1. This destruction is both Inevitable Universal
Sonnet 12
Main theme is the destruction caused by time to nature and people alike.
This destruction is both
Inevitable
Universal

2. 1 – 8 A single continuous sentence detailing the destruction wrought by time
1 - 4
When the poet considers or looks at a clock and sees the day ended by the dark night, when he looks at a violet with faded colour and brown curls turned white with old age…
5 - 8
When he sees tall trees barren of leaves which had once provided shade for herds, when summers crops are cut and bundled and taken away at harvest time like a corpse

3. 9 - 12
Then the poet thinks of his friend’s beauty and considers that
He must also suffer the ravages of time
Since all that is beautiful eventually loses its own beauty
And becomes old and dies just as what is new and youthful begins to grow
Nothing can defend itself against time (and its scythe)
The only way is to reproduce (breed) in order to replace what time has taken.

4. Mechanics Lots of sound effects…
Alliteration “count…clock…..tells….time” (1)
“brave…/behold…..past prime” (2/3)
“sable….silvered” (4)
“lofty….leaves” (5)
“heat….herd” (6)
“green…girded” (7)
“Borne….bier…bristly beard” (8)
Assonance “I …time” (1) “brave day” (2) “I….prime” (3)
“trees…see…leaves” (5) “erst……herd” (6)
“ green….sheaves” (7) “bier….beard” (8) “thy…I” (9)
“beauties….do” (11) “time’s scythe…” (13)
“breed…he…thee”(14)
Standard rhyming scheme……abab / cdcd / efef / gg

5. Points to note
Note how the precise rythmic structure of the opening line with its alliterative double downbeat….”count/clock….tells/time” echoes the relentless ticking of a clock. The unstoppable march of time.
Shakespeare arranges a series of images in opposition to each other.
Brave day………………..….hideous night
Violet bloom…………...…..past its prime
Sable curls…………………silvered over with white
Lofty trees………..………..barren of leaves / used to provide shade.
Summer’s green (life)….…cut down and carried on a bier (death)
Note also how the personification of time as the reaper ties in nicely with earlier images of crops cut down and carried away like a corpse.

6. Points to note… Long vowel sounds emphasise the bleak mood;
Shakespeare personifies time as the grim reaper, unstoppable with his scythe
“Borne…on…bier”(8) “…thou…among…go” (10)
“And nothing’gainst Time’s scythe can make defence”. (12) ”him” …and… ”he” (14)
The central image of the sheaves being carried on the bier draws together Death, Nature and Humanity. It’s as though the harvested crop is carried like a human corpse on a bier, signifying death comes to all at the hands of Time
“And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves Borne on the bier whit white and bristly beard.