Introduction to the Sonnets
Few collections of poems—indeed, few literary works in general—intrigue, challenge, tantalize, and reward as do Shakespeare’s Sonnets. Almost all of them love poems, the Sonnets philosophize, celebrate, attack, plead, and express pain, longing, and despair, all in a tone of voice that rarely rises above a reflective murmur, all spoken as if in an inner monologue or dialogue, and all within the tight structure of the English sonnet form.
The Folger Shakespeare
Our bestselling editions of Shakespeare's plays and poems
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.
When my love swears that she is made of truth
I do believe her though I know she lies
Shakespeare’s Sonnets in our collection
A selection of Folger collection items related to Shakespeare’s Sonnets. Find more in our digital image collection
Essays and resources from The Folger Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Learn more about Shakespeare, his Sonnets, their language, and their history from the experts behind our edition.
Shakespeare’s Life
An essay about Shakespeare and the time in which he lived
About Shakespeare’s Sonnets
An introduction to the themes and interpretations of the Sonnets
Reading Shakespeare’s Language
A guide for understanding Shakespeare’s words, sentences, and poetic techniques
An Introduction to This Text
A description of the publishing history of the Sonnets and our editors’ approach to this edition
Textual Notes
A record of the variants in the early printings of this text
Appendix of Intertextual Material
Select excerpts from other works that Shakespeare references
A Modern Perspective
An essay by Lynne Magnusson
Further Reading
Suggestions from our experts on where to learn more
Index of First Lines
A list of the first lines of the Sonnets
Related blog posts and podcasts
Excerpt: "Shakespeare without a Life" by Margreta de Grazia
Did Shakespeare give much thought to how his works would survive after his death? Margreta de Grazia argues that his sonnets show he did.
Billy Collins on Writing Short Poems and Reading Shakespeare's Sonnets
Poet Billy Collins talks about humanizing Shakespeare and other literary titans, delves into his own work and inspirations, and reads from his new collection, Musical Tables.
Order It: Sonnet 29
Sonnet 29 (“When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes”) is a famous example of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Try our quiz to see if you can put its lines in order.
Shakespeare's Sonnets in the Folger's Collection
Assistant Curator of Collections Elizabeth deBold shares items related to Shakespeare’s sonnets, part of a presentation preceding the October 5 poetry reading with Diane Seuss and t’ai freedom ford.
All the Sonnets of Shakespeare, with Paul Edmondson
Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 167 Over 400 years after Shakespeare’s sonnets were first published in 1609, what is left to learn? All the Sonnets of Shakespeare, a new edition of the sonnets published in 2020, takes some bold steps to help…
Order It: Sonnet 98
It’s springtime, and Sonnet 98 is a wonderful seasonal selection from Shakespeare. Take this quiz to see if you can put the sonnet’s 14 lines into their correct order.
Teaching Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Use the Folger Method to teach Shakespeare’s Sonnets. Become a Teacher Member to get exclusive access to lesson plans and professional development.
The Key to Getting ALL Students Understanding and Interpreting Complex Texts
The Key to Getting ALL Students Understanding and Interpreting Complex Texts
Free resource
Sonnets & Social Justice
Sonnets & Social Justice
Sonnet Performances: Shakespeare’s Sonnets as Scripts
Sonnet Performances: Shakespeare’s Sonnets as Scripts
Free resource
Shakespeare’s Sisters and Modern Sonnets
Shakespeare’s Sisters and Modern Sonnets
Free resource
Spenser, Shakespeare, and the Blazon
Spenser, Shakespeare, and the Blazon
Free resource
Easing into Shakespeare with Edna St. Vincent Millay’s, “What My Lips Have Kissed, And Where And Why”
Easing into Shakespeare with Edna St. Vincent Millay’s, “What My Lips Have Kissed, And Where And Why”
Free resource
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 138: A Close Reading Module
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 138: A Close Reading Module
Free resource
The English Sonnet: Michael Drayton
The English Sonnet: Michael Drayton
Free resource
Petrarch, Father of the Sonnet
Petrarch, Father of the Sonnet
Free resource
Choral Reading: Sonnet 18
Choral Reading: Sonnet 18
Writing a Group Sonnet: Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Writing a Group Sonnet: Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Juicy Lesson! Choral Reading Imtiaz Dharker’s “The Trick” and Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43
Juicy Lesson! Choral Reading Imtiaz Dharker’s “The Trick” and Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43
Group Scenes: Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Group Scenes: Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Choral Reading with Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43 and Imtiaz Dharker’s “The Trick”
Choral Reading with Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43 and Imtiaz Dharker’s “The Trick”
Shakespeare Sonnets in the Classroom
Shakespeare Sonnets in the Classroom
Free resource
Early printed texts
Shakespeare’s Sonnets were first printed in 1609 in a quarto published by Thomas Thorpe. That edition is generally considered the authoritative text, and modern editors usually follow it as their source. Two of the poems in the 1609 sonnets (Sonnets 138 and 144) were published in the 1599 collection The Passionate Pilgrim; although the entire volume was attributed to Shakespeare, the collection is in fact a miscellany of poems by different authors. Some scholars, however, believe that the two sonnets by Shakespeare in that volume represent versions closer to Shakespeare’s manuscript than the 1609 versions. The sonnets were republished in 1640 by John Benson in a form very different from the 1609 collection, including a different order and individually titled poems. The Folger edition of the sonnets, like that of other modern editions, follows the 1609 text.
