Fear No More - William Shakespeare

 

Fear No More

-         William Shakespeare

Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan:
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renownèd be thy grave!

Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun’ is one of the most famous songs from a Shakespeare play, although its context – in the late play Cymbeline – is often forgotten, and is not as well-known, perhaps, to begin with.

Taken from one of the ‘problem plays’, Cymbeline, this song is sung over the dead bodies of Cloten and Fidele, the latter of whom (spoiler alert) is actually the heroine Imogen disguised as a boy, and is not really dead; merely drugged. Nevertheless, at the point in the play where they appear, Act IV Scene 2, the lines effectively say that ‘the good thing about being dead is that you no longer need to fear the hardships of life.’

 

Death is the central idea of this poem. The poem ‘Fear No More’ is addressed to dead. After death, dead body has no feelings and emotions so not to worry about anything.

First stanza suggests whatever will happen it must be happened if we are afraid or not it never affects anything. The dead has no need to worry about any fear either the excessive heat of summer or the harsh winter’s cold. Further, poet says that dead has already have done their deeds whether it is considered as good or bad on the earth during their lifetime. Here the word ‘Home” is used for ‘Heaven’. After the death, S/he has to go in heaven to take their wages for her/his good or evil deeds on the earth. Last two lines of the first stanza describe the deep meaning that every class of people must die one day no matter in which class they belong. Everybody has to mix in dust one day. Then why do people afraid from the death? People learn it to face with great courage.

Second stanza reflects about the opinions regarding frown and tyrannies which is faced by dead during their life. The Poet wants to reflect the benefits of being dead because now they all are free from following all tyrants’ rule. They are free from their tyrant’s stroke. Both are evil during life and after the death have no fear from any of them. We are free from all anxiety after the death. Most of people are worry about materialistic things in their life. They all want good amount of money and higher status in the society. All are working only for enough money and good food and live happily using vary things. Such all facilities are not to be used after death. It also suggests that after death, dead is fee from economic pressure, too. Now they do not need to worry about feeding and clothing themselves as well as others. They are free from all burdens of responsibilities.  

 

Poet says that nobody can help you to save from death. Death never impressed by any professions and never care no matter what you are, who you are and where you are death catch you one day. Death is the universal truth and final destination so no lively being can save herself/himself from death. Teachers, writers and even doctors also have to die or come to dust one day.

In the third verse, poet talks about the thunder and lightning saying that dead do not worry about people who said good or bad things behind their back. Now dead are not able to feel joy and even sorrow. Everything is now behind for dead so no need to worry and fear about anything or anybody. Nature has its own vary so no need to worry about any thunderstorm and lightning flash. No need to concern of slander’s or censure rash of anybody after death. All human beings even lover must come to dust no matter of how much they consign to you because no one can live forever. Now you are free from all matter.

And in the final verse, the tone switches, with the two singers asking that nobody disturb the sleep of the dead: neither exorcists seeking to expel evil demons, nor witches seeking to use demons to raise you from the dead; no ghosts to bother you, and no bad things to befall you.

To read more about poem visit the link given below: 

https://interestingliterature.com/2019/08/a-short-analysis-of-the-shakespeare-song-fear-no-more-the-heat-o-the-sun/