10 of Shakespeare’s Best Love Sonnets
The 10 poems on this list represent some of the best love sonnets that Shakespeare wrote. They are in honor of the Fair Youth, an unknown, beautiful young man.
A Fairy Song
‘A Fairy Song’ by William Shakespeare features in the well-loved play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It’s sung by a fairy and describes their work.
All the world’s a stage
‘All the world’s a stage’ is a well-known monologue found in William Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’. This speech of Jaques explores the seven ages of man and their implications.
Double, Double Toil and Trouble from Macbeth
‘Double, Double Toil and Trouble’ appears in the tragedy of ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare. It is one of the “Song of the Witches” that appears in Act 4, Scene 1 of the play.
Sonnet 1
Shakespeare’s first sonnet, ‘From fairest creatures we desire increase,’ serves to introduce many of the themes which echo through the rest of the collection.
Sonnet 10
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 10, also known as ‘For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any’, with a deep dive analysis into the poem.
Sonnet 100
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 100, ‘Where art thou, Muse, that thou forget’st so long,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 101
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 101, ‘O truant Muse what shall be thy amends,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 102
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 102, ‘My love is strengthen’d, though more weak in seeming,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 103
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 103, ‘Alack! what poverty my Muse brings forth,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 104
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 104, ‘To me, fair friend, you never can be old,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 105
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 105, ‘Let not my love be called idolatry,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 106
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 106, ‘When in the chronicle of wasted time,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 107
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 107, ‘Not mine own fears, nor the prophetic soul,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 108
Read Shakespeare’s Sonnet 108, ‘What’s in the brain that ink may character,’ with a summary and complete analysis of the poem.
Sonnet 109
‘Sonnet 109,’ also known as ‘O! never say that I was false of heart,’ is an expression of pure love and devotion unchanged by time and circumstance.Â
Sonnet 11
Read Sonnet 11, also known as ‘As fast as thou shalt wane, so fast thou grow’st,’ with a deep dive analysis into the poem.
Sonnet 110
‘Sonnet 110,’ also known as ‘Alas, ’tis true I have gone here and there,’ is a poem about infidelity and the speaker’s realization that the Fair Youth is the only one he wants.Â
Sonnet 111
‘Sonnet 111,’ also known as ‘O, for my sake do you with fortune chide,’ is an interesting poem. In it, Shakespeare’s speaker describes the life Fortune has given him.
Sonnet 112
‘Sonnet 112,’ also known as ‘Your love and pity doth th’ impression fill,’ emphasizes the speaker’s obsession with the Fair Youth. He spends the lines reminding the Youth of how important his opinion is.Â
Sonnet 113
‘Sonnet 113,’ also known as ‘Since I left you, mine eye is in my mind,’ is a demonstration of Shakespeare’s speaker’s love for the Fair Youth. He sees him in every animal, plant, and landscape he encounters.Â
Sonnet 114
‘Sonnet 114,’ also known as ‘Or whether doth my mind, being crowned with you,’ is a poem about how one speaker interprets the world. Everything he sees and experiences is filtered through images of the person he loves.
