Question

Read the following Shakespearean sonnet.

Answer 1

Sonnet 29 shows the poet at his most insecure and troubled. He feels unlucky, shamed, and fiercely jealous of those around him. What causes the poet's anguish will remain a mystery; as will the answer to whether the sonnets are autobiographical. 

However, an examination of Shakespeare’s life around the time he wrote Sonnet 29 reveals two traumatic events that may have shaped the theme of the sonnet. In 1592 the London theatres closed due to a severe outbreak of plague. Although it is possible that Shakespeare toured the outlying areas of London, it is almost certain that he left the theatre entirely during this time to work on his sonnets and narrative poems. The closing of the playhouses made it hard for Shakespeare and other actors of the day to earn a living. With plague and poverty looming it is expected that he would feel "in disgrace with fortune" 

Answer 2

The couplet in this sonnet is found in the last two stanzas, i.e. For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings;  that then I scorn to change my state with kings. The purpose of said couplet is to add a turn (volta) to the sullen theme of the sonnet which talks about a state of self-deprecation and disgrace. The couplet is effective in communicating a sense of happy reminiscence of a love past or present. Through its description, the author defines it as the silver lining to the whole of his situation.