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SONNET: 138, by         Recitation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

Shakespeare's Sonnet 138 is a thought-provoking and complex exploration of the theme of love and deception. The poem is structured as a traditional Shakespearean sonnet, with an octave and a sestet that explore different aspects of the speaker's relationship with his lover.

Throughout the poem, Shakespeare employs vivid and striking language to convey his message. He describes how the speaker and his lover engage in a kind of mutual deception, each telling the other what they want to hear in order to maintain the illusion of their love.

In the first quatrain, the speaker acknowledges the deception that is taking place, describing his lover's lies as "false-speaking tongue" and his own lies as "vilely black." However, he also suggests that this deception is necessary in order to maintain the illusion of their love, describing it as a "play" that they both participate in willingly.

In the second quatrain, Shakespeare deepens the complexity of the poem by introducing the idea of age and mortality. The speaker acknowledges that he and his lover are both growing old, and suggests that their mutual deception is a way of denying the reality of their aging bodies and the fleeting nature of time.

In the sestet, Shakespeare further explores the idea of love as a kind of theatrical performance, suggesting that both the speaker and his lover are playing roles in a drama that they know is not real. However, he also acknowledges the power of this illusion, describing it as a "truth" that is more powerful than any actual reality.

Overall, Shakespeare's Sonnet 138 is a deeply introspective and thought-provoking poem that offers a nuanced exploration of the theme of love and deception. Shakespeare's use of vivid imagery and striking language, combined with the structured form of the sonnet, creates a lasting impression that continues to resonate with readers today. The poem challenges our assumptions about the nature of love and asks us to confront the complex and often contradictory emotions that underlie our most intimate relationships.


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