Jul 9, 2008
Themes
Human love—in a variety of manifestations—is a principal focus of Shakespeare's sonnets. Commentators have called attention to the many different kinds of love expressed in these verses: spiritual and erotic, parental and filial, love that ennobles and love that corrupts. They point out that these verses explore the paradoxical nature of human passion from different perspectives, sometimes idealizing love and sometimes treating it sardonically. Many critics emphasize Shakespeare's innovative and unique treatment of the traditions of courtly and Petrarchan love. They...
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