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Comparing
Sonnets
To be able to compare and contrast sonnets
focussing on the presentation of love and hate.
Write a summary for each of the sonnets:
2, 9, 17, 18, 130, 138, 144, 147
Comparing Sonnets
Look back at Sonnets 18 and 147.
What are the main feelings presented in these
poems?
Compare how feelings of love and hate are presented in
Sonnets 18 and 147
Uses hyperbole
and repetition to
compare beauty
‘more’ x2 – strong
belief
‘lovely’ &
‘temperate’ –
positive vocabulary
‘Sonnet
18’
‘for I have sworn
thee fair.’
‘thou art more
lovely and more
temperate’
Personal opinion
expressed but this is
then juxtaposed with
reality (‘black as hell’)
Both use
complimentary
language.
‘sworn’ – a powerful
oath; believed
strongly
‘fair’ – beauty
(positive)
‘Sonnet
147 ’
Both use similes
Language analysis
Language analysis
Explanation
Examples
Explanation
Compare how feelings of love and hate are presented in Sonnets 18 and 147
Shakespeare uses complimentary language in both sonnets to describe his subject. In
sonnet 18 he states ‘thou art more lovely and more temperate.’ This use of repetition
and hyperbole highlights the positive feelings he has for the subject who is ‘more’
beautiful than a summer’s day. The use of the conjunction ‘and’, which is used instead of
a comma, means there is equal emphasis on the words ‘lovely’ and ‘temperate’ which
leads readers to believe that the speaker is in love with his subject whom he obviously
finds attractive. In contrast, whilst sonnet 147 also includes complimentary language like
‘for I have sworn thee fair and thought thee bright,’ it is juxtaposed with the negative
‘who art as black as hell.’ This description is less straightforward as it suggests that the
subject is both beautiful (‘fair’) but perhaps has a darker personality as inferred through
the simile ‘black as hell.’ The words ‘fair’ and ‘bright’ have positive connotations
suggesting hope and beauty whilst the words ‘black’ and ‘hell’ are negative and have
more menacing connotations. Readers may infer that the speaker is torn between love
and hate (of which there is a fine line) and cannot decide how he truly feels.
Furthermore, in sonnet 18 the speaker is more confident as he uses definitive words like
‘thou art’ (you are) whilst in 147 he uses ‘sworn’ and ‘thought’ which indicate opinion
and arguably, uncertainty. Overall, sonnet 18 is positive and has strong feelings of love
whilst sonnet 147 is more contradictory and includes feelings of hatred.
PEELA Writing
Write your own paragraph comparing the two
sonnets.
You have 15 minutes.
SOLO Peer Evaluation
They have identified key ideas and selected
appropriate evidence to support. (Point & Evidence)
They have explained the evidence and what readers
can infer from it. (Explanation)
They have analysed language and explained the effect on
the reader/the image that is created. (Lang. Analysis)
They have hypothesised about extended/alternative
meanings in texts and evaluated the overall
significance of language. (Extended/Alternative View)
Home Learning
Choose two other sonnets.
Write 2 paragraphs comparing and contrasting
Shakespeare’s presentation of love and hate.