Sonnet # 1 From fairest creatures we desire increase

S1 E2: Sonnet 1

From fairest creatures we desire increase

From fairest creatures we desire increase,

That thereby beauty’s rose might never die,

But as the riper should by time decease,

His tender heir might bear his memory;

But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes,

Feed’st thy light’s flame with self-substantial fuel,

Making a famine where abundance lies,

Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.

Thou that art now the world’s fresh ornament

And only herald to the gaudy spring,

Within thine own bud buriest thy content,

And, tender churl, mak’st waste in niggarding.

   Pity the world, or else this glutton be,

   To eat the world’s due, by the grave and thee.

Sonnet 1, by William Shakespeare, is the first of the 154 sonnets. It is part of the procreation sonnets, numbers 1–17, which encourage the young man to marry and have children in order to preserve his beauty and legacy. The poem explores themes of beauty, time, and procreation.

The sonnet urges the “fair youth” (the subject of many early sonnets) to procreate, preserving his beauty through children.

“From fairest creatures we desire increase,

That thereby beauty’s rose might never die…”

The argument is simple but profound: beauty, or more broadly, value, deserves to continue. The most natural way to do that, in Shakespeare’s day, was through biological reproduction. But the poem also carries a more universal message about legacy and the creative impulse.

Today, many people choose not to have children—or cannot. But the idea of leaving something of yourself behind remains potent. Sarah joins me in discussing how Shakespeare’s Sonnet # 1 resonates with us today. We believe that the definition of “procreation” is broad and encompasses all creative endeavours. After all, William Shakespeare sets a great example—he had children, but his true legacy is his profound writings.

Shakespeare criticizes the youth for hoarding his beauty and not sharing it:

“Making a famine where abundance lies…”

This is a call to share our gifts, whatever they are—beauty, knowledge, creativity, resources—with others. It’s an ethical argument for generosity, not just procreation. Embracing our creative potential is vital because it allows us to leave a unique imprint on the world, a legacy of innovation, beauty, and progress. By sharing our talents and insights, we enrich the lives of others, inspire future generations, and contribute to a more vibrant and enlightened world. To stifle our creativity is to deny the world our unique contribution, hindering the potential for positive change and leaving a void where inspiration could have flourished.

Thank you for joining Sarah and me in The Bard’s Corner

Rebecca

Music by Epidemic Sound

“Flight” By Johannes Bornlöf

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/zgDsZLD6DT/