In me thou seest the twilight of such day,
As after sunset fadeth in the west,
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self that seals up all in rest.
—"Sonnet 73,"
William Shakespeare
Read the second quatrain of “Sonnet 73,” and then answer the questions.
What is the best paraphrase of these lines?
What is the central idea of these lines?
The second quatrain of “Sonnet 73” by William Shakespeare is:
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self that seals up all in rest.
The best paraphrase of these lines is: After sunset, the darkness of night takes away the remaining light, symbolizing death and bringing peaceful rest to all.
The central idea of these lines is the imagery of the approaching night representing death and the peaceful rest that follows.
To paraphrase the second quatrain of "Sonnet 73" by William Shakespeare, it means:
You see in me the fading light of a day that dims after sunset in the west, and soon black night will replace it, symbolizing death as a peaceful state of rest.
The central idea of these lines is the transience of life and the inevitability of death. The speaker uses the imagery of a fading day and the arrival of night to convey the idea that death is a natural part of the cycle of life.
The second quatrain of "Sonnet 73" reads:
"What is the best paraphrase of these lines?"
In these lines, the speaker compares himself to the twilight of a day that fades away after sunset. This twilight is like Death, who comes after to seal everything in eternal rest.
"What is the central idea of these lines?"
The central idea of these lines is the progress of time and the inevitability of death. The speaker reflects on his own aging and impending death, comparing himself to the fading twilight that is replaced by the darkness of night.