Poem Analysis - Sonnet 7 Lo In The Orient When The Gracious Light

Introduction: A Plea for Legacy

Shakespeare's Sonnet 7 is a compelling argument for procreation, framed through the extended metaphor of the sun's daily journey. The poem begins with admiration and reverence, but shifts to a tone of warning as the sun's decline becomes a symbol of inevitable aging and neglect. The overall impression is one of urgency, a plea against the fading of beauty and influence. The sonnet carries a palpable sense of anxiety about mortality and the importance of leaving a lasting legacy.

The Sun as a Symbol of Life and Beauty

One of the central themes explored in Sonnet 7 is the ephemeral nature of beauty and youth. The sun, described as "gracious light" and resembling "strong youth," is a powerful symbol of vitality and splendor. The poem highlights the adoration the sun receives during its ascent, with "each under eye" paying "homage to his new-appearing sight." This illustrates how beauty commands attention and respect. However, this adulation is not unconditional. The imagery of the sun's "weary car" and "feeble age" underscores the inevitability of decline, suggesting that beauty, like the sun, is destined to fade. This fading leads to neglect, as people "look another way," further emphasizing the transient nature of admiration.

The Perils of Mortality: A Warning Against Oblivion

The theme of mortality is inextricably linked to the sun's journey. The poem uses the sun's daily cycle – its rise and fall – as a microcosm of human life. The sun's descent from its "highmost pitch" mirrors the aging process, leading to a state of diminished power and influence. This decline is presented as a stark warning, emphasizing that without progeny, one risks being forgotten. The lines "So thou, thyself outgoing in thy noon, / Unlooked on diest, unless thou get a son" drive home the message that a lack of offspring equates to a form of death – a death of reputation and remembrance. The sonnet, therefore, functions as a powerful argument against allowing one's beauty and potential to vanish without a trace.

Legacy Through Procreation: A Defense Against Time

The poem’s central argument is that procreation offers a way to combat the ravages of time and mortality. The act of having a son becomes a means of perpetuating one's own beauty and influence. The absence of a "son" leads to being "unlooked on" and dying into oblivion, indicating that a son functions as a continuation of the self. The poem suggests that through offspring, one can achieve a form of immortality, ensuring that one's "sacred majesty" endures beyond the individual's lifespan. It essentially offers legacy as a form of salvation against the inevitable decline depicted through the sun's fading.

Concluding Thoughts: The Enduring Power of Reproduction

In conclusion, Sonnet 7 uses the compelling imagery of the sun's daily cycle to explore the themes of beauty, mortality, and the importance of legacy. The poem's shift in tone, from admiration to warning, underscores the fleeting nature of youth and the potential for oblivion. Ultimately, the sonnet argues that procreation is a vital means of defying time and ensuring that one's beauty and influence endure. The poem's significance lies in its exploration of the human desire for immortality and its suggestion that children are a means of achieving it, offering a defense against the "low tract" of forgotten existence.