“Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

Introduction: “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

“Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare was first published in 1609 in the collection “Shakespeare’s Sonnets”. This sonnet is a classic example of the English sonnet form, known for its fourteen lines and iambic pentameter. The sonnet explores themes of weariness, sleep, and the desire for peace and rest. The main idea is that the speaker seeks solace and rejuvenation in sleep, escaping the troubles and demands of the day. The sonnet’s tone is both contemplative and melancholic, reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and the importance of finding moments of tranquility.

Text: “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,

Annotations: “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

Line	Text	Annotation
1	Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,	The speaker is tired from the day’s work and seeks rest.
2	The dear repose for limbs with travel tired;	Sleep is seen as a welcome relief for the weary body.
3	But then begins a journey in my head,	Despite physical exhaustion, the mind remains active.
4	To work my mind, when body’s work’s expired:	The speaker’s thoughts continue to engage, even when the body rests.
5	For then my thoughts, from far where I abide,	The speaker’s thoughts wander and yearn for something or someone.
6	Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,	The speaker’s thoughts embark on a journey toward a loved one.
7	And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,	The speaker’s mind keeps them awake, despite the desire to sleep.
8	Looking on darkness which the blind do see:	The speaker’s mind sees in the darkness, even though their physical eyes are closed.
9	Save that my soul’s imaginary sight	The speaker’s mind’s eye can see things that the physical eye cannot.
10	Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,	The speaker’s mind imagines the presence of a loved one, even in darkness.
11	Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night,	The loved one is compared to a precious gem shining in the darkness.
12	Makes black night beauteous and her old face new.	The loved one’s presence transforms the darkness into something beautiful.
13	Lo! Thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind,	The speaker’s body and mind both struggle for rest.
14	For thee and for myself no quiet find.	Neither the speaker’s physical needs nor their emotional desires are fulfilled.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

Device	Definition	Explanation
Alliteration	Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.	“Weary with toil” repeats the “w” sound, creating a rhythmic effect.
Anaphora	Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or lines.	“For thee and for myself” repeats the phrase “for” at the start of consecutive clauses.
Apostrophe	Addressing someone absent or something non-human as if it were present.	The speaker addresses the absent lover (“thee”) as if they were directly present.
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.	“To work my mind, when body’s work’s expired” repeats the “i” sound, creating a musical quality.
Caesura	A pause in a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation.	The line “For thee and for myself no quiet find.” contains a natural pause at the comma.
Conceit	An extended metaphor with complex logic.	The poem develops the extended metaphor of mental “journey” or “pilgrimage” in contrast to physical rest.
Consonance	Repetition of consonant sounds within words.	“Limbs with travel tired” repeats the “l” and “t” sounds, creating internal consonance.
Couplet	Two consecutive rhyming lines of verse.	The last two lines (“Lo! Thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind…”) form a rhyming couplet, summarizing the theme.
Diction	The choice of words in a literary work.	The poem uses elevated and formal diction, e.g., “repose,” “zealous pilgrimage.”
End Rhyme	The rhyme that occurs at the end of lines.	“Bed” and “tired,” “head” and “expired” show typical end rhymes throughout the sonnet.
Enjambment	The continuation of a sentence or phrase beyond the end of a line.	“But then begins a journey in my head, / To work my mind…” carries the thought into the next line.
Hyperbole	Exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.	The idea of thoughts traveling far distances (“zealous pilgrimage”) exaggerates the mental effort of the speaker.
Imagery	Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.	“Looking on darkness which the blind do see” creates a vivid image of blindness and the perception of darkness.
Juxtaposition	Placing two contrasting ideas or images close together.	The poem contrasts physical rest (“bed”) with mental activity (“journey in my head”).
Metaphor	A figure of speech where one thing is compared directly to another.	The “journey in my head” is a metaphor for the speaker’s mental activity and thoughts of his lover.
Personification	Attributing human characteristics to non-human things.	“My soul’s imaginary sight” gives the abstract concept of the soul the human ability to see.
Pun	A play on words with multiple meanings.	The phrase “my soul’s imaginary sight / Presents thy shadow” plays on “sight” and “shadow,” blending physical and mental images.
Quatrain	A stanza of four lines, often with alternating rhyme.	The poem is composed of three quatrains, each with alternating rhymes (ABAB CDCD EFEF).
Simile	A comparison using “like” or “as.”	“Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night” compares the lover’s shadow to a jewel.
Symbolism	Using symbols to represent ideas or qualities.	Night and darkness symbolize the speaker’s mental state and separation from his lover.

Themes: “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

• Physical Exhaustion vs. Mental Restlessness: The sonnet contrasts the weariness of the body with the unrelenting activity of the mind. The speaker is physically drained, seeking “repose for limbs with travel tired,” but finds no rest as his mind begins a new journey once his body rests. This theme highlights the disconnect between physical and mental states, where the body may stop working, but the mind continues its “zealous pilgrimage.”
• Love and Longing: The speaker’s thoughts are consumed by the person he loves, even when he is physically distant. His mind undertakes a “zealous pilgrimage” to his lover, showing the depth of his emotional attachment. Even in the darkness of night, his thoughts remain fixed on the beloved, with the line “Presents thy shadow to my sightless view” illustrating the enduring presence of his lover in his mind, despite their physical separation.
• Night and Darkness: Night, often associated with rest and peace, becomes a setting for the speaker’s inner turmoil. Rather than bringing relief, night only intensifies his thoughts and longing. The imagery of “Looking on darkness which the blind do see” emphasizes the theme of darkness as both literal and metaphorical. It represents not only the absence of light but also the emotional darkness the speaker feels in his lover’s absence.
• Inner Conflict: The speaker’s internal struggle is a central theme, as he finds himself torn between physical exhaustion and the relentless workings of his mind. The sonnet portrays a dual battle between body and mind, as well as between desire and the inability to fulfill it. The closing couplet, “Lo! Thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind, / For thee and for myself no quiet find,” encapsulates this inner conflict, where neither day nor night offers him peace.

