Shakespeare Sonnet 7 - Paraphrase in Contemporary English (original) (raw)

SONNET 7Lo, in the orient when the gracious light Lifts up his burning head, each under eye Doth homage to his new-appearing sight, Serving with looks his sacred majesty; And having climb'd the steep-up heavenly hill,Resembling strong youth in his middle age, yet mortal looks adore his beauty still, Attending on his golden pilgrimage; But when from highmost pitch, with weary car,Like feeble age, he reeleth from the day, The eyes, 'fore duteous, now converted are From his low tract and look another way: So thou, thyself out-going in thy noon, Unlook'd on diest, unless thou get a son. PARAPHRASEWhen the first rays of the sun appear in the east,And the sun lifts up his burning head, men's eyesPay tribute to his new-appearing sightServing his majesty [the sun] with looks of awe;And when he climbs that hill to heaven [ascends back into the sky],Like a strong young man in the prime of life,Mortals still worship his glory,Watching closely his climb into the sky;But when from his zenith he, with his weary chariot,Reels downwards like men decline with age,The eyes [of men], before dutiful, now turn away from himThey turn away from his path in the sky and look elsewhere: So you, youself nearly past your prime, Will too go unregarded [like the sun], unless you have a son. Please click here for explanatory notes. **How to cite this article:**Shakespeare, William. Sonnet 7. Ed. Amanda Mabillard. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2013. < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/7detail.html >. ______ Even More... Stratford School Days: What Did Shakespeare Read? Games in Shakespeare's England [A-L] Games in Shakespeare's England [M-Z] An Elizabethan Christmas Clothing in Elizabethan England Queen Elizabeth: Shakespeare's Patron King James I of England: Shakespeare's Patron The Earl of Southampton: Shakespeare's Patron Going to a Play in Elizabethan London Ben Jonson and the Decline of the Drama Publishing in Elizabethan England Shakespeare's Audience Religion in Shakespeare's England Alchemy and Astrology in Shakespeare's Day Entertainment in Elizabethan England London's First Public Playhouse Shakespeare Hits the Big Time

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