Deconstructive reading : "Sonnet 18" by Shakespeare

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              As we know that Deconstruction by its very nature defies institutionalization in an authoritative definition. The concept was first outlined by Derrida in Of Grammatology where he explored the interplay between language and the construction of meaning. From this early work, and later works in which he has attempted to explain deconstruction to others, most notably the Letter to a Japanese Friend, it is possible to provide a basic explanation of what deconstruction is commonly understood to mean. Three key features emerge from Derrida’s work as making deconstruction possible. These are, first, the inherent desire to have a centre, or focal point, to structure understanding (logocentrism); second, the reduction of meaning to set definitions that are committed to writing (nothing beyond the text); and, finally, how the reduction of meaning to writing captures opposition within that concept itself (différance). These three features found the possibility of deconstruction as an on-going process of questioning the accepted basis of meaning. While the concept initially arose in the context of language, it is equally applicable to the study of law. Derrida considered deconstruction to be a ‘problematisation of the foundation of law, morality and politics.’ For him it was both ‘foreseeable and desirable that studies of deconstructive style should culminate in the problematic of law and justice.’

So, lets discuss the deconstructive reading of the Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare :

William Shakespeare ( bept. 26 April 1564 - 23 April 1616) needs no introduction to the students of English in general and poetry in particular. Shakespeare published 154 sonnets, and although they are all poems that are of the highest quality, there are some that have entered deeply into the consciousness of our culture to become the most famous Shakespeare sonnets. These most famous sonnets are quoted regularly by people at all levels of modern western life – sometimes without even realising that they are quoting a line from a Shakespeare sonnet.William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 is justifiably considered one of the most beautiful verses in the English language. The sonnet’s enduring power comes from Shakespeare’s ability to capture the essence of love so clearly and succinctly.

          

         It is traditionally aspects that Shakespeare's sonnet sequence can be divided into three sections : the first expresses the devotion and admiration of the poetic voice (often associated with that of Shakespeare himself) towards an anonymous young man (this would be include sonnet 18); this is followed by a sequence addressed to the dark lady towards whom the poet is attracted; and finally , there are the sonnet which deal with the young man's attraction towards the same lady.

               So, here I would like to put one TED-ED video by Dr. Dilip Barad, which helps us to  better understand deconstruction theory in easy way. In this video he discussed Deconstructive reading of " Sonnet 18" by Shakespeare.

💠 "Sonnet 18"

💠 CLICK HERE to read the "Sonnet 18"....

                    The sonnet open with the immortal line "Shall I compare thee to a summers day ?" The sonnet being with a question in the lines 1-2, if the beauty of beloved can be compared with a summer's day. The poet is known to the fact that the comparison is not apt because the human beauty is mor charming then the summer season. The poet has nicely used "simile" as a literary device to bring forth the common features between the two objects: his beloved and summer season. He presented a novel concept by proving the comparison inappropriate because the object compared with (beloved) was prettier than the summer‟s day.

         In the couplet-2 (lines:3-4), the poet personifies "nature". In other words, he indirectly talks about the adverse effect of the "time" or the "existing environment" referring to the adverse effect on the charm of his beloved which is compared to lovely buds that are grown in the month of May (the summer season).

💠 work Citation :-

• Crews, Brian. “REWRITING /DECONSTRUCTING SHAKESPEARE: OUTLINING POSSIBILITIES, SOMETIMES HUMOUROUS, FOR SONNET 18.” Atlantis, vol. 21, no. 1/2, 1999, pp. 43–57. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41055540. Accessed 15 July 2020

• Intakhab, Alam, and Intakhab Khan. (PDF) HOPE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH Teaching of Shakespearean Sonnets: The Linguistic Viewpoint. 1 Mar. 2015, www.researchgate.net/publication/279193519_HOPE_JOURNAL_OF_RESEARCH_Teaching_of_Shakespearean_Sonnets_The_Linguistic_Viewpoint.