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Shakespeare's Sonnets (AmazonClassics Edition) Kindle Edition

by William Shakespeare (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 1,242 ratings

The secret of their identities has fueled debate for hundreds of years: Who are the nameless nobleman and the dark-haired mistress? And what did they do to inspire the creation of more than 150 deeply intimate poems?

Whether William Shakespeare’s sonnets are pure fiction or the lingering echo of an autobiographical account, this exquisitely written collection defied traditional love poem conventions to explore the many layers of romance, the dangers of lust, and the nuances of beauty. Since their publication, Shakespeare’s poems have served as touchstones, providing readers from all walks of life with the opportunity to articulate the inscrutable feelings of the heart.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from the masters of storytelling. Ideal for anyone who wants to read a great work for the first time or rediscover an old favorite, these new editions open the door to literature’s most unforgettable characters and beloved worlds.

Revised edition: Previously published as Shakespeare's Sonnets, this edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

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  1. Print length
    162 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    AmazonClassics
  4. Accessibility
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  5. Publication date
    January 30, 2018
  6. File size
    1.0 MB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, to a middle-class glover and landowner’s daughter. He married Anne Hathaway in 1582 and moved to London to work with a theatrical troupe ten years later.

Since little has been learned of his early life, nearly all of what we know about Shakespeare begins—on the London stage—in 1592. In the wake of his critical and public success, Shakespeare helped build the Globe theater on the River Thames.

Regarded as the world’s preeminent dramatist, his extant works include thirty-eight plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets, and two narrative poems, and have been translated into every major language. To this day, his plays have been performed more often than those of any other playwright—adapted for film and television, updated, deconstructed, and transfigured into ballets, operas, and musicals. Though his formal education exceeded no further than grammar school, William Shakespeare became the most transcendent and influential writer in all of world literature.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0776T58RG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ AmazonClassics
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 30, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 162 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1503955189
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 1,242 ratings

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  1. G. Blakemore Evans

    G. Blakemore Evans

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  2. Stephen Orgel

    Stephen Orgel

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    Stephen Orgel is Professor of English at Stanford University. Best known as a scholar of Shakespeare, Orgel writes primarily about the political and historical context of Renaissance literature.

    Orgel received his B.A. from Columbia University in 1954 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1959. He has taught at Stanford since 1985.

    Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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  3. William Burto

    William Burto

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  4. William Shakespeare

    William Shakespeare

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    William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

    Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and was baptised on 26 April 1564. Thought to have been educated at the local grammar school, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he went on to have three children, at the age of eighteen, before moving to London to work in the theatre. Two erotic poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece were published in 1593 and 1594 and records of his plays begin to appear in 1594 for Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI. Shakespeare's tragic period lasted from around 1600 to 1608, during which period he wrote plays including Hamlet and Othello. The first editions of the sonnets were published in 1609 but evidence suggests that Shakespeare had been writing them for years for a private readership.

    Shakespeare spent the last five years of his life in Stratford, by now a wealthy man. He died on 23 April 1616 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. The first collected edition of his works was published in 1623.

    (The portrait details: The Chandos portrait, artist and authenticity unconfirmed. NPG1, © National Portrait Gallery, London)

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,242 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book beautifully read and appreciate its excellent glossary, with one noting it provides a very accessible presentation of difficult poems. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its impeccable formatting, beautiful covers, and value for money as a reasonably priced gem. Additionally, customers consider it worthy of gift-giving and fun to read, with one comparing it to learning a new language. However, the information value and print size receive mixed reviews, with some appreciating the great wealth of information while others find the print size relatively small.

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52 customers mention "Readability"52 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's sonnets beautifully read, with an excellent glossary and good notes for each sonnet. One customer particularly appreciates the incredible commentary on the poetics of the sonnets.

"The book remains unquestionably the best poems that trancend all that is known about the heart's expression of love regardless of your universe and..." Read more

"...All the links work well, the font is clear and attractive, and the formatting is just fine...." Read more

"...it is kind of like taking coals to Newcastle, but it is worth a few words...." Read more

"...The book is as pure as if it had been written this morning; the only defect is the reader, as I have not enough knowledge of poetry to notice,..." Read more

13 customers mention "Value for money"10 positive3 negative

Customers find the book to be worth the purchase, describing it as a reasonably priced gem and excellent edition.

