What are the summary of the not marble nor the gilded monuments?
Answers
Shakespeare’s 55th sonnet deals with the unique theme of immortality through verse. In this sonnet, the bard talks about the futility of worldly glory and material attempts at immortalization. He refers to princes, great rulers, and the rich who have sought to immortalize themselves or what they love through monuments, statues, and memorials. He believes ‘not marble nor the gilded monuments’ can stand the ravages of time. If there is anything that can immortalize a person, a memory, or an object of love, it is poetry.
In this poem, Shakespeare tries to convey the message that nothing in this world can outlive his poetic verses, be it marble or the monuments, that are covered with gold.
The monuments wear away with the passage of time but his poetry written for his friend, will live longer than the stone monument which has been left uncared for.
Next he has contrasted his verses with the ravages of time on monuments. The fighting, wars all overturn the monuments. They get demolished forever and everybody forgets about them after sometime.
But neither Mars, the God of war, nor fire can erase the written memory of his friend’s life. It will continue even after his death.
The future generations will also admire him and he will live in the hearts of people till the doomsday, i.e., the day of the last judgement.