Why is Shakespeares “Sonnet 18” so famous?
Good question; I have a couple of possibilities. First of all, it is perfect “textbook” example of a Shakespearean sonnet–the sonnet form that uses three quatrains of iambic pentameter followed by a concluding couplet. Secondly, the entended comparison of the poem (a young boy and a “summer’s day”) uses vivid imagery and unforgettable diction. Most people who are not poetry lovers will still recognize and remember the poem’s first two lines: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? / Thou art more lovely and more temperate . . . ” This particular sonnet has endured well for these reasons. It has become a part of our culture, from movie references in films like Dead Poets’ Society to spawning a band called the “Darling Buds.
