Skip to content
Storgy

The Annotated Edition

Sonnet 94 by William Shakespeare

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

Read aloud in ~1 minOpen reading mode →

Sonnet 94 reflects Shakespeare's thoughts on self-control and the risks of corruption.

Poet
William Shakespeare
Themes
beauty, identity, mortality
The PoemFull text

Sonnet 94

William Shakespeare

They that have power to hurt, and will do none, That do not do the thing they most do show, Who, moving others, are themselves as stone, Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow; They rightly do inherit heaven’s graces, And husband nature’s riches from expense; They are the lords and owners of their faces, Others, but stewards of their excellence. The summer’s flower is to the summer sweet, Though to itself, it only live and die, But if that flower with base infection meet, The basest weed outbraves his dignity: For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds; Lilies that fester, smell far worse than weeds.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

Sonnet 94 reflects Shakespeare's thoughts on self-control and the risks of corruption. He suggests that individuals in power who refrain from harming others are the ones truly worthy of admiration — they "own" themselves, unlike those who merely serve them. The surprise comes at the end: if these talented individuals become corrupt, they deteriorate more dramatically and emit a worse odor than the most common weeds.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. They that have power to hurt, and will do none, / That do not do the thing they most do show,

    Editor's note

    Shakespeare begins by portraying a specific kind of individual: someone who *could* inflict harm yet consciously refrains from doing so. The phrase "do not do the thing they most do show" is particularly complex — these individuals seem to embody passion or cruelty at first glance, but they never follow through. They project an image of power without actually using it.

  2. Who, moving others, are themselves as stone, / Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow;

    Editor's note

    These individuals evoke strong feelings in everyone around them, yet they remain entirely unaffected. Shakespeare describes them as "as stone" — not cruel, but emotionally reserved. It's intentionally left ambiguous whether this detachment is something to admire or find unsettling.

  3. They rightly do inherit heaven's graces, / And husband nature's riches from expense;

    Editor's note

    Here, Shakespeare appears to commend them: they are worthy of their gifts because they use them wisely. "Husband" refers to managing with care, similar to how a good steward looks after an estate. Their self-control is what brings them their blessings.

  4. They are the lords and owners of their faces, / Others, but stewards of their excellence.

    Editor's note

    A clear social divide exists: those who have mastered themselves *own* their identity, while others simply act as stewards — servants — of the talents those individuals hold. This hierarchy is founded on self-discipline rather than lineage or riches.

  5. The summer's flower is to the summer sweet, / Though to itself, it only live and die,

    Editor's note

    The poem shifts to a flower metaphor. A summer flower brings beauty and sweetness to the world, even though its life is short and isolated. This reflects the self-sufficient, stone-cold figures from the first half — lovely and precious, even if they don't experience emotions themselves.

  6. But if that flower with base infection meet, / The basest weed outbraves his dignity:

    Editor's note

    Here comes the warning: if that same flower gets infected — corrupted — even the humblest weed can outdo it. The higher you rise, the further and more disgracefully you fall. "Outbraves" means to outshine or outdo in dignity.

  7. For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds; / Lilies that fester, smell far worse than weeds.

    Editor's note

    The couplet encapsulates the entire argument in a striking image. Lilies are some of the most beautiful and fragrant flowers, but a decaying lily is more repulsive than any weed. When greatness is corrupted, it's worse than mere mediocrity. This final line is one of Shakespeare's most frequently quoted, and it shifts the perspective on everything that has come before into a subtle threat or warning aimed at someone particular.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone of the poem is mostly cool and appraising, almost like a judge reading a verdict. In the first eight lines, Shakespeare seems to admire the strength of self-control, but there’s a subtle hint of unease, even menace, in that admiration. The last couplet completely changes the mood: the tone becomes sharp and accusatory, resembling a warning delivered with a smile. This creates a deeply ambiguous effect — by the end of the sonnet, you’re left wondering if Shakespeare is truly praising these powerful, cold figures or quietly issuing a threat to one of them.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The summer's flower
Embodies the talented, self-sufficient individual outlined in the first eight lines — lovely and precious to the world, yet existing and perishing according to its own rules. It's a representation of inherent greatness that holds within it the possibility of its own downfall.
Stone
Emotional imperviousness. Being "as stone" suggests complete self-control and the ability to resist temptation, yet it also conveys a chilliness that can veer into indifference or even cruelty. It's a symbol that has both positive and negative implications.
Lilies that fester
The rotting lily serves as the poem's main warning symbol: the more remarkable the natural gift or beauty, the more devastating its decay. A festering lily doesn’t merely lose its sweetness; it turns into something far worse than what was never beautiful at all.
Lords and owners of their faces
The face here represents the self — a blend of how we present ourselves to the world and our true inner identity. To embrace your face means having full control over yourself, not being manipulated by others. It's a powerful symbol of independence and authenticity.
Weeds
> Ordinary, unremarkable people or things without any special gifts. They act as the baseline for measuring greatness — and, in a final twist, the standard that a once-great person can fall *below* when they become corrupted.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Shakespeare composed his 154 sonnets primarily during the 1590s, and Sonnet 94 is part of a series directed at a young man noted for his beauty, privilege, and social standing — commonly referred to as the "Fair Youth." Scholars have debated the identity of this individual for years, with the Earl of Southampton and William Herbert often cited as the top contenders. By the time we reach Sonnet 94, the dynamics between the speaker and the youth have become more complex; earlier sonnets encouraged the youth to marry and father children, while later ones confront his apparent emotional distance and the risk of betrayal. Sonnet 94 serves as a crucial turning point: it seemingly lauds self-restraint, but the festering lily mentioned at the end suggests that Shakespeare is cautioning the youth — possibly about a real or imagined moral shortcoming. This sonnet was first published in the 1609 Quarto edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

Most scholars think the sonnet is directed at the "Fair Youth," a beautiful and privileged young man who shows up in Sonnets 1–126. While we don't know his exact identity, the poem's warning tone implies that Shakespeare was likely thinking of a particular individual — someone with enough power to inflict harm but who has, so far, decided not to.

Read next

Poems in the same key

Similar poems

ODE ON A GRECIAN URN. — John KeatsThe Sick Rose — William BlakeTo His Coy Mistress — Andrew MarvellOZYMANDIAS. — Percy Bysshe Shelley

More by William Shakespeare

Browse all William Shakespeare poems →

Themes in this poem

Poems about beautyPoems about identityPoems about mortality