Sonnet 129
E495311
Sonnet 129 is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous sonnets, noted for its intense exploration of lust, guilt, and moral conflict.
Statements (44)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
English poem
ⓘ
Renaissance literature work ⓘ Shakespearean sonnet ⓘ |
| addresses | uncontrolled sexual appetite ⓘ |
| author | William Shakespeare NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| closingCouplet | "All this the world well knows; yet none knows well / To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell." ⓘ |
| collectionPosition | one of the so‑called "Dark Lady" sonnets ⓘ |
| countryOfOrigin | England ⓘ |
| describes | lust as savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust ⓘ |
| firstPublishedIn | Shakespeare's Sonnets (1609) quarto NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| form | sonnet ⓘ |
| genre | love sonnet ⓘ |
| influence | frequently discussed in Shakespeare criticism ⓘ |
| language | English ⓘ |
| literaryDevice |
alliteration
ⓘ
antithesis ⓘ metaphor ⓘ paradox ⓘ |
| literaryPeriod | Elizabethan era NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| mainTheme |
guilt
ⓘ
lust ⓘ moral conflict ⓘ self‑loathing ⓘ sexual desire ⓘ |
| meter | iambic pentameter ⓘ |
| moralView |
knowledge of lust’s consequences does not prevent repetition
ⓘ
lust is destructive ⓘ |
| notedFor |
intense exploration of lust, guilt, and moral conflict
ⓘ
psychological depth ⓘ vivid, harsh diction ⓘ |
| numberInSequence | 129 ⓘ |
| openingLine | "Th' expense of spirit in a waste of shame" ⓘ |
| partOf | Shakespeare's sonnets NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| portrays |
lust as leading to shame and despair
ⓘ
the cycle of desire, action, and remorse ⓘ |
| publicationYear | 1609 ⓘ |
| rhymeScheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG ⓘ |
| structure | three quatrains and a final couplet ⓘ |
| subgenre | anti‑erotic sonnet ⓘ |
| subjectMatter |
contrast between anticipation and aftermath of sexual gratification
ⓘ
psychological consequences of lust ⓘ |
| tone |
intense
ⓘ
moralizing ⓘ violent ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.