The Art of Poetry and the Poetry of Art in Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Abstract This essay explores Shakespeare’s metapoetry, examining the nature of verse and poetic immortality in his Sonnets . Through close readings of Sonnets 17, 54, 78, and 105, it highlights Shakespeare’s self-conscious use of language, amplification, and rhetorical devices to emphasize both the power and limitations of poetry. The analysis also considers his engagement with literary traditions, including themes of procreation, idolatry, and poetic rivalry.