The Mystery Sequence

Published in 1609, Shakespeare's 154 sonnets form a loose narrative sequence. Sonnets 1 through 126 address a young man of extraordinary beauty, urging him to marry and have children. Sonnets 127 through 152 address a Dark Lady who inspires desire, jealousy, and self-loathing.

Nobody knows who the young man or the Dark Lady actually were, despite centuries of scholarly detective work. Theories abound, but the emotional truth of the poems transcends any biographical identification. The sonnets work because they capture experiences that every reader recognizes.