ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

FAMOUS PLAYWRIGHT POET AND OTHERS

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Shakespeare says the subject will live on forever in his “eternal lines.” What does this mean?
A
People will read about her in his poems
B
She will die and go to heaven
C
She will fall out of line
D
People will know her because of her beauty
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -The phrase ‘eternal summer’ refers to the everlasting beauty of the poet’s friend. ‘Eternal summer’ means timeless beauty. The poet’s friend is lovelier and more temperate than the summer’s day, free from the decline of the ‘fair’ things and his beauty is beyond the power of death.

Detailed explanation-2: -When Shakespeare says the woman will “grow” within the “eternal lines to time” he means that people will remember her because they remember the poem. He closes with “So long as men can breathe or eyes can see/ so long lives this [the poem] and this gives life to thee."

Detailed explanation-3: -The poet makes this known particularly in the lines “So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see / so long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” While the poet is saying that his beloved’s beauty will last for as long as this poem exists, he is also saying that his poetry will be eternal.

Detailed explanation-4: -Which lines from the sonnet explain why the subject’s beauty will be remembered forever? “So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this and this gives life to thee."

There is 1 question to complete.