea in the final six lines. Both change and lasting ideas are then shown and questioned in the final line.

The word "ow'st" in line ten can mean either "ownest" or "owest." In Shakespeare’s time, "owe" was sometimes used to mean "own." However, "owest" suggests that beauty is borrowed from nature and must be returned. In this view, "fair" might be a play on "fare," meaning the cost or price nature demands for life. Some experts believe the theme of borrowing and returning appears in both nature and humans. For example, summer is described as having a "lease" (a temporary agreement) with a short time. This idea of money and borrowing was common in Shakespeare’s time, as society was becoming more focused on trade and wealth.

Recordings

• Paul Kelly, associated with the 2016 album Seven Sonnets & a Song
• YouTube video featuring Chuck Liddell
• YouTube video featuring David Gilmour
• Bryan Ferry, associated with the 1997 album Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute