this world. Ultimately, the third, and final, stanza serves as a summary to the rest of the poem, successfully leaving the intended theme inculcated in the reader’s mind. The use of imagery in Shakespeare’s “Fear no more” allows the reader to relate to the poem by permitting a view of the individual fears that the people must try to overcome. The images that are seen throughout Shakespeare’s poem are those of nature and different people as well as actions that cause emotional or physical pain. The images of people serve to characterize everyone’s differing traits, whereas, the images of nature and of careless actions represent situations that cause pain and emotional distress. For example, the words, and phrases, “Golden lads and girls” (line 5), “chimney-sweepers” (line 6), “scepter, learning, physic” (line 11) and “lovers young, all lovers” (line 17) serve to illustrate the difference in age and status of the people Vidal 4that will walk to the same, inescapable path. Furthermore, the poem is endowed with images that portray (nature’s and perhaps one’s) uneasiness and affliction, such as “heat of the sun” (line 1), “furious winter’s rages” (line 2), “frown” (line 7), “tyrant’s stroke” (line 8), “lightning-flash” (line 13), “thunder-stone” (line 14), and “slander, censure rash” (line 15). These words and phrases have negative connotations; however, each is preceded by the phrase “Fear no more” which in turn highlights the poem’s theme and the significance of not being overwhelmed by one’s fears. Thus, the imagery utilized inflicts emotion upon the reader, which in response grants him/her the ability to correlate to the poem. On the whole, William Shakespeare utilizes effective literary tools to create a succe...
