sonnet 138 analysis
Brandy Maloney
12398. IGED210-6. Fundamental Issues as Reflected in World Literature: Poems
Response to “Sonnet 138”
Part A. Plot Summary The work opens with the speaker talking about how his mistress is a liar but he is still very much not under any illusion of her character. He to deceives her and is comforted by knowing he is no longer fooled by his mistress with her charades of fidelity of him. He is not as young or simple minded as she thinks he is. He knows he has grown old and is not as young as he used to be but he does not challenge her with her foolish lies. They are in a relationship without trust. Both are deceiving one and other by lying to each other while they lie together. Both are in agreement that they accept the lies to maintain each other but sometimes one must lie to keep a relationship continuing.
Part B. My Response
1: The Theme
In my view this is a work of deceitfulness in a relationship between the speaker and his mistress.
2: Support
The speaker speaks about how he knows she is lying but does not let her know because he himself is being deceitful as well. While they share the same bed together, they maintain their relationship by accepting the lies willingly. He knows he is not young or simple minded but accepts her even though she does lie, lie with him in bed and lie to him. He too has lied in bed with her and lied to her. Sometimes it is better to lie to each other, implies speaker to keep the relationship continuing.
Part C. Literary Criticism
Critic 1
Alex Story interprets the poem as a woman claims to be a virgin and lies to the speaker but the speaker knows he is lying as well. He believes there is no trust in the relationship and both are lying.
Critic 2
Kerry Michael Wood interprets the poem that both are lying to each other and both are in fact lying to each other and at the same time both are lying with each other. In a mature relationship with more honesty they would accept with free
12398. IGED210-6. Fundamental Issues as Reflected in World Literature: Poems
Response to “Sonnet 138”
Part A. Plot Summary The work opens with the speaker talking about how his mistress is a liar but he is still very much not under any illusion of her character. He to deceives her and is comforted by knowing he is no longer fooled by his mistress with her charades of fidelity of him. He is not as young or simple minded as she thinks he is. He knows he has grown old and is not as young as he used to be but he does not challenge her with her foolish lies. They are in a relationship without trust. Both are deceiving one and other by lying to each other while they lie together. Both are in agreement that they accept the lies to maintain each other but sometimes one must lie to keep a relationship continuing.
Part B. My Response
1: The Theme
In my view this is a work of deceitfulness in a relationship between the speaker and his mistress.
2: Support
The speaker speaks about how he knows she is lying but does not let her know because he himself is being deceitful as well. While they share the same bed together, they maintain their relationship by accepting the lies willingly. He knows he is not young or simple minded but accepts her even though she does lie, lie with him in bed and lie to him. He too has lied in bed with her and lied to her. Sometimes it is better to lie to each other, implies speaker to keep the relationship continuing.
Part C. Literary Criticism
Critic 1
Alex Story interprets the poem as a woman claims to be a virgin and lies to the speaker but the speaker knows he is lying as well. He believes there is no trust in the relationship and both are lying.
Critic 2
Kerry Michael Wood interprets the poem that both are lying to each other and both are in fact lying to each other and at the same time both are lying with each other. In a mature relationship with more honesty they would accept with free