The Sonnets

The Sonnets
William Shakespeare

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.‘In black ink my love may still shine bright…’Universally admired and quoted, Shakespeare’s Sonnets have love, beauty and the passing of time at their heart. Featuring some of the best-known and best-loved lines in the history of poetry (‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’, ‘Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds’), these evocative sonnets explore passion, the fleeting nature of beauty and the essence of true and everlasting love.Enticing lovers and scholars alike, these 154 beautiful and sensual sonnets are as relevant and important today as when they were written 400 years ago.

THE ALEXANDER SHAKESPEARE

THE SONNETS

William Shakespeare

Copyright (#ulink_b5ce68fe-5e1f-5dbb-8ca3-f8f9fe8f37f1)

William Collins

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This eBook edition published by William Collins in 2016

Life & Times section © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

Gerard Cheshire asserts his moral right as author of the Life & Times section

Shakespeare: Words and Phrases adapted from

Collins English Dictionary

Cover by e-Digital Design

Cover image © croisy/iStock

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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Source ISBN: 9780008171285

Ebook Edition © January 2016 ISBN: 9780008171292

Version: 2016-01-07

Prefatory Note (#ulink_bb3cccc3-581f-5953-81c0-2b30612110e8)

This Shakespeare play uses the full Alexander text. By keeping in mind the fact that the language has changed considerably in four hundred years, as have customs, jokes, and stage conventions, the editors have aimed at helping the modern reader – whether English is their mother tongue or not – to grasp the full significance of the play. The Notes, intended primarily for examination candidates, are presented in a simple, direct style. The needs of those unfamiliar with British culture have been specially considered.

Since quiet study of the printed word is unlikely to bring fully to life plays that were written directly for the public theatre, attention has been drawn to dramatic effects which are important in performance. The editors see Shakespeare’s plays as living works of art which can be enjoyed today on stage, film and television in many parts of the world.

CONTENTS

Cover (#u9529abc0-b8aa-56cc-bacb-0eaf31f49079)

Title Page (#ua39f09b3-cff1-53b2-9d8b-12f1d64633d3)

Copyright (#ufae37204-15a1-5dcd-b8df-26a129ccd19f)

Prefatory Note (#ud1370143-4fa8-5be8-aaa1-70eeecf24478)

The Theatre in Shakespeare’s Day (#u8fa56784-2064-5152-a82b-f96cbfc8fdf9)

Shakespeare: A Timeline (#u7de58111-5014-55c3-a26d-508a21c44ba9)

Life & Times (#u481944fc-387b-5db5-9f7c-0089708f7fb4)

Money in Shakespeare’s Day (#u31aa646a-9ecf-5f35-a035-83a1aca3c745)

The Sonnets (#u8acc16c9-a2bb-532a-8c46-76f1f4c8afce)

Sonnet 1 (#u8d274935-94b7-5b41-8cba-f2dc4ddaa5d8)

Sonnet 2 (#ucb758311-7300-583f-919f-09bae4f7a4af)

Sonnet 3 (#u90f433f6-c064-51b6-ad20-20889ea20037)

Sonnet 4 (#ud962558e-39dc-54d6-b835-3596f48df04a)

Sonnet 5 (#u830c1fce-dad5-59ee-bee6-5657b87937e9)

Sonnet 6 (#u85380959-683b-525e-ac23-bc4a26087c01)

Sonnet 7 (#u7f64062e-0a53-5b30-b780-743fef1271bc)

Sonnet 8 (#u219d6e03-cdb2-5a1b-b87e-6d6ec991a6d3)

Sonnet 9 (#u0de218a3-9b54-5d76-b78e-aa5fa5c12f96)

Sonnet 10 (#ua5d1715d-dd56-582f-9cdb-81b9fbe52d5e)

Sonnet 11 (#u7d0f865b-b7b6-557c-9510-41310a03b7d9)

Sonnet 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Sonnet 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Sonnet 14 (#litres_trial_promo)