Question

How does the poet describe his friend in the poem "Not marble nor the gilded monuments"

Answer 1

Here's your answer :

The poet immortalizes his beloved friend by saying that his beloved shall live forever in this sonnet and in the eyes of generations to come. Also he will wear out this world till the judgement day and live longer than it. The individual being addressed in the sonnet will live longer in human memory because he is cherished in the poem.He is simply saying that the poem he is writing to some unnamed person will last longer than marble gravestones or stone monuments decorated with gold dedicated to departed royalty. And the individual being addressed in the sonnet will live longer in human memory because he is enshrined in the poem.

I hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

The poet describes his beloved in this poem beautifully. He says the princes and the kings etc build marble and gilded monuments to perpetuate their memories . But wars , fight and time destroy  them. But his beloved has been immortalised  in this sonnet. These monuments shall not outlive "the power of rhyme". The main value of this sonnet is that literary art is not affected by the time but marble and gilded monuments are . This value has been brought out by using the phrases such as but you shall shine more bright than contents "nor Mars fire his sword,nor war's  quick  shall burn the living record  of your memory and your praise still find room even in the eyes of all posterity