Fear no more the heat o' th' sun by William Shakespeare: Summary

This poem has been taken from Shakespeare's play Cymbeline. This is a death poem having universal appeal. In this poem the poet has expressed his feeling for the rest of the soul of the dead. It is written for the consolation of the dead. The poet wants to say that a dead person becomes free from all kinds of worldly anxieties. It is full of moral lessons.

A dead person cannot feel the heat of the sun. A living person has to face the scorching sun and bitter coldness of the winter season. But after death, he gets rid of them. After death a person goes to heaven, which is his permanent home. As a laborer works and goes home after taking his wages, so a dead person goes home with his success and failures. The poet further advises a dead person not to be disappointed from death because death is the fate of every person. It lays its icy hands over all whether he is a handsome fellow, a beautiful girl or a chimney sweeper. All must die one day.

A dead person is immune from the anger of his master. In his lifetime, he is in financial trouble. He has no sufficient money for buying necessary cloth and proper fund. Consequently, he has no proper cloth to cover his body and proper food to satisfy his hunger. But after death, he does not feel any necessity of these things. Death is very impartial. It does not distinguish between the poor and rich. Kings, learned men, physicians and doctors must die one day.

A dead man does not fear the lightening flash nor thunder-storm. He is free from public criticism. Joy and sorrow are the same for him. In his life time sometime he is happy and sometimes sad. But after death, he does not feel anything. At last the poet says that death should not be the cause of sorrow because all persons, whether they are young lover or old one, must die and meet the dust. It is lyrical and follows a systematic pattern, example 'the sun' 'done', 'rages', 'wages' 'must' 'dust' etc.