7 iconic sonnets of Shakespeare

Jan 28, 2024

This sonnet is one of the most famous and begins with a comparison of the speaker's beloved to the beauty of a summer day.

Sonnet 18 - "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

In this sonnet, the speaker expresses feelings of inadequacy and social rejection but finds solace in thoughts of his beloved.

VelveSonnet 29 - "When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes"

The speaker uses the changing seasons and the progression of time to reflect on the inevitability of aging and the transience of life.

Sonnet 73 - "That time of year thou mayst in me behold"

This sonnet is often quoted in the context of love and marriage, emphasizing the enduring nature of true love.

Sonnet 116 - "Let me not to the marriage of true minds"

Shakespeare playfully subverts traditional love poetry by describing his mistress in a realistic and unconventional manner.

Sonnet 130 - "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun"

The speaker uses medical metaphors to convey the consuming and often irrational nature of his love.

Sonnet 147 - "My love is as a fever, longing still"

This sonnet reflects on the power of poetry to preserve the memory of the beloved, surpassing the endurance of physical monuments.

Sonnet 55 - "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments"