Sonnet 18

This is undeniably one of Shakespeare's, if not the, most widely known sonnet. It is typical in comparing the young man to a summer's day and the obvious beauty of that, but it is interesting in how Shakespeare breaks from the mold and says that even the description of a summer's day isn't adequate in conveying the young man's beauty. Shakespeare advances this idea by remarking on the issues with the summer months such as immoderate winds, and the often blazing, uncomfortable heat of the sun. In the line, "every fair from fair sometimes declines," Shakespeare reiterates the idea that he conveys throughout his sonnets of the decline of beauty in nature. A stark difference in this poem, however, is that Shakespeare begins his optimistic shift earlier than usual. The ninth line is where this shift occurs with the assertion that the young man's beauty will never fade, and that Death shall never have him, which is to say that the young man will live forever.How is this possible? Again in breaking with prior sonnets, immortality  won't be achieved at the accomplishment of any task on behalf of the young man, but instead due to the efforts of Shakespeare in the creation of Sonnet 18.