Te expense of spirit in a waste of shame

Is just in action and till action

Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame

Savage, extreme; rude, cruel, not to trust

These are the lines that I have been very touched with, in one of Shakespeare famous sonnet “The expense of spirit in a waste of shame”. As we know Shakespeare had addressed much of his writings or works to an unknown Dark Lady, this sonnet is also said to be addressed to her. This is the 129th sonnet written by Shakespeare. This sonnet is written for Elizabethan period readers, hence the concepts expressed by the poet is solely to satisfy the readers during the period. One thing that makes me a gentle follower of this statement is the way the poet has condemned the act of lust and shown a form of anger and disliking towards sensual love. Such thoughts and expressions cannot be expected from young generations so it always plays in my mind the reason behind the poet’s view.

As we know, lust has always been a desire among men and for someone to describe a lust as unkind or an act that is not enjoyable is really amazing. May be there has to be a reason behind this which has never been revealed. Shakespeare dramatically changes his desire towards sensual lust in the above lines. This sonnet convinces the readers into disliking the pursuit of sex. The poet condemns wasting of energy in an act like sensual lust which is full of pain and bloodshed. The post says that lust is something similar to self destruction and it is full of murder, savagery and rudeness. Shakespeare further says that the pleasure acquired from sensual lust is deceptive and that it cannot be trusted.