Sonnet 60

The thematic structure of Sonnet 60 is emphasized by three distinct imageries. The first quatrain contains sea-imagery and reflects the repetitive motion of waves, showing how human minutes keep ticking and ending. The waves symbolize the relentless and monotonous nature of moments, each followed by another. While this surplus of minutes may give the illusion that time is endless, the poet demolishes that idea from the get-go with the mention of the pebbled shore, as well as the use of the word “make” (Line 1). The waves are not rushing or dancing to the shore, but make toward it, evoking the idea of work and struggle.

The shore is neither smooth nor sandy but filled with pebbles and rocks. The rocky shore is a symbol of time and death. Much like the waves are destined to crash and shatter against the rocks, human minutes must break against the rock of mortality. In other words, while the passage of minutes may seem endless and repetitive, the paradox is that humans run out of minutes in the blink of an eye.