William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 138 explores the complex interplay between love, truth, and deceit. As one of the poet’s most famous sonnets, it delves into the paradoxes of romantic relationships, especially those that endure despite the inevitable imperfections and lies that accompany them. Through his clever use of language and structured poetic form, Shakespeare captures the tension between honesty and affection, youth and age, in a relationship marked by mutual deception.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 138
When my love swears that she is made of truth
I do believe her though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth,
4Unlearnèd in the world’s false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue;
8On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed.
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love’s best habit is in seeming trust,
12And age in love loves not to have years told.
Therefore I lie with her and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.
The Structure and Tone of Sonnet 138
Like most of Shakespeare’s sonnets, Sonnet 138 follows the traditional structure of a Shakespearean sonnet, comprising 14 lines of iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme is ABABCDCDEFEFGG, which allows for a cohesive, yet flexible exploration of its themes. The sonnet is divided into three quatrains and a concluding couplet, each contributing to the overall argument of the poem.
The tone of the poem is one of resigned acceptance and wry irony. The speaker acknowledges the deceit within the relationship, yet chooses to embrace it for the sake of preserving love and avoiding the discomfort of truth. This ironic tone is reinforced by the recurring theme of mutual self-deception, where both partners choose to lie to each other, ultimately finding comfort in their shared falsehoods.
Analysis of Sonnet 138
Lines 1–4
“When my love swears that she is made of truth
I do believe her though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth,
Unlearnèd in the world’s false subtleties.”
In the opening quatrain, the speaker reveals the first instance of deceit in the relationship. His lover claims to be truthful, but the speaker is aware of her falsehoods. Despite knowing that she is lying, he chooses to believe her. This paradox highlights the tension between perception and reality in their relationship. The speaker recognizes the falseness of his lover’s declaration, but he plays along, perhaps to preserve her image in his eyes or to avoid confronting the discomfort of truth.
Shakespeare also introduces the theme of age and experience here. The speaker suggests that his lover believes him to be naive or inexperienced (“untutored youth”), unaware of the “false subtleties” of the world. This implies that the speaker is no longer young and has learned the complexities of life, including the inevitable presence of lies and pretense. However, in choosing to believe her, he undermines this very wisdom, playing the role of the gullible lover.
Lines 5–8
“Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue;
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed.”
In the second quatrain, the speaker further elaborates on the mutual deception in the relationship. He acknowledges that his lover is aware of his aging, yet she pretends that he is still youthful. Her claim is “vain” because, deep down, both know the truth: the speaker is no longer in his prime. However, the speaker chooses to “credit her false-speaking tongue,” meaning he is complicit in the lie. Both partners, it seems, are engaged in a mutual suppression of truth—each playing a role that is at odds with their reality, yet doing so willingly.
This deception becomes a mechanism of preservation. By maintaining this fiction, they both protect their love from the uncomfortable realities of time and aging. Shakespeare’s use of “simple truth” suggests that the truth in this relationship is not straightforward or easy to confront. Rather, it is “suppressed” because facing it would disrupt the fragile balance of their love.
Lines 9–12
“But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love’s best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love loves not to have years told.”
In the third quatrain, the speaker begins to reflect more philosophically on the nature of love and deception. He questions why his lover does not admit to her own deceit (“wherefore says she not she is unjust?”) and why he does not acknowledge his own aging (“wherefore say not I that I am old?”). This rhetorical questioning points to a mutual awareness of their dishonesty, yet neither feels compelled to address it openly. Instead, the speaker suggests that love is most comfortable when it is built on “seeming trust,” where appearances and illusions take precedence over reality.
The line “age in love loves not to have years told” encapsulates the essence of the poem’s attitude toward aging. Love, especially in the context of an older relationship, often thrives on a denial of the passing of time. To acknowledge age or the truth of their situation would disrupt the illusion that love can remain youthful and unspoiled. Here, Shakespeare presents a poignant commentary on how love in later years may depend on avoiding the recognition of one’s own mortality.
Lines 13–14
“Therefore I lie with her and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.”
The final couplet brings the poem to its resolution. The speaker concedes that both he and his lover are complicit in the mutual deception. “I lie with her and she with me” signifies not just physical intimacy, but also the shared understanding of their lies. These lies, as the speaker admits, are not merely tools for maintaining a relationship but also mechanisms for self-preservation. In their “faults,” the lies “flatter” them, providing comfort and a sense of continuity that would be disrupted if the truth were revealed.
The conclusion suggests that, in love, deception is not only tolerated but also necessary. Both partners need the falsehoods to preserve their bond, even if these falsehoods obscure the truth of their situation. The paradox is that, by lying, they are able to sustain the affection they share, highlighting the complex, often contradictory nature of love.
Conclusion
Sonnet 138 is a meditation on the role of deception in love, particularly in relationships marked by age and experience. Shakespeare’s speaker, while aware of the falsehoods in his relationship, chooses to embrace them, finding that love in its most enduring form is often built on illusion and pretense. Through his exploration of truth, trust, and aging, Shakespeare reveals the delicate balance that lovers must strike between reality and fantasy. In doing so, the sonnet serves as a profound reflection on the complexities of romantic relationships, where both partners may find comfort in the lies they tell each other.
