Critique of Sonnet 138

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William Shakespeare writes Sonnet 138 in 1st person point of view using iambic pentameter the setting is undisclosed. This sonnet uses the English sonnet rhyme scheme which is: ABABCDCDEFEFGG. Most of his sonnets are written towards two people: the Dark Lady and a young man. This sonnet is probably directed towards the Dark Lady. Sonnet 138 gives examples of several literary elements. This sonnet is written using the English sonnet rhyme scheme. Therefore, the first 12 lines show the problem, and the last two give the solution. In Sonnet 138 Shakespeare resolves the problem in the last two lines by saying, “Therefore I lie with her, and she with me, And in our faults by lies we flattered be.” That could mean that they lie to each other while knowing that they’re lies, but they are still flattered by them. One of the several literary element contained in Sonnet 138 is personification. In stanza one, line one “love swears” is an example of personification because love cannot swear. Also, in stanza three, line ten “love's best habit” is another example of personification because love cannot have habits. Personification is probably the most common literary element in Sonnet 138. One of the examples is in stanza two, line eight when it says “false-speaking tongue.” This would be considered personification because tongues cannot talk. Another one of the literary elements is connotation and denotation. In stanza two, line five it says “vainly thinking that she thinks me young.” The connotative meaning is uselessly, and the denotative meaning of vain is: having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth. Metaphors are another literary element in Sonnet 138. In stanza one, line one “she is made of truth” is an example of a metaphor because it is impossible for someone to be made up of truth. This may mean she tells the truth or
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