Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnet between 1592 to 1598.

He started to write sonnet during the period of the plague, because the theatre were closed and his theatrical acts could not be played.

The typical structure of Shakespeare’s sonnet are 14 line divided in three stanzas, four lines each, and a couplet.

Stanzas have the function to explain the same problem with different points of view. Whereas couplet presents a conclusion, often unexpected.

In this large sonnet’s range there is a subdivision between the sonnets that are addressed to a young man, the Fair Youth, and those that are written for The dark lady.

The central themes of Shakespeare’s sonnets are love, and its different aspects of manifestation.

Indeed there is an important distinction to the sexual love for the fair youth and the unstable love addressed to the Dark lady.

In the first 17 sonnets , the speaker suggests the young man to have children so his beauty will not be lost with years go by. This sonnet are called ‘procreation sonnets’

The ‘Dark lady ‘ section describe a lady and a love that doesn’t represent the typical love found in Petrarchan poems.

Very often S. describes nature, creating images that are associated with human behavior. These figures create a complex image of the human being, which is emphasized by the unconventional vision of love.

In fact, in the Fair Youth session, S. also portrays love under the carnal and sensual aspect.

The image of man created by the author that can also be associated with modern man and it is precisely for this reason that his works are considered immortal.

Just like its protagonists, who always remain young and beautiful thank you to the words used to describe them.

One of S.'s purposes is to make his two 'lovers' eternal, thus fighting time which is the destruction of beauty and the end of life.