Shakespeare’s Download This Essay Print Save Gcse

indecision stems from conflicting reactions, as he feels "feasting on his sight" on some days, while being "clean starved for a look" on others in lines 9 to 12.

It can be inferred that Shakespeare is sometimes left alone and unable to reach his attractive youth. Shakespeare feels powerless in this situation and admits in lines 11 and 12 that his happiness relies solely on the attention and love of the handsome youth. The final rhyming couplet displays the emotional complexity involved in this relationship, as Shakespeare expresses his alternating feelings of abundance and lack. The use of stylistic devices in the poem enhances the reader's understanding of Shakespeare's emotional life and demonstrates that his feelings are not only tied to the presence of the handsome youth but also to their entire relationship.

Throughout the text, Shakespeare employs similes to compare his striking young appearance with natural phenomena in lines 1, 2, 4, and 5. These similes are helpful for visualization and comprehension. Additionally, various antitheses, such as "Possessing or pursuing" in line 11 and "pine and surfeit" in line 13, contribute to the notion of inner conflict within Shakespeare. An anaphora in lines 5 and 7 further emphasizes this idea with repeated use of the word "Now..."

Shakespeare exhibits contradiction with the word "then" on line 8, showing uncertainty about his emotions and life. His confusion is not uncommon as he describes the handsome youth as the most important person in his life in Sonnet 125, yet shifts attention to the Dark Lady just two sonnets later, making her the subject of his work. Shakespeare's emotional life is disorganized and in turmoil.

Despite this,

I think that the author effectively involves the reader in his thought process.