Part 2: Shakespeare Sonnet 7

Hi everyone,

Now I am reinterpreting my Shakespeare Sonnet 7 response below. After watching the musical and acting versions of this sonnet my ideas have changed. (Not drawing…I was in that group)

After seeing the two versions, I am beginning to connect the sun's life more with human life.

Play: During the play, the person starting out as a baby (Mark) grew up with the sun (JiWoo) and died with the sun. This makes me think as if Shakespeare was not only writing about the cycle of the sun, but also about how human life is similar.

Musical: During the music, everyone started moving and playing their instruments loudly at noon, which to me was interpreted, once again, to human life. It was as if at that time in the day, which represents middle-aged, was the pinnacle, and most active time.

What these things made me think about:
When the sun starts the day by slowly rising into the sky, it is similar to human birth in some ways. It is like someone that is just born and is opening its eyes to a new world and discovering new things.
As the sun progresses higher and higher into the sky, it reminds me of going through, your toddler years, adolescence, and youth, until you finally reach middle-age.

"And having climb'd the steep-up heavenly hill, Resembling strong youth in his middle age.”
During the time of Shakespeare, the life expectancy of most people was roughly 40 years old. This means that people were considered middle-aged in their twenties. That would mean they were at their peak physically and mentally.
I think he means that the sun is in the middle of its journey through the sky, but is also at its highest point. It is showing that it is still strong, even though it is halfway through its "life”. This can also be said of the human condition during Shakespeare’s era.

As the sun makes its way back down through the sky, when he says “Like feeble age, he reeleth from the day, The eyes, 'fore duteous, now converted are From his low tract and look another way”, could possibly have a double meaning.

It could be talking about the sun, and how people’s attitudes altered towards the suns presence as it sets, and they become unimpressed.

It could also be talking about people: People’s lives change after they have passed “middle-age”. For some people it turns downhill, and they receive problems that naturally occur along with older age, that cause them to be less active, and sometimes, less significant. This is like the sun descending in the sky. It is moving lower and lower and lower…and lower.

For some people it also means that they have missed out on the opportunity of having children. “Unlook'd on diest, unless thou get a son.” Here I think Shakespeare means that if you don’t have a son, your life would have been meaningless. In the time of Shakespeare (which I believe was the 15-1600’s), you would be looked upon insignificantly once you died, unless you had a son who could carry on your name, or do something great.

I guess that this sonnet is both about the sun and people. It depends on who, and how you are interpreting it.

Thanks!