SONNET 3 AND ANALYSIS TO SHAKESPEARE

SONNET 3
Look in thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest
Now is the time that face should form another;
Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest,
Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother.
For where is she so fair whose unear'd womb
Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?
Or who is he so fond will be the tomb
Of his self-love, to stop posterity?
Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee
Calls back the lovely April of her prime:
So thou through windows of thine age shall see
Despite of wrinkles this thy golden time.
But if thou live, remember'd not to be,
Die single, and thine image dies with thee.

SONNET 3 PARAPHRASE

Look in thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest Look in your mirror and tell the face you see
Now is the time that face should form another; That now is the time it should form another [create a child];
Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest, If you do not renew yourself,
Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother. You rob the world, and prevent some woman from becoming a mother.
For where is she so fair whose unear'd womb For where is the woman whose unploughed womb
Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry? Would frown upon the way you plough your field?
Or who is he so fond will be the tomb Or who is he so foolish to love himself so much but let
Of his self-love, to stop posterity? Himself perish? [To make a tomb of self-love and not have a child to carry on your beauty]
Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee You are the mirror of your mother, and she is the mirror of you
Calls back the lovely April of her prime: And in you she recalls the lovely April of her youth:
So thou through windows of thine age shall see So through your own children you will see your youth
Despite of wrinkles this thy golden time. Despite the wrinkles caused by age.
But if thou live, remember'd not to be, But if you live your life avoiding being remembered,
Die single, and thine image dies with thee. You will die single [and childless], and your image will die with you