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Shakespeare's Sonnets

By William Shakespeare

This text focuses exclusively on contemporary criticism of Shakespeare's Sonnets. Aprroaches range from new historicism to the new bibliography, from formalism to feminism, from recept to history to cultural materialism.

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Edition
Project Gutenberg eBook #1041 — English text of the 1609 sonnets
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44 jurisdictions · latest check 31 Aug 2026

author William Shakespeare died 1616. All identified copyright-relevant edition contributors are beyond the conservative expiry cutoff applied from the cited jurisdictional duration rule as of 2026-08-31.

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Shakespeare's Sonnets

LIII

William Shakespeare

What is your substance, whereof are you made, That millions of strange shadows on you tend? Since every one, hath every one, one shade, And you but one, can every shadow lend. Describe Adonis, and the counterfeit Is poorly imitated after you; On Helen’s cheek all art of beauty set, And you in Grecian tires are painted new: Speak of the spring, and foison of the year, The one doth shadow of your beauty show, The other as your bounty doth appear; And you in every blessed shape we know. In all external grace you have some part, But you like none, none you, for constant heart.

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