Literary Theories and “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

Literary Theory	Application to Sonnet 27	Reference
Psychoanalysis	The sonnet explores the speaker’s internal conflict between physical exhaustion and mental activity. The desire for rest and the inability to sleep suggest underlying psychological tensions.	“Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed”
Romanticism	The sonnet emphasizes the power of the imagination and the mind’s ability to transcend physical limitations. The speaker’s vivid imagery and the romanticization of the loved one align with Romantic ideals.	“Save that my soul’s imaginary sight / Presents thy shadow to my sightless view”
Deconstruction	The sonnet can be deconstructed to reveal underlying contradictions and ambiguities. For example, the speaker’s desire for rest and the inability to sleep create a tension between physical and mental states.	“Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed”

Critical Questions about “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

Literary Works Similar to “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

1. “When You Are Old” by W.B. Yeats: This poem reflects on love, time, and longing. Like Shakespeare’s sonnet, it explores the theme of emotional yearning, particularly in its focus on how love transcends physical presence and time.
2. “A Noiseless Patient Spider” by Walt Whitman: Whitman’s poem draws a parallel between the soul’s search for connection and a spider casting its web. It shares with Shakespeare’s sonnet the theme of mental and emotional exploration, where thoughts become a kind of journey or “pilgrimage.”
3. “The Sleeper” by Edgar Allan Poe: This melancholic poem, much like “Sonnet 27,” juxtaposes physical rest and mental unrest. Poe’s poem explores the theme of death as a form of eternal sleep, while Shakespeare deals with sleeplessness due to emotional turmoil.
4. “To Sleep” by John Keats: In this poem, Keats personifies sleep and begs for relief from the cares and troubles of the day, akin to how Shakespeare’s speaker longs for rest but is denied peace by his thoughts. Both poems emphasize the conflict between physical exhaustion and mental activity.
5. “Love’s Alchemy” by John Donne: Donne’s metaphysical poem explores the complexities of love and the mind’s intricate processes. It resonates with Shakespeare’s sonnet in its exploration of how love can consume the mind, leading to a restless inner world despite physical circumstances.

Representative Quotations of “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed”	The speaker begins by expressing physical exhaustion from a long day’s work.	Humanist: Focuses on the human condition and the body’s limitations, highlighting the need for physical rest.
“The dear repose for limbs with travel tired”	Emphasizes the relief the speaker seeks for his tired body, associating bed with physical rest.	Psychological Realism: Explores the natural desire for rest after physical exertion.
“But then begins a journey in my head”	While the body rests, the mind remains active, starting a new “journey” of thought and emotion.	Cognitive Theory: Examines the dual nature of rest and the mind’s inability to shut down despite fatigue.
“To work my mind, when body’s work’s expired”	Highlights the contrast between physical rest and mental activity.	Dualism: Philosophical contrast between the body and mind, suggesting they operate independently.
“Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee”	The speaker’s thoughts travel to the distant beloved, showing devotion and longing.	Romanticism: Emphasizes the emotional and spiritual journey toward love, elevating it to a form of pilgrimage.
“And keep my drooping eyelids open wide”	Despite exhaustion, the speaker’s thoughts prevent him from sleeping, keeping him awake.	Existentialism: Reflects the conflict between desire for rest and the impossibility of escape from one’s thoughts.
“Looking on darkness which the blind do see”	The speaker experiences a kind of mental darkness, similar to blindness, despite being awake.	Phenomenology: Explores subjective perception of reality and the inner experience of the speaker’s mental state.
“Save that my soul’s imaginary sight”	The speaker’s soul visualizes the beloved in his mind, though he cannot physically see them.	Idealism: The mind creates its own reality, focusing on the power of imagination and the soul’s perception.
“Presents thy shadow to my sightless view”	The speaker imagines his lover’s presence in the dark, where physical sight fails him.	Symbolism: The shadow represents the intangible nature of memory and longing in absence.
“Lo! Thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind”	The closing couplet summarizes the conflict: physical fatigue by day, mental exhaustion by night.	Psychoanalytic Theory: The divided self, where conscious and unconscious desires create continuous conflict.

Suggested Readings: “Sonnet 27: Weary With Toil, I Haste Me To My Bed” by William Shakespeare

1. McGuire, Philip C. “Shakespeare’s Non-Shakespearean Sonnets.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 38, no. 3, 1987, pp. 304–19. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2870505. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.
2. “Sonnets.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 48, no. 5, 1997, pp. 743–48. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2871362. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.
3. https://stuffjeffreads.wordpress.com/2017/03/04/sonnet-27-weary-with-toil-i-haste-me-to-my-bed-by-william-shakespeare/
4. https://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-sonnet-27.htm