Why so large a cost, having so short a lease, does thou upon your fading mansion spend?

Why so large a cost, having so short a lease, does thou upon your fading mansion spend?

In William Shakespeare's Sonnet 146, the speaker questions why someone would spend so much time and effort on something that is temporary and fleeting. The metaphor of a "fading mansion" is used to represent the human body, which is constantly aging and deteriorating. The speaker is essentially asking why someone would invest so much in their physical appearance and material possessions when they are only temporary and will eventually fade away.

The use of the word "cost" in the sonnet can be interpreted in multiple ways. It could refer to the financial cost of maintaining a lavish lifestyle or it could refer to the emotional and psychological cost of obsessing over one's appearance and possessions. In either case, the speaker is questioning the value of investing so much in something that is ultimately impermanent.

The idea of a "short lease" further emphasizes the temporary nature of life. Just as a lease on a property has a set expiration date, so too does our time on earth. The speaker is urging the subject to consider the brevity of life and to question whether it is worth spending so much time and energy on things that will not last.

Shakespeare often explores themes of mortality and the passage of time in his sonnets, and Sonnet 146 is no exception. The speaker is grappling with the inevitability of death and the transience of life, urging the subject to consider what truly matters in the grand scheme of things.

Ultimately, Sonnet 146 serves as a reminder to focus on the things that truly bring meaning and fulfillment, rather than getting caught up in superficial appearances and material possessions. It challenges the reader to consider what legacy they want to leave behind and how they want to be remembered. In the end, it is not the size of one's mansion or the cost of their possessions that matters, but the impact they have on the world and the relationships they cultivate.