Fear no more by William Shakespeare

The poem ‘Fear no more heat o’ the sun’ by William Shakespeare is a poem about that death can come at any age, and all the troubles and worries that happening while living will not matter while we are dead. In this poem the persona reassures the responder about the notion of death numerous times. The imperative mood of the opening line, “Fear no more…” reassures the responder about the notion of death.  Shakespeare’s repetition of this line throughout the first three stanzas reinforces this idea, while the volta created by the shift to the exclamatory mood in the final stanza serves to drive this message home for the responder as it soothes the human anxiety about death. The juxtaposition of the two extremes of the “heat o’ the sun” and the “furious winter” reinforces the idea that we have no need to fear even the most harsh seasons.  Furthermore, Shakespeare personifies the winter in order to dramatise this contrast while the diction of the adjective “furious” emphasises this drama.The juxtaposition of the two extremes “Golden lads and girls” (“golden” symbolising wealth and favour) and “chimney-sweepers” (symbolising the poor street urchins) conveys the idea that death is inevitable, because these extremes represent the children of the richest and those of the poorest classes to  symbolise that death equally to all humanity regardless of social-class. The diction of “must” creates high modality to emphasise death’s inevitability, which is represented by the metaphor and biblical allusion “come to dust”. This allusion, together with the diction “must”, is repeated at the end of the first three stanzas to highlight the poem’s central thesis about the inevitability of death.

Secondly, within the second stanza focuses the human condition to convey that death will liberate us from these concerns.  Shakespeare states that we need not fear the metaphoric “frown of the great” and “tyrant’s stroke” to highlight that death will liberate humanity from oppressive rulers. Similarly, we are reminded that in death we need not have physiological and safety worries, “to clothe and eat”, as Shakespeare suggests these are irrelevant in death.  Shakespeare lists the various professions through the synecdoches, “the scepter, learning, physic”, referring to everyone from the king, to the teacher to the doctor, to convey that all humankind, regardless of profession, will be a victim of death. In the poem’s final stanza, the exclamatory lines focus on the evils that trouble humanity, symbolised by “witchcraft”, “Ghost” and “ill”, building the tension that is then diffused in the softer diction of the final couplet. As the poem ends, “Quiet consummation have / And renowned be thy grave!”, this leaves the responder with the idea that death is a time for peace. In conclusion , the poem juxtaposes the complex needs and fears of life, shelter, safety, food and love with the simplicity and finality of death as we all “must”, simply, “come to dust”.  

There is that disturbing awareness that everyone must die at one point, and Shakespeare announces it throughout the poem using the speaker as the bearer of bad news. However, the speaker isn’t trying to state the evident; he is trying to propose the fact that once you die, there is nothing to be feared. In the lines “Fear no more the heat o’ the sun; Nor the furious winter’s rages, Thou thy worldly task hast done.” The speaker explains that your rest will not be disturbed for there is nothing to harm you in your infinite slumber. It is more of a statement in the speaker’s eyes rather than trying to bring up the topic of death as if it was done out of sudden. He is trying to ease the subject into the situation. “All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust.” In these lines the conclusion is brought to the surface; that everything good or bad must come to an end. The wording of the poem is read in more of an enlightened voice. For the speaker isn’t focusing on the bad aspects of death. The overall mood although a depressing topic, seems to speak out in a comforting way. It is meant to soothe the anxious souls who are afraid of the unknown. Essentially the title says it all. For “Fear no more” is meant to be read in a way that that the one being spoken to would be relieved. Repeatedly this point is proven throughout the remainder of the poem. “No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! Nothing ill come near thee!”