"...wanted to be reminded of message and meter this edition met my reading and financial needs." Read more

"...Definitely worth the purchase!!" Read more

"This is a reasonably priced gem that has a translation opposite the graphic image of the 1609 portfolio page. This is a wonderful idea...." Read more

"...a lot of 'wasted paper' unless one wants to write on the page, where there is room at least for another sonnet......" Read more

10 customers mention "Illustrations"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the illustrations in the book, with several noting the beautiful covers, and one customer highlighting the lovely romantic images.

"...It's a beautiful book -- its jacket nicely textured and crimson red (unlike the photo on here); it's slim, has a red lace bookmark, and exhibits..." Read more

"I'm a fan of the layout of Folger Shakespeare Library. The covers are also beautiful, but the play on the right, explanation of archaic terms on the..." Read more

"...Very easy to use, and a pleasant layout. Perfect! We gave this out to readers at a recent Harvard Square Sonnet Slam - people loved it!" Read more

"This is a reasonably priced gem that has a translation opposite the graphic image of the 1609 portfolio page. This is a wonderful idea...." Read more

6 customers mention "Formatting"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the impeccable formatting of the book, with one customer noting its straightforward modern text and another highlighting its large print.

"...links work well, the font is clear and attractive, and the formatting is just fine...." Read more

"...They have the useful X-Ray, impeccable formatting, modern typography and clean of misspellings...." Read more

"I purchased this for my BEST FRIENDS father. He loves the large print because he can actually see the words...." Read more

"This is a straightforward edition of the standard modern texts--but it is not resizeable in Kindle!..." Read more

4 customers mention "Gift value"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book worthy of gift-giving, with one mentioning it's perfect for lovers of Shakespeare's writings.

"...In short, it's a lovely gift book. It is, however, not the scholarly edition I was seeking, which I report so that you don't commit the same mistake." Read more

"...This is truly a wonderful edition of his work and a perfect gift for the lover of his writings...." Read more

"This is a nice edition, worthy of gift-giving. There is only one Sonnet per page, so you can choose one and bookmark it for a friend...." Read more

"Great gift..." Read more

4 customers mention "Reading enjoyment"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable to read, with one mentioning it's like learning a new language.

"...They enhance your reading, they do not do it for you. Now, why you want to read this collection...." Read more

"...It’s like learning a new language. I love it." Read more

"These sonnets are fun to read and speak eloquently to the human condition. Highly recommended." Read more

"Excellent for those of us with interest but not necessarily the largest olde English vocabulary!..." Read more

15 customers mention "Information value"10 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the information value of the book, with some praising its great wealth of information, while others find the content loaded with meanings that can be difficult to interpret.

"...a few unobstructive footnotes at the bottom of each page, an index of first lines, and two critical introductions, one offering up historical context..." Read more

"...His words are loaded with meanings and accordingly are open to more than one interpretation...." Read more

"...Other advantage is that it has not studies by intellectuals, prefaces nor introductions, only a biography of few words at the end about the author...." Read more

"Quite a bit of detail in this book. What I don't like is the breaking up of the 14 lines sonnets from one page to the next...." Read more

7 customers mention "Print size"3 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the print size of the book, with several noting that it is relatively small.

"...The print size is relatively small and line spacing is close, making notations to the actual sonnets difficult...." Read more

"...Pros: larger print and lighter weight Cons: inaccurate and annoying to use, roman numerals have not been used in 500 years" Read more

"...Ironically however, the print in this edition is rather smallish, compressed, and often smudged throughout the book...." Read more

"I have been reading these every day, and I love it. The book is a great size, and I like that I can just flip the page over if I can't grasp the..." Read more

It's good By the way
5 out of 5 stars
It's good By the way
It's good By the way, the book cover is different from the picture shown, but it's still good I think.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • John Lawrence
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Sonnets by William Shakespeare
    Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The book remains unquestionably the best poems that trancend all that is known about the heart's expression of love regardless of your universe and degrees of fidelity period
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  • Ms. Shy Funnybones
    5.0 out of 5 stars I Love This Folger Shakespeare Version of the Sonnets!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Since reviews for various editions of Shakespeare's sonnets are lumped together on Amazon, I'll begin by saying that I am reviewing Shakespeare's Sonnets (Folger Shakespeare Library) published on Aug.16, 2016, and selling today for $4.99, and I am reading it on my Kindle Keyboard. I am very, very pleased with this version! All the links work well, the font is clear and attractive, and the formatting is just fine.

