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Historical lessonAnniversaryHeartfelt

Sonnet 18

Shakespeare begins with a familiar comparison, questions its limits, and finds a more lasting way to praise the person addressed.

Speaking time
16 sec
Words on this page
33

A sourced excerpt

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01

Opening comparison excerpt

Start a tribute with a vivid comparison, then make it specific to the person.

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.

Say it: Ask the first line as a real question. Let the second sound like an affectionate answer, without a singsong rhythm.

Speaker’s notebook

Why it works

  1. 1The question creates a small exchange, inviting the listener into the praise.
  2. 2The comparison becomes interesting because the poem immediately tests where it falls short.
  3. 3Weather and a short season give the abstract problem of passing time a visible shape.

Details to notice

The speech’s center

Speaker or role
William Shakespeare
Room
A beloved person addressed in a sonnet
Ideas
LoveBeautyTimeAppreciation

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