A Study Guide for William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130"

By Gale and Cengage

A Study Guide for William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Poetry for Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Poetry for Students for all of your research needs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cengage Learning - Gale
• Release date: Aug 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781535833707

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Sonnet 130

William Shakespeare

1609

Introduction

The Sonnets devoted to the dark lady run from Sonnet 127 to Sonnet 154; this poem, perhaps the most famous of the sequence, is a no-holdsbarred description of one of the most intriguing women in English literature. The question as to who she actually is has intrigued Shakespeare’s critics since the sonnets were first published in 1609. Most probably, the dark lady, along with the fair youth and the rival poet, are characters created for the sonnet sequence, inspired partially by fictional characters and real-life acquaintances. Sonnet 130 provides no further clues as to her identity, but paints a verbal portrait of the dark lady that is as unconventional and frank as the speaker’s proclamation of his love for her. In refusing to rely on conceits to describe her features, the speaker turns his back on poetic tradition; consequently, he describes a person who is a unique individual—whether or not she only existed on paper. Though his honesty may seem painful at times, the speaker’s last two lines reveal the depth of his love for this special