Composer

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William Shakespeare

Average_duration

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1:11

"When to the sessions of sweet silent thought" is a sonnet composed by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in the early 1590s. It was first published in 1609 as part of a collection of 154 sonnets. The sonnet is divided into three quatrains and a final couplet, following the traditional structure of a Shakespearean sonnet. The first quatrain introduces the theme of the poem, which is the speaker's melancholic thoughts about a past love. The second quatrain expands on this theme, describing the various ways in which the speaker remembers his lost love. The third quatrain introduces a shift in tone, as the speaker reflects on the fact that his love for the person he is thinking of has not diminished over time. The final couplet concludes the poem with a statement of the speaker's enduring love. The language of the sonnet is characterized by its use of imagery and metaphor. The speaker compares his thoughts to a "session" or a legal proceeding, suggesting that he is trying to make sense of his feelings in a rational way. He also uses the metaphor of a "register" or a book of records to describe his memories of his lost love. The final couplet contains a metaphorical reference to the "treasure" of the speaker's love, which he suggests will continue to grow even as he ages. Overall, "When to the sessions of sweet silent thought" is a poignant and introspective poem that explores the nature of memory and the enduring power of love. Its themes and language continue to resonate with readers today, making it one of Shakespeare's most enduring works.

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