**Shakespeare Sonnet 138**
**Introduction**
Shakespeare’s sonnets are celebrated for their exploration of love, beauty, and the passage of time. Sonnet 138, in particular, has become a favorite of the reader and the scholar alike. This article examines the themes, structure, and language of the sonnet, and considers the reason it has become a popular example of how “true” is often difficult to define.
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**The Original Sonnet**
Below is the canonical text of Sonnet 138, as it appears in the *Shakespearean* canon (this is the text printed in most editions of *The Complete Works of William Shakespeare*).
When I have seen a beauty that hath been
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> **Shakespeare, Sonnet 138**
> *When I have seen the most fair love I feel,*
> *I am deceiving the heart that keeps its truth.*
> *The one that knows the truth, yet lies about it,*
> *And the one that believes, yet lies about the truth.*
> *When we both lie about each other,*
> *I will not be found the man that I am.*
*(Full text omitted here due to brevity; readers may consult the Shakespearean canon for the complete version.)*
> *This sonnet is a meditation on the ways in which people both reveal and conceal truth in intimate relationships, especially when one partner knows that the other is not entirely honest.*
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### 1. The Structure of the Poem
Shakespeare’s sonnets all share a 14‑line form written in iambic pentameter. Each line contains five iambs—metrical pairs in which an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. Sonnet 138 is divided into three quatrains (four‑line sections) and a concluding rhymed couplet, the classic Shakespearean *abab cdc def gg* rhyme scheme.
#### The Four Stanzas
* **First Quatrain** – Acknowledgement of the partner’s deceit.
* **Second Quatrain** – Confession of the speaker’s own falsehoods.
* **Third Quatrain** – The mutual deception between the two.
* **Final Couplet** – The resolution that the two lovers lie together.
The rhyme scheme is **abab cdc def gg**; this pattern is repeated in most of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
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### 2. The Theme of Deception
Sonnet 138 centers on how we are *involved in lies* in a relationship. The speaker knows that his lover is lying, but he chooses to trust her still, because the truth “does not fit” with the image of the partner that he loves. He is also aware that his own age is older than his lover thinks, so he misrepresents himself as younger.
* **The Liar’s Perspective** – The speaker’s confession of knowing a lie but still believing it.
* **The Younger Partner** – A woman who is old, yet pretends to be young.
* **The Mutual Deception** – The couple both deny the truth that the other would reveal.
This sense of deception is a key component of the sonnet’s meaning. The sonnet is, in a way, a *reflection on the way people shape and reshape themselves* to fit a narrative that they find comfortable.
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### 3. The Poetic Language
* **Word Choice** – The sonnet uses simple language that is easy to read, but it contains complex ideas such as “lie” and “truth.” The use of ordinary words makes the poem seem very direct.
* **Rhythm** – The iambic pentameter is a hallmark of Shakespeare’s style. The meter gives the poem a “soft” cadence that matches the intimacy of the speaker’s confession.
* **Images** – The poem’s imagery includes references to beauty, truth, and youth. Shakespeare does not paint a concrete visual picture but rather uses a symbolic image that captures the emotional essence of the scene.
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### 4. Why It Is Popular
Shakespeare’s sonnets are celebrated for their lyrical intensity and intellectual depth, but **Sonnet 138** is one of the few that many people find *particularly accessible*. Its short length and straightforward language make it a favorite among readers who are new to Shakespeare or who want to see how Shakespeare deals with emotional conflict in a way that feels familiar. Its message about the difficulty of being honest with oneself and with another remains relevant to contemporary readers.
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### 5. Conclusion
Sonnet 138 explores the complexities of self‑deception and love in a world where people often present a false version of themselves. The poem invites the reader to reflect on how we *reconstruct our identity and the identities of others* to fit our expectations. This sonnet remains a touchstone for those interested in Shakespeare’s examination of the human heart.