Shakespeare's Sonnets, Sonnet 98 summary
Sonnet 98 of 154 · 1 min to read the scene
In Sonnet 98, the speaker describes separation from the beloved during a lively spring, when flowers and birds fail to bring pleasure or inspire a cheerful story. The speaker sees the flowers as copies of the beloved, so their beauty offers only a shadow of companionship and leaves the season feeling like winter.
What happens
- The speaker describes an April so lively that even gloomy Saturn joins its joy.
- Birdsong and fragrant flowers cannot inspire cheerful storytelling or make the speaker gather flowers.
- The speaker treats the lily and rose as copies of the beloved rather than wonders in themselves.
- Without the beloved, spring feels like winter, and flowers offer only the likeness of an absent companion.
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In this scene
Quick check
Why does the speaker regard the flowers as copies?
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