Question

Write summary of lesson "Not Marble Nor Th Gilded Monuments"

Answer 1

Summary of the Poem

This 55th sonnet of William Shakespeare tells about the limitations of worldly glory and grandeur. All the great monuments, memorials and statues erected by princes, rulers and the rich to perpetuate their memory are subject to decay, destruction and deterioration. The ravages of time and the agents of destruction destroy and damage all such monuments and memorials. Only the powerful rhyme of the poet and great poetry will survive the ravages of time. Through the written words of this poem, poet will immortalise the memory of his friend till the day of the Last Judgment.

Answer 2

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.