    When you go to the Table of Contents, you will see that the edition begins with the following commentary: the Editor's Preface; Shakespeare's Sonnets; Reading Shakespeare's Language: The Sonnets; Shakespeare's Life; An Introduction to the Text.

    Then you will see the sonnets themselves: Text of the Poems With Commentary. Each sonnet can be accessed individually by an active link, and each has links throughout the text with annotations. I like being able to just click on a phrase or word as I am reading in order to access extremely helpful commentary.

    After the individual sonnets, you will see the following listed: Two Sonnets from The Passionate Pilgrim; Longer Notes; Textual Notes; Appendix of Intertextual Material; Shakespeare's Sonnets: A Modern Perspective by Lynne Magnusson; Further Reading; Index of Illustrations (there are many, and each has an active link which will take you to it); Index of First Lines.

    I looked at many versions on Amazon before making my selection. True, there are others which cost just one or two dollars, but they lack access to each individual sonnet and/or textual annotations. They don't have all the other interesting material included here. If you want to read the sonnets on your Kindle, you really can't do better than The Folger Shakespeare.
    30 people found this helpful
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  • C. Ebeling
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent edition of one of the best books ever
    Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    Shakespeare's collection of sonnets is so much a part of the western cultural heritage that reviewing it is kind of like taking coals to Newcastle, but it is worth a few words. First, however, a note about this edition: it is exactly what I wanted, with a few unobstructive footnotes at the bottom of each page, an index of first lines, and two critical introductions, one offering up historical context, the other more interpretative. They enhance your reading, they do not do it for you.

    Now, why you want to read this collection. Most of us come to the sonnets singly: random reading assignments, in mixed anthologies, or one is quoted provocatively some place. With few exceptions, each is a perfect example of what the sonnet form does and how form itself shapes meaning. But read straight through consecutively, they offer a close-to-the-bone narrative of Shakespeare's preoccupations. This is the source of all that speculation about his sexual preferences. We've all heard lots of opinions on the bard's relationship with the "Young Man" and the "Dark Lady" but there is nothing like getting it first hand, and I must say that my ideas changed after sorting through for myself. For one thing, love--platonic or carnal--is not the only thing on his mind. Immortality, beauty, truth and a few other problems get a work out. The most pleasant surprise is how truly readable and accessible it all is.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Reinold F.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Shakespeare never fails to impress. (AmazonClassics Edition)
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Poetry is not much my cup of tea, I gave this book a try because Shakespeare work is astonishing. His work makes our reality richer than the worlds imagined in previous and posterior mythology. I started the book thinking it at first just poems about love, but there is a story, with deep observations and intense feelings. They make you feel, without filters, love as if you yourself were feeling it. You can open a Shakespeare book not knowing what to expect but it ends being spectacular.

    About the AmazonClassics edition you cannot find better ones for books written in English and without drawings. They have the useful X-Ray, impeccable formatting, modern typography and clean of misspellings. Other advantage is that it has not studies by intellectuals, prefaces nor introductions, only a biography of few words at the end about the author. The book is as pure as if it had been written this morning; the only defect is the reader, as I have not enough knowledge of poetry to notice, beyond evident rhyme and alliteration, the poetic structure donned by Shakespeare.
    18 people found this helpful
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  • Abdul S. Jawad
    4.0 out of 5 stars Shakespeare,s dedicatee " unmasked"
    Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    Katherine Duncan-Jones in the Arden Shakespeare's Sonnets is closer to Stephen Booth's linguistic approach from Helen Vendler,s artistic analysis of the Sonnets. I think she made a mature choice because Old Will in his love lyrics is ambigous and misleading.His words are loaded with meanings and accordingly are open to more than one interpretation.Publishing the detailed notes and commentry on the same page looks more practical and helpful, not only for the students but also for the general reader.Nevertheless, Hank Wittemore's version of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, recently published for the first time , emphasizes that the dedicatee of Shakespeare,s Sonnets is Henry Wriothesley, Third Earl of Southampton and not William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke as the Arden,s editor of the Sonnets suggests in her introduction. Since 400 years the dedicatee,s identity had been masked. A.L. Rowse in 1964 published his version of the Sonnets and held that Shakespeare dedicated his poems to his close friend and patron Earl of Southampton. Now Wriothesley proved what Rowse had cocluded in his literary and historical researching half a century ago.
    In the next edition of the Arden,s Sonnets I hope Katherine Duncan-Jones sheds more illuminating light on this issue which puzzled many Shakespearians for a very long time.

