William Shakespeare – Sonnet 106 | “When in the chronicle of wasted time” | Summary, Analysis & Themes

William Shakespeare – Sonnet 106

“When in the chronicle of wasted time”

Sonnet 106 reflects on how poets of the past described the beauty of heroes and queens in ways that, to Shakespeare, seem to predict the appearance of his own beloved. Written in the late 1590s and published in 1609, the poem celebrates the timelessness of beauty and the idea that earlier poets merely foreshadowed the perfection embodied by Shakespeare’s subject. It belongs to the Fair Youth sequence, expressing admiration and the limitations of poetic praise.

Text of the Sonnet

When in the chronicle of wasted time
I see descriptions of the fairest wights,
And beauty making beautiful old rhyme,
In praise of ladies dead and lovely knights,

Then in the blazon of sweet beauty’s best,
Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow,
I see their antique pen would have expressed
Even such a beauty as you master now.

So all their praises are but prophecies
Of this our time, all you prefiguring;
And for they looked but with divining eyes,
They had not skill enough your worth to sing:

For we, which now behold these present days,
Had eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise.

---

Line-by-Line Explanation

Lines 1–4: The Past and Its Beauty

“When in the chronicle of wasted time / I see descriptions of the fairest wights…”
The poet recalls reading old chronicles describing beautiful people of the past — noble ladies and gallant knights. He calls it “wasted time” not in disdain but to mean **time that has passed away**, emphasizing the contrast between past and present. These “old rhymes” were once made “beautiful” by the beauty they celebrated.

Lines 5–8: Foreshadowing the Beloved’s Beauty

“Then in the blazon of sweet beauty’s best… I see their antique pen would have expressed / Even such a beauty as you master now.”
The “blazon” refers to a poetic cataloguing of features — hand, foot, lip, eye, brow. Shakespeare suggests that **earlier poets unknowingly described his beloved**, as if their words were **prophecies** of this perfect modern beauty.

Lines 9–12: Past as Prophecy

“So all their praises are but prophecies / Of this our time…”
The poet concludes that those earlier poets were **foretelling the present**. Their “divining eyes” could sense beauty’s ideal form but lacked the “skill” to describe it completely — for it existed only now, in his beloved.

Lines 13–14 (Couplet): The Present Poet’s Limitation

“For we, which now behold these present days, / Had eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise.”
Even modern poets, though they can **see** this beauty clearly, are struck dumb by it. Shakespeare admits his own limitation — **awe silences art**. The poem ends with a paradox: the highest beauty is beyond verbal praise.

---

Key Themes

• Timeless Beauty: True beauty transcends historical boundaries.
• Art and Prophecy: Earlier poets unintentionally foreshadow the present ideal.
• Limits of Language: Even the greatest poets struggle to express perfection.
• Time and Continuity: The poem links past admiration to present realization.

Poetic Devices

• Alliteration: “Beautiful old rhyme,” “fairest wights.”
• Metaphor: “Chronicle of wasted time” for the past.
• Blazon: A poetic listing of physical attributes, common in Renaissance poetry.
• Personification: Time as a chronicler; beauty as a maker of verse.
• Contrast: Old poets as prophets vs. modern poets as silent admirers.

Structure and Tone

• Form: Shakespearean Sonnet (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG)
• Meter: Iambic pentameter
• Volta (Turn): Line 9 – shift from past observation to prophetic realization
• Tone: Reflective, reverent, self-effacing

Interpretation and Critical Notes

• The sonnet unites historical admiration with personal devotion.
• It portrays Shakespeare as both humble observer and interpreter of time.
• It suggests that true beauty recurs eternally, appearing anew in every age.
• The closing line — “had eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise” — expresses the sublime awe of perfect beauty.

Quick Revision Table

Aspect	Details
Poem	Sonnet 106 – “When in the chronicle of wasted time”
Poet	William Shakespeare
Form	English (Shakespearean) Sonnet
Rhyme Scheme	ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Main Theme	Past poets’ praise as prophecy of present beauty
Key Images	Chronicle of time, blazon of features, divining eyes
Famous Line	“Had eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise.”
Volta	Line 9 – recognition that past art foretold the beloved
Tone	Admiring, philosophical, self-humbled
Message	True beauty is timeless, yet beyond full expression in words.

What to Read Next

→ 50 Important MCQs on Shakespeare’s Sonnet 106 (Click to Reveal Answers)