Who is sonnet 129 about

Some biographers suggest he became a school teacher for a time, others that he joined a traveling theatrical group and toured throughout the country. What is certain is that, by , his name is known in London, and by he was already a leading light in the Lord Chamberlain's men, as dramatist and actor. We'll never know for sure just how he and Anne were affected emotionally by this mutual separation. Were they still 'in love' or was the marriage impossible to maintain because of William's wayward pursuit of a career as a dramatist in London?

The so called 'lost years', between and , must have been intensely productive for the young poet and playwright. He establishes his reputation during this time but has to sacrifice his family life. Marine Biology.

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The overarching theme of the sonnet is the poet's contention that sexual fulfillment, or at least fulfillment out of lust, is something that is longed for desperately and ravenously right up until that blissful moment of climax - orgasm - after which it is immediately regretted. Yet despite the fact that "the world well knows" its consequences, the poet claims, no one is quite able to avoid the sinful temptations of lustful desire.

The poet wastes no time in getting this point across. It is unclear from the sonnet whether the poet is describing sexual intercourse in general or only that which occurs out of lust but not love.

But due to the sonnet's place within the dark lady sequence and the assumption that the narrator's regret comes from his inability to control his lustful urges, we are led to presume that it is the latter. The focus here is on the contrast between lust before action and regret after action, with action being the act of sex, the consummation of desire.

Lustful sex is thus described, "A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe" here "to prove" means "to try" or "to accomplish" , and he who succumbs to lust is thus likened to the fish that has swallowed bait: "Mad in pursuit and in possession so. Note that sonnet is full of contrasts: "before" vs. The "heaven" of line 14 is the "bliss in proof" of line 11, while "hell" is the "very woe. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better.

Literature Poetry Lit Terms Shakescleare. Download this LitChart! Question about this poem? Ask us. Cite This Page. Sonnet Th' expense of spirit in a waste of shame Full Text. Lines It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Everything you need for every book you read. The way the content is organized and presented is seamlessly smooth, innovative, and comprehensive. Home About Story Contact Help.