Sonnet 104

The beauty of the unnamed friend is a recurring theme in many of William Shakespeare’s sonnets, and beauty and the desire to hold on to it is at the heart of this sonnet. Beauty is what inspires the speaker. This is not an abstract concept but is centered on one human being: the “fair friend” (Line 1) identified in the first line. The speaker exalts the beauty of his friend, to whom the sonnet is addressed. The word “fair” here refers to beauty, not complexion. “Your beauty” is referenced again in Line 3, and “sweet hue” (Line 11) describes the pleasing appearance of the friend. This is physical beauty, unrelated to any moral or spiritual qualities the friend might possess. It is beauty that can be seen with the eyes, not the mind, and it has a powerful hold on the speaker. It is as if he is mesmerized by it; it draws his attention like nothing else, and it leaves an indelible impression. He loves that beauty, and he wants to be able to contemplate it, to relish it, forever.

The speaker cannot bear the thought that beauty might change, that it might prove to be only a temporary phenomenon.