Summary of Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments (Sonnet 55) by William Shakespeare
Answers
Summary of Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments (Sonnet 55) by William Shakespeare
Poem 'Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments (Sonnet 55)' by William Shakespeare is a beautiful poem highlighting the immortal aspect of true art and poetry.
The poet in these lines has endeavored to immortalize his friend in this verse. He says time spares none. Everything falls prey to time. But in the lines of this verse, the poet has immortalized his friend. As long as there are humans on the planet, they will read the verse and remember him and his greatness.
Neither war, nor the wrath of gods will be able to obliterate the beauty of his friend’s deeds that the poet has preserved in this verse.
Even death itself won’t be able to obliterate his friend’s nobility as the coming generations will remember him through this verse. These words will keep his goodness preserved in lovers' eyes till the judgment day.
On the judgment day, his goodness will be rewarded with everlasting life and thus his friend has been immortalized by the poet’s verse.
Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments
This Shakespearian sonnet makes a strong statement about love. The speaker states that he loves the subject so much that the love will remain immortal and last long after their deaths. He says that no other earthly objects or monuments will outlive this poem, and the subject and his/her beauty will live on forever enshrined in its words.