Summary:
“Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” is one of Shakespeare’s most famous sonnets, celebrating the eternal beauty of the poet’s beloved. The speaker begins by questioning whether he should compare the beloved to a summer’s day but immediately asserts that they are “more lovely and more temperate.” Unlike summer, which is often unpredictable with rough winds and fading beauty, the beloved’s beauty is everlasting.
Shakespeare uses the power of poetry to grant immortality to the beloved, stating that their charm will never fade because it is preserved in verse. The poem concludes with the idea that as long as people read this poem, the beloved’s beauty will live on forever. This sonnet emphasizes themes of love, beauty, and the timeless nature of poetry.
MCQs:
- What is the theme of “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?”
a) Love and Immortality
b) War and Conflict
c) Nature and its Destruction
d) Betrayal and Revenge
Answer: a) Love and Immortality - How does the poet compare his beloved to a summer’s day?
a) The beloved is harsher than summer
b) The beloved is more lovely and temperate
c) The beloved is fleeting like summer
d) The beloved is colder than summer
Answer: b) The beloved is more lovely and temperate - What makes the beloved superior to a summer’s day?
a) Eternal beauty and timelessness
b) Fiery passion and intensity
c) Fragility and softness
d) Temporary existence
Answer: a) Eternal beauty and timelessness
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day - What literary device is used in the line “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May”?
a) Metaphor
b) Simile
c) Personification
d) Hyperbole
Answer: c) Personification - How does Shakespeare claim to immortalize his beloved?
a) By writing poetry about them
b) By painting a portrait
c) By carving their name in stone
d) By making them a star
Answer: a) By writing poetry about them - What does “Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest” mean?
a) The beloved will never lose their beauty
b) The beloved will always own property
c) The beloved will be forgotten in time
d) The beloved will become richer
Answer: a) The beloved will never lose their beauty - What is the final message of the poem?
a) Summer is more beautiful than the beloved
b) The beloved’s beauty will live forever through poetry
c) Time destroys everything, even poetry
d) Beauty fades with age
Answer: b) The beloved’s beauty will live forever through poetry - What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
a) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
b) AABB CCDD EEFF GG
c) ABC ABC DEF DEF
d) ABBA CDDC EFFE GG
Answer: a) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
| Question | Answer |
| Poem Name | Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day? |
| Poet | William Shakespeare |
| Year Written | Early 1600s |
| Year Published | 1609 |
| Poem Type | Sonnet (Shakespearean Sonnet) |
| Themes | Love, Beauty, Immortality through Poetry |
| Rhyme Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG |
| Main Literary Devices | Metaphor, Personification, Imagery, Alliteration |
| Famous Line | “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” |
| Key Message | Poetry immortalizes beauty and love beyond time |