এখানে HS 4th Semester এর জন্য English বিষয়ের Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare থেকে Questions Answers শেয়ার করা হলো। WBCHSE
HS English 4th Semester
Sonnet 73 William Shakespeare 6 Marks Questions Answers
Q.1. Discuss the various images drawn by Shakespeare in Sonnet 73.
Ans: In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare presents three vivid images to express the idea of aging and approaching death. First, he compares himself to late autumn, when only a few yellow leaves remain on the trees, symbolizing the decay of youth. Second, he likens his life to twilight, the fading light after sunset, which soon turns into night — a symbol of death. Finally, he compares himself to a dying fire lying on the ashes of its youth, slowly extinguished by what once nourished it. These three images — autumn, twilight, and dying fire — move gradually toward darkness and silence, reflecting the natural course of life. Yet, the poem ends with hope, as the awareness of death deepens true love.
Q.2 Explain how the sonnet form helps the poet to expand the theme in Sonnet 73.
Ans: In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare uses the English or Shakespearean sonnet form, which has three quatrains and a final rhyming couplet. This structure helps him to expand the theme of aging and death in a clear, gradual way.
In the first quatrain, he compares old age to late autumn; in the second, to twilight after sunset; and in the third, to a dying fire. Each image shows the steady decline of life and the nearness of death. Finally, in the couplet, he draws a moral conclusion — that awareness of death makes love stronger and more precious.
Thus, the sonnet form allows Shakespeare to develop his thought step by step and end with a deep emotional resolution.
Q.3 Analyse the speaker’s emotional state and tone in Sonnet 73 “That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold”.
Ans: In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73, the speaker expresses deep emotions of sadness, reflection, and acceptance. Observing the autumn trees with few yellow leaves, the fading twilight, and the dying fire, he becomes aware of his old age and approaching death. These natural images mirror his inner feelings of loss and decline. The tone throughout the sonnet is melancholic yet calm, showing the poet’s quiet acceptance of life’s end. However, the final couplet brings a note of spiritual strength and hope. The speaker believes that true love becomes deeper when faced with mortality. Thus, the sonnet moves from sorrow to serenity, revealing a mature understanding that love can transcend time and death.
Q.4 Do you think that the speaker of the poem “That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold” overcomes his problem of aging and death?
Yes, the speaker of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73 gradually overcomes his fear of aging and death. At first, he is deeply troubled by the signs of decay — the bare trees, the fading twilight, and the dying fire — which remind him of his approaching end. However, instead of surrendering to despair, he learns to accept death as a natural part of life. He finds comfort and hope in the power of love, believing that true love can rise above time and mortality. The awareness of death, in fact, strengthens his bond with his beloved. Thus, by the end of the poem, the speaker overcomes his anxiety and achieves peace through eternal love and spiritual acceptance.
Q.5 What prompts the speaker of the poem “That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold” to write the poem?
Ans: The speaker of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73 is deeply aware of his own aging and approaching death. He notices the natural signs of decline around him — the falling autumn leaves, the fading twilight, and the dying fire — which all mirror his own weakening body and spirit. This realization fills him with sadness and fear of separation from his beloved friend. He worries that his decay might make his friend love him less. To express these feelings and to strengthen their bond, he writes the poem. Through it, he wishes to remind his beloved that love should grow stronger in the face of death. Thus, his desire for lasting affection and spiritual immortality prompts him to write this moving sonnet.
Q.6. How does the poet uphold his beloved friend’s love in “That Time of Year Thou May’st in Me Behold” (Sonnet 73)?
Ans: In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare glorifies his beloved friend’s love as eternal and powerful. At first, the poet describes the sad images of decay — autumn leaves falling, twilight fading, and fire dying — all symbols of aging and death. These images reflect his awareness of life’s end. However, amidst this gloom, the poet finds hope and strength in his friend’s unfailing love. He feels that true love does not fade with time but grows stronger when faced with mortality. The poet realizes that his beloved loves him more deeply because he is nearing death. Thus, through his portrayal of decay and renewal, Shakespeare upholds his friend’s love as a timeless, spiritual, and everlasting force that conquers death itself.
Q.7. What is the poet’s attitude to nature in “That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold” (Sonnet 73)?
Ans: In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare uses nature to reflect his own feelings of aging and mortality. The poet observes late autumn, when trees lose their leaves and the branches are bare, symbolizing decay. He watches twilight, the fading light after sunset, and senses the approaching darkness of night, representing death. He also sees a dying fire, whose ashes show the end of vitality. His attitude to nature is reflective and symbolic; he does not describe it merely for beauty but as a mirror of his mental and emotional state. By portraying the decline of nature, he conveys the fading of his own life force, showing a deep awareness of time, change, and mortality.
