Complete Sonnets

Complete Sonnets is a collection of 154 poems written by William Shakespeare, first published in 1609. They are considered to be the greatest sonnets and poems ever written, by the greatest poet and playwright in the English language. This powerful, thought-provoking collection is for anyone interested in exploring the themes of love, desire, and the human condition. Over 150 deal with love, friendship, death, the passage of time, and the nature of beauty. Each sonnet is a masterful exploration of the human experience and emotions, utilizing Shakespeare's unparalleled command of language and imagery. The most important of Shakespeare’s nondramatic works, the sonnets have caused intense scholarly discussion as to the identity of the “lovely boy” and the mysterious “dark lady” to whom most of them are addressed with admiration and love. There has also been controversy concerning the full name of the W.H. in the dedication. The first 17 poems, the procreation sonnets, are addressed to the young man—urging him to marry and have children in order to immortalize his beauty by passing it to the next generation. Others express the speaker's love for the young man; brood upon loneliness, death, and the transience of life; criticize him for preferring a rival poet; and express ambiguous feelings for the speaker's mistress. Considered a masterpiece of poetry, the sonnets are a testament to Shakespeare's ability to capture the complexity of the human experience and human emotions. This classic of English literature, will take you on an emotional journey, and will make you question the nature of love, desire and the human condition.