Fear No More the Heat o' the Sun BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE GUIDERIUS.

Feare no more the heate o' th' Sun, Nor the furious Winters rages, Thou thy worldly task hast don, Home art gon, and tane thy wages. Golden Lads, and Girles all must, As Chimney-Sweepers come to dust. ARVIRAGUS. Feare no more the frowne o' th' Great, Thou art past the Tirants stroake, Care no more to cloath and eate, To thee the Reede is as the Oake: The Scepter, Learning, Physicke must, All follow this and come to dust. GUIDERIUS. Feare no more the Lightning flash. ARVIRAGUS. Nor th' all-dreaded Thunderstone. GUIDERIUS. Feare not Slander, Censure rash. ARVIRAGUS. Thou hast finish'd Ioy and mone. BOTH. All Louers young all Louers must, Consigne to thee and come to dust. GUIDERIUS. No Exorcisor harme thee, ARVIRAGUS. Nor no witch-craft charme thee. GUIDERIUS. Ghost vnlaid forbeare thee. ARVIRAGUS. Nothing ill come neere thee. BOTH. Quiet consumation haue, And renowned be thy graue.

- William Shakespeare from Cymbeline, Act IV, Scene 2. lines spoken by Guiderius and Arviragus [1].

It's an extract from one of the plays, but (like many such extracts) it forms a perfectly good poem in its own right - is the assuredness of the verse. The opening couplet: "Fear no more the heat o' the sun, Nor the furious winter's rages;" is wonderful in its simplicity and strength (and deserving of its place in every dictionary of Shakespearean quotations ever compiled). The rest of the poem is equally dignified and stately, yet never fails to move me emotionally. The theme (like that of much of Shakespeare's work) is Time and Death - 'Fear No More' is, after all, a funeral oration of sorts - yet the impression I get is not one of mourning, nor even sadness; rather, the poem has an air of calm repose and dignity (the word 'elegiac' springs to mind, except that it's not an elegy ). Death is not the thief of time, he is, instead, the purveyor of

eternal rest and quietude . PS. I also like the shift in metre in the final stanza - it serves to clearly demarcate the coda, and lend it an air of finality. Again, a wonderful balance of form, content and mood. Keep in mind that Cymbeline was one of the last of Shakespeare's plays; it was written (as far as we know) in 1609, just seven years before his demise. "... 1608 also marks a change in tone in Shakespeare's work from the dark mood of the tragedies to one of light, magic, music, reconciliation and romance. Beginning with Pericles, Prince of Tyre (probably written 1607-8 -- the text of which is certainly mangled, accounting for its not being played frequently), and moving through Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale and finally in The Tempest Shakespeare conducted a grand experiment in form and poetry that took advantage of these elements, shaping them into an enduring art that has at its heart acceptance and the beneficence of providence. Fear no more the heat of th sun ' `Fear no more the heat of the sun ' from the play Cymbeline was written in 1608 . The song presents a unique vision and interpretation of death . Thesis: Shakespeare uses settings of nature and everyday life , contrast and comparison methods to unveil the theme of death and the beyond . The poem is based on contrasts between life and death . Death is not connected with tears that unveil emotional experience and sorrow . ``Fear no more the heat of ' the ' Sun , Nor the furious Winters rages . The death in Fear no more the heat of the sun ' is dramatically realized . The going down of beauty into the grave , and the summons of everyman by death , has been treated with more or less of hope and courage . The death of the main character is truly tragic . It is inevitable , because legal justice can maintain its precarious balance only by remaining blind to that perfect justice which depends not from law but from wisdom . The tragic quality of the song is deepened by the repeated recognition of the equivocal character of death . The theme of death is portrayed through indifference and apathy towards common things such as clothes and food : ``Thou art past the Tyrants stroake / Care no more to clothe and eat . Shakespeare creates the mystery of death , alternating between depression and hope . The song represents a dialogue between the main characters , Arviragus and Guiderius . It seems they shrink at the thought of the grave and the sharp-headed , fret-working worm . Nor is this faintness resolved by any deep thought or even by any pretty fancy or luscious melody . However it is not the sole , nor even the chief , tone of the treatment of death in the poem , though it has been held to be so . It alternates with other moods , yet it never fully yields to them : ``Feare no more the Lightning flash / Nor the ' all-dreaded Thunderstone . Moods and fancies of a sensitive mind ,

