Poem Analysis - Sonnet 49 Against That Time If Ever That Time Come

Anticipating Rejection: A preemptive Defense

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 49 is a poignant exploration of anticipated heartbreak and the speaker's self-deprecating attempt to prepare for it. The poem carries a somber and apprehensive tone, dwelling on a future where the beloved's affection has waned. It is a preemptive elegy for a love that the speaker fears is destined to fade, and ultimately, a complex argument that both justifies and laments the potential loss. While steeped in sadness, the sonnet reveals a surprising strength in the speaker's willingness to acknowledge their own perceived worthlessness.

Love as an Economic Transaction and Legal Matter

One dominant theme is the portrayal of love as an almost transactional or legalistic agreement, vulnerable to an "audit" of "reasons." The lines "When as thy love hath cast his utmost sum, / Called to that audit by advised respects" evoke the imagery of a financial accounting, where the speaker's flaws ("my defects") are tallied, and the "sum" of their worth is found wanting. This is further emphasized by the phrase "the strength of laws," suggesting that the beloved has legal or moral justification for withdrawing their affection. The theme of love’s possible and acceptable ending is enforced by the reason-based language of the court.

The Weight of "Desart" and Self-Deprecation

A central theme revolves around the speaker's profound sense of unworthiness and self-deprecation, expressed through the repeated emphasis on their "desart." The line "Within the knowledge of mine own desart" indicates a deep-seated belief in their inherent lack of merit, a feeling that they do not deserve the beloved's affection. This is not presented as a plea for reassurance, but rather as a grim acceptance of what the speaker considers to be an undeniable truth. The speaker's acknowledgment of his perceived inadequacies sets the stage for a preemptive defense of the beloved's potential departure.

Sunlight and the Withholding of Affection

The image of the beloved's "eye" as the "sun" carries significant symbolic weight. Sunlight, typically associated with warmth, life, and happiness, becomes a symbol of the beloved's affection. The fear that the beloved will "scarcely greet me with that sun, thine eye" signifies the speaker's dread of being deprived of this vital source of emotional sustenance. This withholding of light implies a coldness and distance that the speaker anticipates with a chilling clarity. This potent image further underscores the speaker's dependency on the beloved's favor and the devastating impact of its potential withdrawal.

A Paradox of Defense: Acceptance and Lament

Ultimately, Sonnet 49 offers a complex and paradoxical conclusion. While the speaker seemingly prepares for the beloved's departure by acknowledging their own flaws and the "lawful reasons" for abandonment, the very act of writing the sonnet betrays a deep-seated pain and a longing for the love to endure. The poem is both a shield against future hurt and a lament for the potential loss of a cherished connection. The speaker's final lines "Since why to love I can allege no cause" are both an admission of unworthiness and a subtle challenge to the beloved – a quiet questioning of the very reasons that might justify the severing of their bond. Is this humble acceptance true, or a way of showing how undeserving the speaker *isn't*? The question remains open.