Examining Themes in Shakespeare's Sonnets

Bailey Sieler

English 402

Rita Hausmann

10/23/17

Love, it’s all around us. Everywhere we go it seems like we can never escape it. It’s even in the literature we read, like Shakespeare and his poetry. Many of Shakespeare’s sonnets like “Sonnet 30,” “Sonnet 55,” and “Sonnet 116,” present the ideas of love, friendship, and marriage. Over the course of Shakespeare’s life, he wrote 154 sonnets. “Out of those 154 sonnets, the first 126 sonnets were addressed to a man, and the last 28 sonnets were addressed to a young woman.” (Shakespeare’s Sonnets) Sonnets originated from Italy in the thirteenth century. “A sonnet is a specific type of poem that that is signified by fourteen lines, that follows a specific rhythmic scheme and specific structure.”

“Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford – upon – Avon to his parents John and Mary Shakespeare. He was the third of seven children, in which three of them died. ” (Shakespeare’s Life) Shakespeare attended Stratford’s grammar school, and after he left married Anne Hathaway. During his marriage, “Shakespeare lived primarily in London (1592 to 1611) while his wife Anne Hathaway live in Stratford – upon – Avon, about 100 miles away.” (k12) Together they had three kids, Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith. Only Susanna and Judith lived to older ages, while Hamnet his only son died at a young age. (Shakespeare’s Life)

Shakespeare began writing poetry such as sonnets in 1592, but it wasn’t until 1609 when his book of sonnets was published. He was already a great actor and had a great reputation about him. He often played minor roles in the works he wrote. (k12) This book is called Shakespeare’s Sonnets, which contains all 154 sonnets that Shakespeare wrote throughout his lifetime except for the two that appeared in The Passionate Pilgrimage. “Shakespeare died at the age of 52 on April 23, 1616 from unknown causes.” (William

It is also saying that wars will end up destroying the monuments, but not poetry because it makes you immortal and you cannot be destroyed by the horrible means. You will outlive death and everything that seeks to destroy you, even in the future. The couplet/ turning point then doesn't change the mood but instead demands that you stay in this place until the day they come to judge you. The theme of this poem is immortality because the whole time the author is talking about how if you stick to one thing like your lover, nothing can ever hurt you. This poem follows the idea of love and marriage, because it hints that if you are faithful to your lover and marriage that nothing can hurt you as long as you have