Summary In Sonnet 141, the poet discusses how his senses warn him of the woman’s disreputable character, yet his heart, a symbol of his emotions, remains affectionately attached to her. He begins the sonnet by denying that the woman has any attractive features. His eyes note “a thousand errors” both […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 141Summary and Analysis Sonnet 140
Summary Sinking quickly into despair over the sad state of his relationship with the woman, the poet threatens the woman with public humiliation should she not at least feign love for him. The first warning is in the first quatrain, in which he cautions her not to be too public […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 140Summary and Analysis Sonnet 139
Summary Regressing to his former melodramatic verse, the poet begs the woman to be honest with him and confess her infidelity. Coming as it does directly after the previous sonnet, in which the poet appears to have mastered his insecurities, the poet’s sense of abandonment in Sonnet 139 is surprising. […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 139Summary and Analysis Sonnet 138
Summary Sonnet 138 presents a candid psychological study of the mistress that reveals many of her hypocrisies. Certainly she is still very much the poet’s mistress, but the poet is under no illusions about hercharacter: “When my love swears that she is made of truth, / I do believe her, […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 138Summary and Analysis Sonnet 137
Summary The dichotomy between the impulses of the eye and the heart is developed further in this sonnet. After the preceding two sexually comic sonnets, Sonnet 137 presents the poet seriously musing over just how false love can be. He first addresses Love, which he calls “A blind fool” and […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 137Summary and Analysis Sonnet 136
Summary Sonnet 136 continues to play on the word “will,” and the result is still more damaging to the woman’s character. The lady has other lovers but has not yet consented to accept the poet. In the last line, the poet acknowledges, “And then thou lovest me, for my name […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 136Summary and Analysis Sonnet 135
Summary The punning on the word “will” continues from the previous sonnet. The poet wants to continue his sexual relationship with his mistress, but she is already bursting with lovers: “Whoever hath her wish, thou hath thy Will, / And Will to boot, and Will in overplus.” Here in just […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 135Summary and Analysis Sonnet 134
Summary The story of the poet’s friend’s seduction unfolds in Sonnet 134. Hoping to gain the woman’s favor, the poet sends the young man to the woman with a message. However, she seizes the opportunity to make the youth her lover, and the youth responds to her advances wholeheartedly, as […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 134Summary and Analysis Sonnet 133
Summary Whereas Sonnet 132 makes the mistress into a chaste beauty, Sonnet 133 maligns her for seducing the poet’s friend, the young man: “Beshrew that heart that makes my heart to groan / For that deep wound it gives my friend and me.” Whether or not this “deep wound” is […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 133Summary and Analysis Sonnet 132
Summary Sonnet 132 represents an intensification of the poet’s feelings for the Dark Lady, ironically paralleling his former relationship with the youth in that the poet recognizes that she does not love him. Built around an image of the woman’s eyes, the sonnet is most notable for an extended pun […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Sonnet 132