Sonnet 68

Sonnet 68 is one of 154 sonnets written by William Shakespeare. It is part of the Fair Youth sequence, generally understood to be addressed to a young man of great beauty and high social standing. The sonnet explores themes of beauty, art, and the degradation of time. Specifically, it contrasts the contemporary use of artificial means to achieve beauty with the inherent natural beauty of the young man, linking him to the historical past when beauty was considered an unadorned, natural quality. The sonnet argues that the young man embodies the true and original form of beauty that has been lost and corrupted by artifice. It expresses a longing for a return to naturalness and a critique of superficiality. The poem also subtly touches upon the concept of immortality through art and the preservation of beauty in verse.