Key Themes in Shakespearean Sonnets to Know for British Literature II

Shakespearean sonnets capture the essence of love, beauty, and time, showcasing complex emotions through vivid imagery. These poems challenge traditional ideals, explore the nature of true love, and reflect on mortality, making them essential to understanding British literature before 1670.

1. Sonnet 18: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

   • Compares the beloved to a summer's day, highlighting beauty and warmth.
   • Argues that the beloved is more temperate and enduring than summer.
   • Suggests that the beauty of the beloved will live on through the poem itself.

2. Sonnet 130: "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun"

   • Challenges conventional beauty standards by presenting a realistic portrayal of the mistress.
   • Uses similes to contrast the mistress's features with idealized beauty.
   • Affirms love for the mistress despite her lack of traditional beauty.

3. Sonnet 116: "Let me not to the marriage of true minds"

   • Defines true love as constant and unchanging, unaffected by external circumstances.
   • Emphasizes the idea that true love endures through challenges and time.
   • Concludes that if this definition of love is wrong, then no one has ever loved.

4. Sonnet 73: "That time of year thou mayst in me behold"

   • Reflects on aging and the passage of time, using seasonal imagery.
   • Conveys a sense of melancholy but also deep affection for the beloved.
   • Suggests that love is intensified by the awareness of mortality.

5. Sonnet 29: "When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes"

   • Expresses feelings of despair and isolation due to misfortune.
   • Contrasts personal suffering with the joy found in love.
   • Highlights the transformative power of love in overcoming despair.

6. Sonnet 55: "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments"

   • Argues that poetry can immortalize beauty more effectively than physical monuments.
   • Suggests that the beloved's beauty will endure through the verses of the poem.
   • Emphasizes the lasting power of art and literature over time.

7. Sonnet 30: "When to the sessions of sweet silent thought"

   • Explores themes of memory, loss, and reflection on past sorrows.
   • Highlights the emotional weight of reminiscing about lost friends and love.
   • Conveys a sense of solace found in the act of remembering.

8. Sonnet 60: "Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore"

   • Compares the passage of time to waves continuously approaching the shore.
   • Reflects on the inevitability of aging and the relentless nature of time.
   • Suggests that despite time's effects, love remains a powerful force.

9. Sonnet 144: "Two loves I have of comfort and despair"

   • Explores the duality of love, representing both joy and pain.
   • Introduces the idea of a love triangle, with contrasting emotions.
   • Reflects on the complexities of desire and emotional conflict.

10. Sonnet 20: "A woman's face with Nature's own hand painted"

    • Discusses the beauty of a young man, blurring gender norms of beauty.
    • Suggests that the young man's beauty is a creation of nature.
    • Raises questions about love and attraction beyond traditional gender roles.