Sonnets and a Lovers Complaint (1999)

Shakespeare’s poetic meditations on love are among the most powerful and evocative poems ever written. The 154 sonnets, addressed mostly to a beautiful young man known as Mr W.H. or to a treacherous dark lady, explore enduring subjects including love and infidelity, memory and mortality, and the destruction wrought by Time. Also included is A Lover’s Complaint, in which a young woman is overheard lamenting her betrayal by a heartless seducer. This edition includes an introduction by John Kerrigan, further reading, commentaries on each poem, a textual history, variant and additional sonnets, and an index of first lines.