Briefly comment on the language and style of the poem.
The language of the poem, “Shall I compare Thee to a Summer’s Day” is a blend of modern and old English. The mixture does not distort or obscure the theme of the poem rather it heightens the impact of poem. Some of the old English forms used in the poem include: “Thee” –You, “thou art” – You are, “bath” — has, “owest” – “growest”, – grows, “wanner’st” — wanders etc. These words are artistically embedded in the poem to strengthen the diction. There are equally few examples of contracted forms as in dimm’d’ dimmed, untrimmed – untrimmed, wander’st – wanderest etc. This blend of old and modern English creates a striking balance in the diction (language) of the poem. The language is lyrical.
This style is unique. It is a sonnet, having fourteen lines. The concluding part is a rhyming couple. The style is further enhanced through the use of beautiful end rhymes which alternate in the following patterns abab, cdcd, efaf, gg. To further dignify the language and style, imageries are used, example “eye of heaven” is an imagery or symbolism of sun, while “eternal lines” stand for everlasting memory. In all, the language is simple, likewise the style.