Sonnet 15 and Iambic Pentameter

sak868 asked: "when you read shakespeare, are you supposed to read it a certain way or does it naturally fall into a beat?"

Here is the text of the sonnet, so you can follow along if you like.

William Shakespeare's Sonnet 15

"When I consider everything that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That this huge stage presenteth naught but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and checked even by the selfsame sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night,
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I ingraft you new."

Category:

Education

Tags:

• poetry
• shakespeare
• sonnet

[sak868]

thanks buddy!

one more thing should these two lines be read as a single sentence without a forced breath or should i consciously pause at the break? does that make sense?

e.g Then the conceit of this inconstant stay sets you most rich in youth before my sight

or

Then the conceit of this inconstant stay

' Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,

I noticed you spoke it that latter way. Does it even really matter?

[Joshbuckler]

Good catch. I shouldn't have paused there.

[Ellie4MuselOl]

awwur so cute loool thnx x

[swannavon]

I think it helps to slow down a bit when reading the sonnet. It lets you experience what you're saying more fully, and allows the listener to take it in better. It is dense language, and every word counts. Thanks for the video!

[poetluver10]

Very nice reading , josh.

[fellowtuber123]

Very well read, Josh! Very good tips, you helped me a lot.

[klyngster]

I'd like to hear a poem about Ptolus in iambic pentameter.