Full Fathom Five Thy Father Lies

Full Fathom Five Thy Father Lies
                                                                                      -William Shakespeare

Paraphrase
Your father’s body is a long way under the sea,
His bones made of sea animals,
His eyes have now become pearls,
No part of him has disappeared,
But they have been changed by the sea into something strange,
Every hour sea creatures ring his funeral bell,
Ding-dong
Listen! Now I can hear them - Ding-dong, bell

Summary:

This poem is taken from Shakespeare’s world famous drama “The Tempest.” This is a song sung by the spirit- Ariel to Ferdinand, prince of Naples. Ferdinand was thinking that his father met his death in the ship-wreck.

Ariel tells Ferdinand that his father is lying in the deep sea. He is dead but his body is changed into something very valuable. No part of his body fades but only is changed by the sea. The bones of King Alonso are changed to coral and the eyes are changed to pearls. Ariel further tells that the sea-nymphs are singing the death bell for the king.

The death is very meaningful in this poem. The organs of the king do not fade away instead they are changed to very strange, valuable and long-lasting ornaments. The use of alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia beautify the poem.