Nobody knows. The writing of the sonnets, their background, intended audience, whether they represent a single cycle or even two or three, are all unknown. The sonnets were an unauthorized publication from Thomas Thorpe in 1609. read more
In Shakespeare's sonnets, the rhyme pattern is abab cdcd efef gg, with the final couplet used to summarize the previous 12 lines or present a surprise ending. The rhythmic pattern of the sonnets is the iambic pentameter. read more