Sonnet 126 is a problem; it is not technically a sonnet. It has only 12 lines, six rimed couplets. It is located between the "young man" and the "dark lady" sonnets.
While many Shakespeare scholars designate the sonnets as falling into three thematic categories, others claim only two: the young man sonnets and the dark lady sonnets. They combine the “marriage sonnets” into the category that is traditionally considered to a young man; this is reasonable because the “marriage sonnets” are actually written to a young man.
The sonnets considered to be addressing a young man, i.e. sonnets 18-126, however, can better be read as musings on the poet’s talent, writing ability, or even to the sonnets themselves. But “Sonnet 126” presents more problems than theme.
A Problem Sonnet
Sonnet number 126 presents a problem. It is not technically a sonnet; it consists of six riming couplets, totaling 12 lines not the usual 14. The traditional Elizabethan sonnet consists of three quatrains with the rime scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF and a couplet GG.
The subject of Sonnet 126 is similar to many of the young man or marriage sonnets; it addresses the issue of aging, but it does not seem to exorting the young man to marry and produce offspring, as the marriage sonnets do. Nor does it clearly address his writing talent or the sonnet itself, as those sonnets usually do.
First Couplet
The speaker addresses the young man, calling him “my lovely boy,” and remarking that the young man has the ability to look into the mirror and know that time is passing. The phrase, “his sickle hour” refers to time cutting down youth, metaphorically with a sharp harvesting blade.
Second Couplet
In the second couplet, the speaker refers to the young man’s losing his youthfulness as he has grown into a mature adult, and even though those who have loved him may have withered into old age, the young man is still a sweet soul and still maturing.
Third Couplet and Fourth Couplets
The third couplet finds the speaker beginning an “if” clause with the main clause in fourth couplet: if nature who rules over the wreckage of bodily aging will keep you in your prime for what seems an unusual period of time, she’s merely playing tricks, even though it may seem she has the skill to disgrace time and make minutes cease to tick by.
Fifth Couplet
The speaker admonishes the young man not let nature use him for “her pleasure” by believing she will allow him to keep his youth forever. She may put off making him look old, but she will not sustain his youth, even though it may be considered her “treasure” to have him always fresh and lovely and in his prime.
Sixth Couplet
The speaker’s final warning uses an accounting metaphor: though nature may delay her “audit” or reckoning of the youth’s years, they will definitely be counted, because it is just the way she operates. She will make him aged and feeble in the end.
Other articles on Shakespeare:
- Who is Shakespeare?
- Shakespeare Sonnet 1
- Shakespeare Sonnet 2
- Shakespeare Sonnet 3
- Shakespeare Sonnet 18
- Shakespeare Sonnet 19
- Shakespeare Sonnet 116
- Shakespeare Sonnet 130
