Sonnet 4: "Vnthrifty louelinesse why dost thou spend" is a Shakespearean sonnet that explores the squandering of beauty and the consequences of not sharing one's gifts with the world. The speaker addresses the concept of beauty as a legacy and criticizes the subject for not using their beauty to its full potential. The poem emphasizes the transitory nature of beauty and the missed opportunities to make a meaningful impact.
Sonnet 4: "Vnthrifty louelinesse why dost thou spend"
Original Text
Unthrifty loveliness, why dost thou spend
Upon thyself thy beauty’s legacy?
Nature’s bequest gives nothing but doth lend,
And being frank she lends to those are free.
Then, beauteous niggard, why dost thou abuse
The bounteous largess given thee to give?
Profitless usurer, why dost thou use
So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live?
For having traffic with thyself alone,
Thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive.
Then how, when nature calls thee to be gone,
What acceptable audit canst thou leave?
Thy unused beauty must be tomb’d with thee,
Which, used, lives th’ executor to be.
Simpler Modern Translation
Unwise beauty, why do you use up
Your own beauty's inheritance on yourself?
Nature's gift lends without asking anything,
And being generous, she lends to those who give freely.
So, lovely miser, why do you misuse
The generous gift you were given to share?
Useless hoarder, why do you spend
So much, yet can't make it last?
By only dealing with yourself,
You deceive yourself of your own sweetness.
So how, when nature calls you to leave this world,
What positive legacy can you leave?
Your unused beauty will be buried with you,
But if you use it, it will live on.
Summary
Sonnet 4: "Vnthrifty louelinesse why dost thou spend" questions the subject's choice to squander their beauty without sharing it. The speaker criticizes the subject for not using their natural gifts to their fullest potential. The poem highlights the concept that beauty is a gift from nature and should be shared to leave a lasting impact on the world.
Critical Analysis
The sonnet discusses the wastefulness of not utilizing one's beauty as a legacy. It suggests that beauty, like an inheritance, should be employed to make a positive contribution to the world.
The poem criticizes the subject for not making the most of the "bountious largesse" (generous gift) of beauty that they've been given. It portrays the subject's behavior as that of a "nigard" (miser) who is stingy with their gifts.
The speaker uses the metaphor of a "profitles vserer" to emphasize the idea that not using one's beauty for a greater purpose is akin to hoarding riches without benefit.
The poem suggests that the subject's self-centeredness and failure to share their beauty result in missed opportunities and an unfulfilled existence.
Themes
- Wastefulness: The poem explores the theme of squandering one's gifts and not using them to make a positive impact.
- Legacy and Impact: The poem emphasizes the importance of leaving a lasting legacy and contributing to the world with one's natural gifts.
- Transience of Beauty: The poem underscores the fleeting nature of beauty and the missed opportunities that arise from not making the most of it.
Attitudes/Feelings
- Criticism: The poem adopts a critical tone, addressing the subject's wasteful behavior and missed opportunities.
- Regret: The poem expresses a sense of regret over the subject's failure to use their beauty to make a meaningful impact.
Literary Devices
- Metaphor: The metaphors of "nigard" and "profitles vserer" create vivid images of the subject's behavior as stingy and unproductive.
- Alliteration: The repetition of the "th" sound in "Vnthrifty louelinesse," "why," "dost," and "thy" creates a rhythmic effect and emphasizes the speaker's questioning tone.
Discussion Question
How does Sonnet 4: "Vnthrifty louelinesse why dost thou spend" convey the idea of wasted potential and missed opportunities? How does the metaphor of beauty as a "legacy" underscore the importance of utilizing one's gifts to leave a lasting impact on the world?