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Shakespeare's Sonnets

by William Shakespeare

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What is your opinion on Shakespeare's Sonnet 3?

Expert Answers

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My opinion? I like it, but it's not as stunning as some of his other poems.

Why? Two reasons. First, the structure isn't as impressive as some of the poems. The rhymes are flatter (less evocative). Rhyiming "womb" and "tomb," for example, seems pretty easy and a little obvious.

Second, the emotion isn't as elevated as in some. It's more of a threat: die single, and you'll be forgotten. Marry (me) or perhaps even, have sex (with me), and your image will live on in your children. That may be true, but it isn't as profound as some of the sonnets.

Greg

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