William Shakespeare’s Warning Of Sexual Praise In “Sonnet 95”

Shakespeare reveals the beauty of the young man in the first line with words “sweet” (1) and “lovely” (1), but overshadows this character with implied “shame” (1). This is not the common meaning of shame but is the sin that blossoms after premarital sexual encounters. This traditional Shakespearean (abab) rhyme scheme further implies that this becomes more than shame, but “a canker in the fragrant rose” (2). “[F]lower” (2) in this line refers to this young man’s great beauty, but “canker” (2) destroys this beauty. The meaning that Shakespeare speaks of is a worm or maggot that matriculates inside and destroys the flower. The worm kills the flower from the inside out and is not discovered until the flowe

Some topics in this essay:
William Shakespeare, foot line, line 4, third foot, written iambic pentameter, foot line 4, fourth foot line, spondee fourth foot, “blot” 11, line 8, spondee line, written iambic, initial spondee, iambic pentameter, “edge” 14,