vacillating , not logically consistent is the subject for a poem . Thus change and death are swallowed up in the realized , indestructible beauty of one 's own spirit . ``All Louers young all Louers must / Consigne to thee and come to dust . The contradiction of love and death is surmounted in the synthesis of love and young age . The main characters face sorrow . The poetic imagery is a cloud in mutation . Its processional thunder and lightning , its beautiful reflection of sun are vivified in rapid succession . The shifting beauty of these changes produces pensive sadness in the poet . ``Golden Lads , and Girles all must / As Chimney-Sweepers come to dust . It energizes his susceptibility to impressions , and then exalts his intuition of the everlasting vitality of nature . Thus the essence of tragic power is to enter his song and be merged with beauty . Shakespeare uses negation as the main stylistic device to unveil the theme of death and tragedy . ``No Exorcisor harm thee / Nor no witch-craft charm thee . Shakespeare use repetition to underlines the...

Fear no more the heat of the sun (The Dirge in Cymbeline) Language: English
Fear no more the heat of the sun, Nor the furious winter's blast; Thou thy worldly task has done, And the dream of life is past. Golden lads and girls all must Follow thee, and come to dust. Fear no more the frown of the great, Death does mock the tyrant foe; Happiest is the early fate, Misery with time does grow. Monarchs, sages, peasants must Follow thee and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee, No spell of witchcraft charm thee, Grim ghost unlaid forbear thee, The fairy elves be near thee! Quiet consummation have, Unremoved be thy grave.

ANOTHER TRANSLATION
Fear no more the heat o' the sun Nor the furious winter's rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone and ta'en thy wages: Golden lads and girls all must,

As chimney-sweepers, come to dust. Fear no more the frown o' the great, Thou art past the tyrant's stroke; Care no more to clothe and eat; To thee the reed is as the oak: The sceptre, learning, physic, must All follow this, and come to dust. Fear no more the lightning-flash, Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone; Fear not slander, censure rash; Thou hast finish'd joy and moan: All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! Nothing ill come near thee! Quiet consummation have; And renowned be thy grave!

BIOGRAPHY While William Shakespeare's reputation is based primarily on his plays, he became famous first as a poet. With the partial exception of the Sonnets (1609), quarried since the early nineteenth century for autobiographical secrets allegedly encoded in them, the non dramatic writings have traditionally been pushed to the margins of the Shakespeare industry. Yet the study of his non dramatic poetry can illuminate Shakespeare's activities as a poet emphatically of his own age, especially in the period of extraordinary literary ferment in the last ten or twelve years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. POEMS BY W ILLIAM SHAKESPEARE "Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind" "Come Away, Come Away, Death" "It Was a Lover and His Lass" "Sigh No More" "Where the Bee Sucks, There Suck I" POEM CATEGORIZATION S U B J E C T Time & Brevity, Living, Sorrow & Grieving, Death P O E T S R E G I O N England S C H O O L / P E R I O D Renaissance P O E T I C T E R M S Rhymed Stanza

Fear No More the Heat of the Sun William Shakespeare [1564-1616]

Relevant Background William Shakespeare was born in 1564. Shakespeares mother, Mary Arden, was of the landed gentry. His father, John, was a glover and commodities merchant who at one time became the equivalent of mayor of his town. William attended the local grammar school in Stratford where his parents lived. He probably studied Latin rhetoric, logic, and literature. He left school at the age of 15. Shakespeare spent his first 20 years in Stratford, which include his schooling, early marriage, and fatherhood. At the age of 18 William married Anne Hathaway, a local farmers daughter aged 26. Susanna Shakespeare was born with six months of their wedding. They had twins Judith and Hamnet [who died aged eleven] in 1585. For 25 years, soon after the twins were born, Shakespeare worked as an actor and playwright in London. Shakespeare began a career with a London acting company and became well known as an actor and playwright within three years. Shakespeare spent his last five in retirement back in Stratford where he was reasonably well off as a result of his successes with plays. Fear No More... is an extract from one of Shakspeares plays, Cymbeline. In the original play the dead one is called Imogen, though disguised as a boy, Fidele. In fact Fidele or Imogen has just taken a drug that only fakes death. Two friends immediately begin to mourn. Their poetic dialogue has often been treated as a poem about death ever since

