Friday, March 23, 2012

William Shakespeare's Sonnet 138


In his 138th Sonnet, William Shakespeare describes his relationship with the “dark lady.” He uses multiple metaphors to detail his emotions, as well as reveals a pattern that is present in many of his famous sonnets. By using romantic language and proclaiming the emotions of his lover, Shakespeare has accurately portrayed an image of his relationship.
            Throughout his Sonnet, Shakespeare states that he has lied to his lover, and his lover to him. However, he does not mind these lies that he has been told, for his experience with the “dark lady’ is meant only to fulfill his most basic primordial sexual needs. He acknowledges that they both grow older, and do not like their age being revealed. “And age in love loves not to have years told.” Shakespeare states that even the relationship itself is best without those who wish to proclaim its longevity and duration.
            The narrator in many of Shakespeare’s sonnets often acknowledges one common enemy. This enemy is time, and ultimately, death, who is an agent of time. However, the enemy of time is often conquered by a resolution which immortalizes a person or allows the narrator to simply accept his own mortality. “Thus foolishly thinking that I am still young.” Shakespeare states that his lover is naïve, and will believe the lies he tells her about his age. These lies are in fact the resolution which improperly addresses the inevitability of time’s power over life.
            Shakespeare in this sonnet lies about his age to his lover. This may seem as if it is an answer to the problem of time; however, these lies have more than one level of untruthfulness. The narrator’s lies are simply an attempt to erase time from his life’s equation. These untruthful statements only mask the problem of age. Shakespeare is still aging, and will continue to age despite what his discloses to other human beings.
            “Sonnet 138” is an attempt by Shakespeare to address his aging self, and the terminable nature of life. He has begun to realize his own mortality, and is simply lying to a physical lover to provide himself with fabricated proof of immortality. Through this ingenious poem, William Shakespeare is essentially describing the mid-life crisis of any aging male who yearns for youth and invigoration.

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