Meter and Rhyme in the Sonnets
Learn how meter and rhyme shape Shakespeare’s Sonnets, including iambic pentameter, the rhyme scheme, and how structure deepens meaning in the poems.
Reference
Reference
Key Literary Devices in the Sonnets
Discover the key literary devices used throughout Shakespeare’s Sonnets, with clear explanations of metaphor, imagery, structure, symbolism, and rhetorical technique.
Poems
The Phoenix and the Turtle
Explore Shakespeare’s enigmatic poem The Phoenix and the Turtle with a full text, quick summary, and long-form analysis of its symbolic love and metaphysical depth.
Poems
The Rape of Lucrece
Explore Shakespeare’s The Rape of Lucrece with a modern summary and analysis of its themes of honour, trauma, and political upheaval.
Poems
Venus and Adonis
Explore Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis with a clear summary, readable sections, and a modern analysis of its themes of desire and tragedy.
Sonnets
Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?
Explore Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 — its meaning, themes, and why the poet’s words promise eternal beauty beyond time.
Sonnets
Sonnet 29: When in Disgrace with Fortune and Men’s Eyes
Explore Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29 — a moving journey from despair to joy, where the thought of love restores the poet’s faith and worth.
Sonnets
Sonnet 130: My Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun
Explore Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 — a witty and honest love poem that celebrates real beauty over false comparisons.
Sonnets
Sonnet 116: Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds
Explore Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 — a timeless definition of love as constant, unchanging, and enduring even against time itself.
Sonnet 73: That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold
Explore Shakespeare’s Sonnet 73 — a moving reflection on aging, time, and love that grows stronger in the face of mortality.
Historical Context: Elizabethan England
Explore the world that shaped Shakespeare — the politics, religion, theatre, and culture of Elizabethan England.
Reference
Words and Phrases Shakespeare Gave Us: Then and Now
Discover how Shakespeare transformed English. Explore the words and phrases he coined or popularized — and how their meanings evolved over time.