Summary The poem is a type of funeral song in four stanzas of six lines each. The song is an attempt to find consolation in the death of a loved one. There are two speakers, Guiderius and Arviragus. For the sake of simplicity these notes will just refer to the speaker. The poem is addressed to the body of Fidele/Imogen. In the first stanza, the speaker seems to address a beloved one, who has apparently died. The speaker begins by offering advice about death. Death is a removal from extremes of weather, hot sun in the first line and severe winter in the second line. According to lines three and four, at the end of a natural life, a person has completed their work or mission in life and should be on their way to their reward in heaven. In lines five and six, the speaker claims that death comes equally to rich and poor, golden people and ordinary chimneysweeps. In the second stanza, lines seven and eight, the speaker claims that death is a benefit as it frees one from dread of the all-powerful. In line nine, death is a benefit because it frees one from economic pressure. In line ten, the speaker points out that difference between strength and weakness makes no difference after death. In lines eleven and twelve the speaker lists three important types of people who cannot avoid death: king, professor and doctor.

In the third stanza, in lines thirteen and fourteen, the speaker suggests that death frees one from dread of violent weather and meteorites. In lines fifteen and sixteen, the speaker lists as another benefit the fact that the dead are free from vicious gossip and the emotional ups and downs of living. In lines seventeen and eighteen, the speaker pronounces that all lovers eventually die. In the final stanza, lines nineteen, twenty and twenty one, the speaker argues that death frees a person from fear of demons, witches and evil spirits that torment the living. Instead haunting spirits will have to avoid the recently dead person [the deceased] the poem is addressing. In the final three lines, the speaker wishes the deceased freedom from evil, a quiet time rotting in the grave and fame after death.

Themes 1. Time Young and old must die. The poet mentions golden lads and girls as well as lovers young. Then he mentions sceptre meaning rulers and physic meaning doctor. All this implies that death may come at any age. All must follow this: nobody can avoid death. It comes to all in time.

2. Death After a full life, one must face death calmly and with some confidence. The poem is an argument against mourning. Death grants freedom or refuge from extremes of climate, abuses of political power, poverty, public opinion and gossip, witchcraft and roaming spirits. The main argument is that one should not fear death. In any case, it is repeated three times that all things come to dust. At the end of the poem the speaker wishes the deceased a happy death, freedom from evil, tranquility in the grave and fame after death. 3. Life is brutal and horrifying. The imagery of extreme weather, cruel rulers, lying gossip, meteorites all show that life is full of random dangers and fears. The frown of the great and winters rages show that unexpected torments and torture can happen at any time. Demons, witches and ghosts torment the living from the spiritual world. The repetition of the word fear further emphasizes the horrors of life. Style Form: This poem is originally a dialogue which reads as a formal funeral song. It may also be considered a sort of funeral speech. Structure: Although two characters originally spoke the lines, this text easily forms four stanzas of six lines each. Language: When Shakespeare wrote this poem, originally as a section of dialogue in a play, the language was considered simple and everyday. It is also formal and dignified in places. This is appropriate for a funeral song. Diction: The words are simple, though somewhat archaic [old-fashioned]. The phrase come to dust reminds us of the bible. Words like art for are and thee for

you are examples of diction that are no longer in use. Censure is more rarely used today to mean judgement. Sometimes as in the case of censure rash, the adjective or descriptive word comes after the noun and the reader must mentally change the word order. Full Stops and Commas are frequently used and as a result the poem is easy to take in and understand. Comparison: The poem compares the peacefulness of death to the fears endured by the living. Imagery: The poet provides images of extreme weather in the first two lines. Images of cruel rulers are mixed in with images of rich young people, social distress and the supernatural. Metaphor: Gaining heavenly reward after death is compared to taking ones spiritual wages. Symbol: Sceptre stands for a ruler such as a king, frown of the great stands for strict authority. Contrast [difference]: Where life may be lived in fear, death is free of all fears. This is the opposite of many peoples normal attitude to death. Mood/Atmosphere: The poem creates an emotional atmosphere as it addresses and laments the death of someone who is loved. The speaker urges calm and acceptance, which creates a quiet and tranquil mood while reading the poem. Hyperbole [Exaggeration]: The poet exaggerates the downside of life in order to promote acceptance of death: furious winters rages. Paradox [apparent contradiction]: Economic need is dismissed though wages, in a spiritual sense, are earned after death. Allusion: The phrase come to dust is a repeated allusion [reference] to a famous image in the bible for death. Tone: Though the subject may appear to be a sad one, the tone is dignified and uplifting. The speaker utters the lines in a very positive tone. The notion that death is a time of quiet is put across in a calm manner. The tone in the final stanza is upbeat: renowned be thy grave. Repetition: The main repetition reinforces the theme that death is not to be feared: Fear no more occurs in stanzas one, two and three. A similar repetition reinforces the reality that death cannot be avoided: come to dust. Words like harm and charm close to each other create verbal musi c. Rhyme: There is a clear and consistent rhyming pattern: un/ ages/ one/ ages/ ust/ ust in the first stanza. The second and third stanzas have a similar pattern. In the final stanza the pattern is simple and this increases the pace of the poem and adds to the optimistic atmosphere. Assonance [similar vowel sound repetition]: The repeated long o sounds in the opening line of the first and second stanza create a tone of lamentation. This soon changes to a more upbeat tone later. The repeated o sound throughout the final stanza is cheerful and upbeat. Consonance [similar consonant sound repetition]: The t repeated in line eight is a good example of a repeated consonant sound adding to the music of the poems. Alliteration [repetition of consonant sounds at the start of nearby words]: Some lines contain alliteration. This adds to the fluency and speed of the poem: e.g. t in line three. Sibilance [repetition of s sound]: Note how the four s sounds in the fifteenth line help create a nasty sense of secret, lying gossip.

