Recorded in May 2020. Published in 1609. In this poem, Shakespeare argues that spiritual and intellectual things ought to be preferred to the pleasures of the body.
A printing error has destroyed the first two words of the second line. Various conjectures have been made to fill it; I made my own mind up before looking at any of them, in order not to be prejudiced, and decided upon the words “Slave to.”
The title “Soul and Body” is given to this poem by Palgrave.
Commentary:
“Sinful earth”: A metaphor for the body. Sinful, because we use the body to sin, it provokes us to sin, and often does sin.
“Those rebel powers that thee array”: Again, a reference to the body. “Rebel powers,” because the body rebels against the will of the soul. To “array” means to dress; as the body dresses the soul.
“Why dost thou pine within,” etc.: Shakespeare asks, metaphorically, why do we give no attention to intellectual and spiritual things, and only care for the beauty of our outward form?
“Why so large cost,” etc.: The same point is repeated. “Fading mansion” is another metaphor for the body, and carries on the picture of “painting our outward walls so costly gay.” “Having so short a lease” is a metaphor for life: “In view of the fact that the life which God lends us is so short.”
“Charge”: A charge is that which is entrusted to us; as God entrusts us with the body.
“Is this thy body’s end?”: Is this the purpose for which our body was created?
“Thy servant”: Another metaphor for the body. Shakespeare says, addressing his soul: “Let vain attention to your body waste away, in order to enrich yourself.”
“To aggravate thy store”: In order to increase your, the soul’s, wealth. To aggravate, radically, means to add to the weight of something; from Latin gravāre, to make heavy.
“So shalt thou feed on death”: The man who prefers his soul to his body conquers death, and enters into eternal bliss.
