What is the message of Sonnet 129?

Sonnet 129 contains a description of the “physical and psychological devastation of ‘lust'”. Lust is a powerful emotional and physical desire that feels overwhelmingly like heaven in the beginning but can, and often does, end up being more like its own torturous hell in the end.

What is unique about Shakespeare’s Sonnet 129?

At the beginning of the poem, the speaker says that “lust in action”—that is, as it exists at the consummation of the sexual act—is an “expense of spirit in a waste of shame.” He then devotes the rest of the first quatrain to characterizing lust as it exists “till action”—that is, before the consummation: it is “ …

What is Shakespeare’s message in Sonnet 130?

In Sonnet 130, the theme “Women and Femininity” is connected to the idea of appearances. This poem is all about female beauty and our expectations and stereotypes about the way women ought to look….

What is the structure of Sonnet 129?

‘Th’ expense of spirit in a waste of shame’ by William Shakespeare, also known as Sonnet 129, is a fourteen-line poem. It is structured in the form which has come to be synonymous with the poet’s name. It is made up of three quatrains, or sets of four lines, and one concluding couplet, or set of two rhyming lines.

What does till action mean in Sonnet 129?

Claiming that lust is violent in myriad ways “till action” suggests that the fulfillment of lust robs it of its violent power. Essentially, the speaker describes an intense build up to an action that amounts to nothing more than shame. Click to copy annotation URL.

What does the word spirit mean in Sonnet 129?

“Spirit” was a common euphemism for an erection that came from the phrase “to raise a spirit.” “Spirit” can also mean one’s soul, figuratively meaning he has wasted his soul by enacting this sin. Here, the speaker introduces the spiritual crisis that he will explore throughout the poem using sexual metaphors. Click to copy annotation URL.

Who is the love object in Sonnet 129?

In older sonnets such as Thomas Wyatt’s “Whoso List to Hunt,” the love object is depicted as a deer that the speaker tracks down. In Sonnet 129, the aristocratic elegance of the hunt is gone, replaced by a shameful hunt “past reason.” Click to copy annotation URL.

Where can I find quotes from Shakespeare’s sonnets?

Here’s where you’ll find analysis about the play as a whole. Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the play by reading these key quotes. Continue your study of Shakespeare’s Sonnets with these useful links.