Fear No More By William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare utilizes simplistic language to emphasize the themes in Fear no more; however, he exercises complex metaphors to depict the struggles one undergoes during a lifetime and as a result urges the reader to overcome all melancholic sentiments that lead one to oppose a peaceful death. The diction applied in Fear no more efficiently creates emphasis on specific sections of the poem. In addition, the euphonic flow used by Shakespeare illustrates the authors serenity and resignation towards the subject at hand. In essence, Shakespeares Fear no more employs rhetorical devices such as repetition, appeal to the audience, and imagery to reveal the desired theme. The fundamental theme of this poem is regarding the significance of succumbing to death, for after having a full life everyone must fearlessly face the end. In addition, the poem emphasizes that one should not fight against the arrival of death in any of its forms. In fact, this argument is first introduced in the title and further displayed throughout Shakespeares poem. In the first line of all three stanzas, the author begins with the phrase, Fear no more, openly showing his belief that one should willingly submit to mortality. Furthermore, the poems theme is displayed through the phrase all must come to dust. By acknowledging that death is inevitable for all of humanity, the author attempts to emphasize his belief that one should not fear fate. The theme of the poem is also reinforced through repetition. For example, to emphasize his stance, the author repeats the phrase, Fear no more in the first line of the first, second, and third stanza of the poem. Once again this occurs with the phrase, must come to dust in the fifth and sixth line of the first, second, and third stanza. This is of vital importance because it reiterates that the authors main purpose is to instill the notion that one should not struggle against mortal defeat because it will eventually come upon everyone, including those that have attained fulfillment from life. In Shakespeares first stanza, the theme is applied to a wide audience that may have different fears. In this stanza Shakespeare explains that one should, Fear not the heat o the sun, /Nor the furious winters rages; for we have completed our worldly task/ Home art gone, and [have] taen [our] wages. Through these ideas, the author is stating that once one has done everything in ones power to help the world (Thou thy worldly task hast done) nothing is left to do but to wait for death. In fact, he believes once death is near, there is no need to preoccupy oneself with insignificant worries, such as the changes in the elements. In addition, the poet continues by declaring that everyone, including Golden lads and girls must, / As chimney-sweepers, come to dust. This statement explains that the young and wealthy (Golden) as well as the older and poor (chimney-sweepers) can not escape death. Thus, Shakespeare is expressing the opinion that death will follow ones life, whether good or bad, and is not something to dread because everyone will, at one point or another, have to endure its arrival. Throughout the second stanza, Shakespeare continues to stress his idea by addressing other fears and types of people. For example, the author explains that one should not be fearful of others thoughts (frown o the great) or actions (tyrants stroke). In fact, he continues by stating that our daily routines will no longer be priorities (Care no more to clothe and eat) because once death arrives we will lose the ability to feel and compare the objects that surround us

