Who is sonnet 73 directed towards?

Answer 1

In Sonnet 73, Shakespeare apparently represents himself as being at death's door, when he actually had quite a few good years left in him. Perhaps the point of the poem was to contrast his age with the youth of the person the poem is addressed to, whoever that might be.

However, another dimension is added if one considers the poem to be part of a real-life correspondence between Shakespeare and his patron (for which there is considerable evidence - see The Biography in Shakespeare's Sonnets at related link below). Now, on closer inspection of this poem, we can see that nowhere does the poet actually state that he is old or that he has the characteristics of old age. The closing line is strangely phrased, with the implication that the addressee will be doing the "leaving" - not the poet. Nor is this phrasing a consequence of poetic constraint: Shakespeare could, for example, readily have used the word "lose" instead of "leave", had he intended to refer to his death.

On this basis, the patron is depicted with the perception that the poet is passé and that their relationship is nearly done: "In me you see things that are past it - like a year in the grips of winter, a day at dusk or a guttering fire". The patron is on the verge of abandoning the poet, who puts in a clever plea to be loved well nevertheless - tacitly in the form of a good redundancy package! A perfect example of Shakespeare's ability to convey hidden or parallel messages in the form of hauntingly beautiful poetry.

Answer 2

The surface topic of Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 is that of an ageing speaker nearing death, who seeks continued love or support from his addressee. If the poem is read in isolation this becomes the only interpretation of substance.

However, as is often the case with Shakespeare, subtleties and other powerfully suggestive alternative meanings emerge when the words and (crucially) their context are examined.

When read as an entire sequence, Shakespeare's Sonnets 1- 126 tell a tale of extraordinary events. These correspond (to an exceptional degree of congruence) with the histories of the poet and his only known patron, Henry Wriothesley. We may reasonably conclude, therefore, that the poems were probably correspondence from Shakespeare to Wriothesley (who was the wealthy third Earl of Southampton). For those interested, the evidence for this conclusion is brought out in more detail at the link below to The Biography in Shakespeare's Sonnets.

With this context, a powerful new theme emerges from Sonnet 73. Preceding sonnets suggest that Shakespeare had insulted his aristocratic patron (in upset at the latter's disloyalty). Now he expects to be dismissed from patronage (at a time when the London stages were closed for prolonged periods and he is probably desperate for other income). He acknowledges that the Earl perceives him and their relationship as past their sell-by date. He goes on effectively to beg for sustenance in the form of a golden handshake ("love that well which thou must leave ere long"). Note, that nowhere in the poem does the speaker actually say that he is old or that he has the characteristics of old age. Note, also, that it the addressee who is going to do the leaving - not the speaker (who would be the one to leave if he were in fact on the point of death). Read more at the link.

Answer 3

Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 appears to be directed towards the friend or lover of an ageing poet.

However, there is evidence to suggest that the Sonnets contain pervasive biography. In this interpretation the friendship (not the poet) is portrayed as being past its best and about to expire. Shakespeare concludes by begging for help (probably financial) before the friend, Henry Wriothesley, abandons him. Read more at the link below.

Answer 4

Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare is believed to be directed towards a young man close to him, possibly his friend or lover. The speaker in the poem reflects on the themes of aging, death, and the passing of time, using vivid imagery to convey the message.