Summary:
This poem, also known as Sonnet 73, is one of Shakespeare’s most famous reflections on aging and mortality. The speaker describes himself as being in the autumn of his life, using imagery of fading seasons, the setting sun, and a dying fire to symbolize his approaching old age. He acknowledges that time is passing and that death is inevitable. However, the sonnet concludes with a powerful message: the awareness of mortality makes love even stronger. The poet suggests that knowing time is limited deepens appreciation and affection.
MCQs:
- What season does the poet compare himself to in the poem?
- A) Spring
- B) Summer
- C) Autumn (Fall)
- D) Winter
- Answer: C) Autumn (Fall)
- What is the central theme of this sonnet?
- A) The joy of youth
- B) The passage of time and approaching old age
- C) The beauty of nature
- D) The power of love
- Answer: B) The passage of time and approaching old age
- What does the image of “yellow leaves, or none, or few” symbolize?
- A) The changes in nature
- B) The decline of life and aging
- C) The beauty of trees in autumn
- D) The arrival of spring
- Answer: B) The decline of life and aging
That time of year thou mayst in me behold
- What is the poetic form of this poem?
- A) Petrarchan Sonnet
- B) Shakespearean Sonnet
- C) Haiku
- D) Free verse
- Answer: B) Shakespearean Sonnet
- What metaphor does Shakespeare use to describe his old age?
- A) A setting sun
- B) A decaying tree
- C) A burning fire
- D) Both A and C
- Answer: D) Both A and C
- What does the setting sun symbolize in the poem?
- A) Hope for the future
- B) The passage of time and approaching death
- C) A new beginning
- D) The beauty of the evening sky
- Answer: B) The passage of time and approaching death
- What literary device is used in “Death’s second self that seals up all in rest”?
- A) Simile
- B) Metaphor
- C) Personification
- D) Hyperbole
- Answer: C) Personification
- What is the poet’s final message in the concluding couplet?
- A) Love grows stronger despite aging and death
- B) Nature is eternal
- C) Time can be reversed
- D) Death is not inevitable
- Answer: A) Love grows stronger despite aging and death
- The poem compares old age to which of the following?
- A) The bare branches of a tree in autumn
- B) A burning fire turning into ashes
- C) The setting sun fading into night
- D) All of the above
- Answer: D) All of the above
- What is the rhyme scheme of this sonnet?
- A) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
- B) AABB CCDD EEFF GG
- C) ABC ABC DEF DEF
- D) AAB CDD EFF GG
- Answer: A) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
| Question | Answer |
| Poem Name | That time of year thou mayst in me behold |
| Poet | William Shakespeare |
| Year Written | Early 1600s |
| Year Published | 1609 |
| Poem Type | Shakespearean Sonnet |
| Themes | Aging, Mortality, Love, Passage of Time |
| Rhyme Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG |
| Literary Devices | Metaphor, Personification, Imagery, Symbolism |
| Main Idea | Love is more precious when faced with mortality. |