‘The Sonnets’ were written by William Shakespeare and published in 1609, as a collection. The compilation consists of 154 poems, only two of which had been published before. Shakespeare’s sonnets each consist of 14 lines, the final two ending in a rhyming couplet, the exception being his ‘Sonnet 99’ which has 15 lines.

The majority of the sonnets are written about three ambiguous characters who are commonly referred to as the Fair Youth, the Rival Poet and the Dark Lady. Despite much debate between scholars, it is unknown whether the three figures are fictional or not.

Sonnets 1 – 126 are concentrated on the ‘Fair Youth’, an unidentified, handsome young man and the sonnet speaker, a middle-aged man. Whilst many believe that the relationship between the two is that of a father and son, it has been suggested by some commentators, that the loving language, particularly noted in sonnet 18 (“shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”), indicates a homosexual connection between them. As the sonnets progress, they tell of the relationships ‘ups and down’ which appears to end, when both parties become involved with the Dark Lady, whom Sonnets 127 – 152 are written around. The ‘Dark Lady’ sonnets are of an explicit nature in comparison to that of the Fair Youth. In them, the poet suggests that he has an illicit and passionate affair with the Lady, but that she was unfaithful to him, conceivably with the ‘Fair Youth’.

In certain sonnets, particularly 76 – 86 and possibly 100 – 103 the ‘Rival Poet’ character features. The poet sees this figure as opposition for fame, patronage and the affection of the ‘Fair Youth’. Several theories surround the identity of the ‘Rival Poet’ and though there is no firm evidence to suggest the character had a counterpart, it is widely believed that it was either Christopher Marlowe or George Chapman.

In 1609, the only edition of the sonnets published during William Shakespeare’s’ lifespan, was dedicated to ‘Mr. W.H’. The identity of this individual has caused much conjecture and is still a mystery today; some sceptics even believing that it was simply used as a marketing ploy at the time, in order to create interest.