Shakespeare's Sonnets, Sonnet 136 summary
Sonnet 136 of 154 · 1 min to read the scene
In Sonnet 136, the speaker asks his beloved to accept his desire among the many desires she already holds, treating his addition as too small to trouble her conscience. He then reveals that his name is Will, making love for that name count as love for him.
What happens
- The speaker suggests that his beloved answer any objection from conscience by treating him as her own desire.
- He imagines her love as a treasury with room for his desires among many others.
- He argues that one addition to a large number hardly counts, asking to enter unnoticed.
- He accepts being considered nothing if she still keeps him as something sweet.
- He identifies himself as Will and claims that loving his name means loving him.
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In this scene
What to notice
The closing statement reveals the speaker’s name. It joins his personal identity to the desire he asks his beloved to welcome.
Quick check
Why does the speaker argue that his addition should count as almost nothing?
Cite this page
“Shakespeare's Sonnets, Sonnet 136 summary.” Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/pages/shakespeares-sonnets-scene-136-summary.
Library of Alexandria. (2026). Shakespeare's Sonnets, Sonnet 136 summary. https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/shakespeares-sonnets-scene-136-summary
“Shakespeare's Sonnets, Sonnet 136 summary.” Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/shakespeares-sonnets-scene-136-summary.
@misc{shakespeares_sonnets_scene_136_summary_2026,
title = {Shakespeare's Sonnets, Sonnet 136 summary},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/shakespeares-sonnets-scene-136-summary}
}
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