Q.8. How does the poet present the conflict between love and time in “That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold” (Sonnet 73)?
Ans: In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare presents the conflict between love and time through the speaker’s awareness of aging and mortality. The poet sees himself in autumn, twilight, and a dying fire, symbols of decay, decline, and the nearness of death. These images show that time is relentless, gradually consuming life and youth. However, the speaker finds comfort and hope in his beloved’s love, which remains strong and enduring despite the passage of time. The final couplet suggests that true love grows deeper and more intense when faced with mortality. Thus, while time brings decay and death, love transcends it, offering eternal consolation. Shakespeare resolves the conflict by showing that love can withstand the ravages of time.
HS English 4th Semester
Sonnet 73 William Shakespeare 2 Marks Questions Answers
Q1. What season does the poet compare his old age to?
Answer: The poet compares his old age to late autumn or early winter, when few yellow leaves remain on the trees. Just as the trees stand bare and lifeless, his life too is nearing its end.
Q2. What does “bare ruined choirs” refer to in the poem?
Answer: “Bare ruined choirs” refers to the leafless branches of trees that look like empty church choirs where birds once sang. It suggests silence, emptiness, and decay, symbolizing the poet’s old age.
Q3. What is meant by “Death’s second self”?
Answer: “Death’s second self” means night, which is like a temporary form of death. Night covers everything in darkness and rest, just as death brings eternal sleep.
Q4. How does the poet describe the evening of life?
Answer: The poet compares the evening of life to twilight fading after sunset. Soon darkness, or black night, takes over, symbolizing the arrival of death.
Q5. What does the fire in the third quatrain symbolize?
Answer: The fire symbolizes the poet’s fading life and passion. It burns weakly on the ashes of youth, showing that his energy and vitality are almost gone.
Q6. What lesson about love does the poet give in the couplet?
Answer: The poet teaches that true love becomes stronger when we realize that life is short. The awareness of death makes people value love more deeply.
Q7. How is the theme of time presented in the poem?
Answer: Time is shown as a powerful and destructive force that leads everything toward decay and death. Through images of autumn, twilight, and dying fire, the poet shows how time slowly consumes life.
Q8. Why does the poet’s beloved love him more strongly?
Answer: The beloved loves him more strongly because she knows that he will die soon. The thought of losing him makes her love deeper and more intense.
Q9. What does the poet mean by “That time of year thou mayst in me behold”?
Answer: The poet tells his beloved that she can see the autumn of life in him. He feels that his youth has passed, and he is now in the last stage of his life, approaching old age.
Q10. How does Shakespeare use imagery in the poem?
Answer: Shakespeare uses seasonal, light, and fire imagery to describe aging and death. The images of autumn leaves, twilight, and dying fire beautifully symbolize the poet’s declining life.
আরও দেখো: Sonnet 73 Line by Line Bengali Meaning
Q11. What do the “yellow leaves” symbolize in the poem?
Answer: The “yellow leaves” symbolize the few remaining days of the poet’s life. Just as leaves fall in autumn, the poet’s strength and vitality are fading away.
Q12. What does the phrase “black night” symbolize?
Answer: The phrase “black night” stands for death. It comes after the twilight of life, taking away all light and warmth, just as death ends human life.
Q13. What does the poet mean by “on the ashes of his youth doth lie”?
Answer: The poet means that his present life burns weakly upon the ashes of his youthful energy. His youth has been consumed, and only a faint spark of life remains.
Q14. How does the poem reflect Shakespeare’s attitude toward death?
Answer: Shakespeare accepts death as a natural and unavoidable part of life. He does not fear it but reflects on it with sad wisdom and calm acceptance.
Q15. What feelings does the poem express?
Answer: The poem expresses feelings of sadness, love, and acceptance. It shows the poet’s sorrow about aging but also the deep affection that grows stronger in the face of death.
Q16. What is the structure of Sonnet 73?
Answer: Sonnet 73 follows the Shakespearean sonnet form, which has three quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
Q17. How does the poet connect nature to human life?
Answer: The poet compares the stages of human life to the seasons, day, and fire. Just as nature moves from growth to decay, human life also moves from youth to old age and death.
Q18. What idea about love does the poet express at the end?
Answer: The poet says that true love grows stronger when it faces the end. Knowing that life will end soon makes love more sincere and powerful.
Q19. What tone does the poet use in this sonnet?
Answer: The tone of the poem is melancholic yet peaceful. The poet speaks with sad acceptance of aging and death, but also with deep emotional warmth toward his beloved.
Q20. How do the three quatrains differ in imagery?
Answer: Each quatrain presents a different image of decline — the first uses autumn, the second twilight, and the third dying fire. Together they show a gradual movement toward death.
