Analysis of Sonnet 59: If there be nothing new, but that which is

William Shakespeare 1564 (Stratford-upon-Avon) – 1616 (Stratford-upon-Avon)



If there be nothing new, but that which is
Hath been before, how are our brains beguiled,
Which, labouring for invention bear amis
The second burthen of a former child!
O, that record could with a backward look,
Even of five hundred courses of the sun,
Show me your image in some antique book,
Since mind at first in character was done.
That I might see what the old world could say
To this composèd wonder of your frame;
Whether we are mended, or whe'er better they,
Or whether revolution be the same.
    O, sure I am the wits of former days
    To subjects worse have given admiring praise.


Scheme ABCBDEDEFGFGHH
Poetic Form
Metre 1111011111 11011110101 111010110 010110101 1101110101 10111010101 1111001011 1111010011 1111101111 111110111 10111011101 110010101 1111011101 11011100101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 589
Words 111
Sentences 5
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 459
Words per stanza (avg) 109
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 11, 2023

33 sec read
128

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". more…

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