(To thee the reed is as the oak). In addition, Shakespeare states that scepter, learning, [and] physic will also experience demise (must / All follow this and come to dust). The poets affirmation emphasizes that death is unavoidable for everyone, including those of high status, therefore, one should not attempt to fight it. Overall, by showing that diverse groups will have to encounter the same event, Shakespeare is able to convey his message that one should not panic when death begins to approach because it is the concluding cycle of every humans life. Lastly, to emphasize his position, the poet uses the third stanza to bring together the ideas of the first two stanzas; however he adds a twist that stresses the importance of this concluding stanza. For example, he asks the reader, as in the previous stanzas, not to be alarmed by nature (lightning-flash, the dreaded thunder-stone,) or by those whose careless words or actions (slander, censure rash) cause emotional pain. As opposed to the other stanzas, the third does not urge the reader to ignore the small trifles in life. This idea is seen as Shakespeare continues this final thought by stating, Thou hast finished joy and moan. / All lovers young, all lovers must / Consign to thee, and come to dust. This statement attempts to show that once one is dead one can no longer enjoy the happiness (joy) or the distress (moan) that we are allowed to experience during a lifetime; therefore, we should take advantage of the time we have left. In addition, this line further reiterates the authors theme that all, including those that are blessed with emotional happiness (lovers young, all lovers), will have to leave this world. Ultimately, the third, and final, stanza serves as a summary to the rest of the poem, successfully leaving the intended theme inculcated in the readers mind. The use of imagery in Shakespeares Fear no more allows the reader to relate to the poem by permitting a view of the individual fears that the people must try to overcome. The images that are seen throughout Shakespeares poem are those of nature and different people as well as actions that cause emotional or physical pain. The images of people serve to characterize everyones differing traits, whereas, the images of nature and of careless actions represent situations that cause pain and emotional distress. For example, the words, and phrases, Golden lads and girls (line 5), chimney-sweepers (line 6), scepter, learning, physic (line 11) and lovers young, all lovers (line 17) serve to illustrate the difference in age and status of the people that will walk to the same, inescapable path. Furthermore, the poem is endowed with images that portray (natures and perhaps ones) uneasiness and affliction, such as heat of the sun (line 1), furious winters rages (line 2), frown (line 7), tyrants stroke (line 8), lightning-flash (line 13), thunder-stone (line 14), and slander, censure rash (line 15). These words and phrases have negative connotations; however, each is preceded by the phrase Fear no more which in turn highlights the poems theme and the significance of not being overwhelmed by ones fears. Thus, the imagery utilized inflicts emotion upon the reader, which in response grants him/her the ability to correlate to the poem. On the whole, William Shakespeare utilizes effective literary tools to create a successful composition. Through language, and the reference of different age and social groups, Shakespeare creates imagery that is essential to the context of the poem. In addition, the ideas presented allow the reader to relate to the theme of the poem, which urges all to encounter death without having to fear it. For example, the powerful

emotions that are granted by the poem may have been inspired by Shakespeares personal experiences, such as seeing the fear in a persons eyes when they knew they were nearing death. Therefore, it is important that one does not become absorbed with melancholy or despair, but instead realizes that one should, Fear no more, [for we] must [all] come to dust.

ANALYSIS
The poem Fear No More appears as a song in Shakespeares play Cymbeline. It is a song sung over the supposed death of Imogen, the central female character of the play. The central theme of the poem is that death overpowers all and that all men are mortal. The speaker in the poem says that the dead must not have any fear about the heat of the Sun and the chilling and strong winter winds. The persons who have died after finishing their earthly tasks have received their wages, that is, what they deserved in return of their deeds. They have gone to their heavenly home. The poet next suggests that man is mortal and all men must die whether they are charming boys or beautiful girls and even the poor chimney sweepers. Death has been called the greatest leveller since times immemorial. One day everything will pass into nothingness. Dust thou art, To dust returneth (Bible) In the next stanza the poet says that we should not be afraid of the tyrant as they can do nothing when we are dead. The poet asks not to take care of clothes and food because nothing is superior or inferior for the dead man. For him reed and oak are both alike. All the kings, scholars and doctors too will have to follow the law of nature and will die one day to return to dust. In the last stanza the poet asks us not to be afraid of lightening or a cloud burst. Nor should we be afraid of adverse opinions or insult, because for a dead man both happiness and sadness are not a matter of concern. Even the young lovers will go through the same road as our elders. In this song the poet presents before us the universal truth that man is mortal. The poet also expresses the view that after a person dies he need not fear the troubles and sorrows of the world because they dont bother him anymore. Death is a freedom freedom from the chains of earthly life. Rousseau had rightly said, Man is born free but everywhere he is in chains.