“Sonnet 71” by William Shakespeare (1609)

This is the first sonnet in the four-sonnet group that includes “Sonnet 73.” This sonnet anticipates the speaker’s death, and the speaker advises the Fair Youth not to hold on to the love he has for the speaker. This is because the speaker fears the world will mock the Fair Youth for loving the speaker, and the speaker does not want anything to cause the Fair Youth pain and suffering. Therefore, he tells the Fair Youth to let his love decay like the speaker’s body will decay.

“Sonnet 72” by William Shakespeare (1609)

This sonnet continues the message of “Sonnet 71.” In this sonnet, the speaker claims he is not worth remembering, and he begs the Fair Youth not to hold onto him or build any monuments for him because to do so would invite mockery from the world, and the Fair Youth would have to lie to give any good reason for why the speaker should be remembered.

“Sonnet 74” by William Shakespeare (1609)

The final sonnet in this section changes the mood from the previous sonnets. Whereas the previous three implore the Fair Youth to forget the speaker, this one suggests the speaker’s love will live on in the poetry about the Fair Youth, defeating time and death.