Question

Read this excerpt from William Shakespeare's sonnet "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day."

Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date
Why does Shakespeare have his speaker use the phrase summer day when describing the beloved?

to show that love, like summer, is a brief part of every life and one that doesn't last all year
to show that love runs hot and cold, much like a thermometer taking temperature
to show that his speaker is in love and trying to persuade their intended with beautiful words
to persuade his readers that Shakespeare once loved a beautiful and kind woman

Answer 1

The correct interpretation would be:

to show that his speaker is in love and trying to persuade their intended with beautiful words.

In this sonnet, the speaker is comparing the beloved to a summer's day, emphasizing the beauty and pleasantness of the beloved. By using the metaphor of a summer's day, the speaker is trying to convey that the beloved surpasses the qualities of a typical summer day.

The phrase is used to create a contrast between the fleeting nature of a summer day and the enduring beauty of the beloved. The speaker is employing poetic language and imagery to convince and persuade the intended recipient of their affection.