Sonnet 18 is a poem of admiration and glorification of Shakespeare’s lover. Sonnet 97 is a poem about being separated from his lover and Sonnet 130 is a poem for the “Dark Lady” which is descriptive but is not nearly as flattering or focused on outer beauty as Sonnet 18.

Sonnet 18 is a poem that glorifies the subject and his or her beauty. Shakespeare uses metaphors to describe his lover. He uses the season of summer as a basis of comparison to the person he is writing about. “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? / Thou art more lovely and more temperate”. Shakespeare states that this person is even more beautiful than a summer day. They are also gentler than a harsh sun, which shines brightly and causes the sun to beat too hotly and raise the temperature too high. He refers to the sun with another metaphor, “the eye of heaven”.

Shakespeare also says that summer goes by too quickly. He is metaphorically saying that the presence of this person will end shortly because they will die too soon a

Her hair is like wires and her breath does not smell good. Shakespeare even says that though he likes it when she talks, her voice is not the most pleasant sound. “I love to hear her speak, yet well I know / That music hath a far more pleasing sound.” She is not the most beautiful woman. Even though Shakespeare has said all of these things that are unflattering about his “Mistress”, he still loves her.

The eyes of his lover and dull and “nothing like the sun” This is a big change from Sonnet 18, where Shakespeare’s beloved is thought to be bright and beautiful as the sun, yet not as punishing with its harsh rays. Her lips are not red like coral, her complexion is not white like snow, but her skin is “dun”, or gray and dull.

In Sonnet 97, Shakespeare also uses one of the four seasons as a metaphor. Instead of being a poem of admiration, Sonnet 97 is a poem about the separation from this person he loves.

Sonnet 130 was written for Shakespeare’s “Dark Lady”. When reading this poem, it initially does not come across as flattering as the other sonnets. It does not flatter the outward beauty of the subject as the other two sonnets do.

nd “autumn” will begin.

Some topics in this essay:
Sonnets Shakespeare, sonnet 18, sonnet 97, , “dark lady”, outer beauty, sonnet 18 poem, sonnet 97 poem, outer beauty sonnet, beauty sonnet, poem admiration, shakespeare metaphors, sonnet 130, shakespeare’s beloved, 18 poem,