    Abdulsattar Jawad
    Duke University
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • M. Jefferies
    5.0 out of 5 stars Masterly work on Renaissance language and grammar.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This is clearly a milestone-work of scholarship on the sonnets and has duly taken its place among the most referenced works. The Renaissance context is painstakingly identified for the modern reader and the critical analysis of language is remarkable.
    Booth’s incredible research means he is able to explore semantic and syntactic possibilities as he explores interpretations of the sonnets.
    I’ve spent the last few weeks in the summer sunshine reading the sonnets in the editions of Booth, Helen Vendler and Don Paterson. I read a sonnet and see what I can work out for myself. I then look to Paterson for a reader-poet’s fresh, funny, perceptive take on the poem. He’s brilliant when dispensing with cultural reverence and calling it as he sees and feels it. Then I turn to Booth for a guide to language in its historical context. Readings come into sharper focus and make greater sense when he connects language with proverb, scripture, the demotic etc. He anatomises the possibilities of grammatical form and meaning such that the reader is able try out the suggestions. Finally, Vendler brings an amazing perceptiveness to the form and structure of poetic language. Her insights are like revelations as she present gifts of seeing to her readers.
    Sometimes I change the order of reading just to see what happens. It’s like setting up a debate with the three commentaries. They argue with each other and I listen in.
    The whole experience has been more exciting than reading a thriller, more enlightening than any lecture.
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  • ＪＫ
    5.0 out of 5 stars ダーク・レディ：陰ある貴婦人
    Reviewed in Japan on February 11, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    本ソネットの主人公の一人ダーク・レディはシェイクスピアの恋人で、色黒、不美人、淫らな女性が通説。読んでいて私は全く逆の女性像が浮かびました。シェイクスピアの心を捉えるには知性と会話力が必要ですし、貴族のレディ（貴婦人）なら美人でしょう。さらに彼を虜にする官能美（lusty）が必要です。具体的にどんな女性かと思い巡らしたら、いました膳場貴子さんです。東京の名家出身で東大医学部卒、知性・家柄は十分、アナウンサーなので会話も上手で美人、学生時代のバイトはグラドルとかで魅力満載。離婚歴2回がダークつまり陰です。

    閑話休題：全く偶然、何も知らずに北白川学園のソネット講座を受講。シェイクスピア大先生なので高尚な詩集かと思いきや、全くの逆。フェア・ユースと言う青年との同性愛とダーク・レデイとの不倫、そして著者：シェイクスピアを含めた３者の複雑な三角関係、「何だこれ？」と驚きました。著者のゲイ好みや、不倫相手への愛憎など聞きたくもないと思ってたのですが、そのうちにソネット（14行詩）に秘められた時に細やか時に大胆な愛憎表現。韻を踏んだリズミカルな朗読、理解を読み手に託した内容の広さと深さ、私みたいなな初心者でも良さが分ってきます。手に取り紐解くのも一趣です。
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  • Alessandro Barbosa
    5.0 out of 5 stars Para quem quer melhorar o arcabouço literário e enriquecer o vocabulário. Super recomendo.
    Reviewed in Brazil on September 25, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Tô gostando muito. Recomendo ter um bom dicionário em mãos.
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    Alessandro Barbosa
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Para quem quer melhorar o arcabouço literário e enriquecer o vocabulário. Super recomendo.

    Reviewed in Brazil on September 25, 2021
    Tô gostando muito. Recomendo ter um bom dicionário em mãos.
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  • amedeo
    5.0 out of 5 stars da leggere
    Reviewed in Italy on August 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I sonetti di Shakespeare costituiscono una magnifica opera poetica, li conoscevo già avendoli letti più volte in italiano ma ritengo che la fruizione in inglese abbia un fascino proprio difficilmente riproducibile.
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  • Cain
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hat sich ausgezahlt die CDs zu kaufen
    Reviewed in Germany on May 9, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Es zahlt sich wirklich aus die CDs zu kaufen wenn man an der englischen Aussprache sich arbeiten möchte. Der Text wird sehr deutlich und englisch ausgesprochen. Die Qualität des Youtube Videos ist mit diesem überhaupt nicht vergleichbar
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