Analysis of Sonnet 55Not marble, nor gilded monuments of princes, Shall survive this mighty rhyme; but thou shalt shine brighter in these contents than stone unswept and smeared by lazy time. Wasteful war will overthrow the statues, And riots will uproot the masonry work, Nor Mars his sword, nor the swift fire of war burn The living testimony of your memory. Against death and total enmity you will walk forward; your praise will still find space even in the eyes of all posterity who wear out this world until the end of ruin. So, until the judgment you arise, live in this and dwell in the eyes of the lover. [Line 2]* - The poet may be referring specifically to his sonnet, or to the poem in general.[Line 4]* - "'stone' (1) plaque set in the church floor on which the commemorative inscription is made illegible by accumulated dust and footsteps of the congregation ; (2) neglected tomb or vertical monument (prey to dust and passing time)" (G. Blakemore Evans, Shakespeare's Sonnets, 163).[Line 7]* - Mars is the Roman god of war, often depicted as a warrior in full battle armor, including sword and shield. In Greek mythology Mars is known as Ares.[Line 12]* - "that" refers to "posterity", not "eyes".[Line 14]* - Some scholars believe that Shakespeare is saying that his friend will be a source of inspiration for lovers everywhere (i.e. "dwelling everywhere in the eyes of lovers"). But most likely it means that the poet's friend will dwell in the eyes of people who learn to love the friend through the poet's verses. Sonnet 55 is one of Shakespeare's most famous works and a notable departure from other sonnets in which he appears insecure about his life. relationships and self-esteem. Here we find a passionate outburst of confidence as the poet claims that he has the power to keep his friend's memory alive forever. Some critics argue that Shakespeare's sudden increase in pride in his poetry was strictly artificial: a blatant attempt to imitate the style of the classical poets. "It is difficult on any other hypothesis to reconcile the inflated egocentrism of one like 55 with the unpretentious dedications to Venus and Lucretia, 1593 and 1594, or with the expressions of humility found in the sonnets themselves, and.