analysis
Sonnet 94: They That Have Power to Hurt, and Will Do None
A complete analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 94, exploring restraint, virtue, corruption, and the moral burden of power.
Shakespeare’s Sources and Influences
Explore the classical texts, chronicles, and folktales that shaped Shakespeare’s works, and how he transformed old stories into timeless literature.
Sonnet 65: Since Brass, nor Stone, nor Earth, nor Boundless Sea
A complete analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 65, exploring time’s destructive power and poetry’s ability to preserve beauty.
Sonnet 60: Like as the Waves Make Towards the Pebbled Shore
A full analysis of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 60, exploring time’s relentless motion and poetry’s power to resist decay.
Sonnet 138: When my love swears that she is made of truth
By William Shakespeare QUICK SUMMARYSonnet 138 explores adult love through the lens of mutual deception. Both lovers knowingly lie —...
Sonnet 55: Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments
Explore Shakespeare’s Sonnet 55, a powerful meditation on poetry’s ability to outlast monuments and preserve love.
Patronage and Publication History
Guide to patronage and publication history for students and readers of Shakespeare.
The Quarto and Folio Editions
Learn the difference between Shakespeare’s quarto and folio editions — how they were printed, why they differ, and how these early books preserved many of his plays.
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.
