Shakespeare's most famous sonnets
The top 3 according to 91 votes from people: Sonnet 116 — Let me not to the marriage of true minds · Sonnet 29 — When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes · Sonnet 18 — Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?. (Updated Jul 16, 2023.)
The sonnets everyone quotes, read at weddings and studied at school, from "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" to the Dark Lady poems.
Top 15
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1
Sonnet 116 — Let me not to the marriage of true minds
The one read at weddings: love that does not change.
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2
Sonnet 29 — When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes
From despair to joy at the thought of the beloved.
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3
Sonnet 18 — Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
The most famous of all: beauty preserved in verse.
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4
Sonnet 130 — My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun
A parody of flowery love poems.
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5
Sonnet 73 — That time of year thou mayst in me behold
Ageing as autumn, twilight and dying fire.
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6
Sonnet 60 — Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore
Time rolling on like waves.
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7
Sonnet 30 — When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
Remembering old losses.
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8
Sonnet 55 — Not marble, nor the gilded monuments
Poetry outlasts statues.
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9
Sonnet 20 — A woman's face with Nature's own hand painted
The much-debated poem about the Fair Youth.
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10
Sonnet 71 — No longer mourn for me when I am dead
Asking to be forgotten after death.
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11
Sonnet 147 — My love is as a fever, longing still
Love as a sickness.
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12
Sonnet 94 — They that have power to hurt and will do none
On people who are cold and self-controlled.
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13
Sonnet 138 — When my love swears that she is made of truth
Two lovers who lie to each other kindly.
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14
Sonnet 1 — From fairest creatures we desire increase
The first of the "procreation" sonnets.
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15
Sonnet 146 — Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth
The soul against the body.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (2)
116 at my sister's wedding, made everyone cry
Sonnet 130 is my favourite, it's basically roasting every other love poem