Sonnet 138: When my love swears that she is made of truth By: William Shakespeare

When my love swears that she is made of truth 

I do believe her, though I know she lies, 

That she might think me some untutored youth, 

Unlearnèd in the world's false subtleties. 

Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young, 

Although she knows my days are past the best, 

Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue; 

On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed. 

But wherefore says she not she is unjust? 

And wherefore say not I that I am old? 

O, love's best habit is in seeming trust, 

And age in love, loves not to have years told. 

Therefore I lie with her, and she with me, 

And in our faults by lies we flattered be

The starting of this poem, lines one through three characterizes a  women as blind. Clearly, the women in Shakespeare's poem can not see that the he knows the truth, the truth being betrayal, and dishonesty. This mans that the women takes men for guaranteed, nonetheless, she fails to recognize a man's feelings, but these lines also portray a man's stagnation in the youth phase of life. He states that " she might think of some untutored youth;" a youth is still naive and oblivious to action around them and because of this, she is able to use men for her pleasure disregarding their emotions. This aspect of youth is important because it frames men and women into stereotypes. I think that Shakespeare, through this poem, expands on how society was viewed and sectored in the past- men were youthful and ignorant, while women were playful and arrogant. Furthermore, he frames women in a negative light- saying that they are immoral humans who lack the ability to understand emotions. Note that even though the women fails to be cognizant of his emotions, he falls in her trap. Why? Love has the ability to hide the truth. It is an illusion, more so a covering of the vain beliefs and the negativity n a relationship. Love is a healing and consoling power. What is seen in the poem is mutual deception- both know that they are lying, yet fail to come out of their bubble and tell each other the truth. Why, the question once again? Perhaps it could be the fact that they are stuck in love, blinded by it. They don't see that love is not just keeping the truth from each other, but also falsely telling ones self that they can ignore the dishonesty because they are blinded. Lines nine through ten begin to question this unjust and unfaithful relationship they have. In a sense, Shakespeare asks these questions in order to gain self understanding as to why he is this relationship in the first place. Could it because he is desperate? More so, I think he is restless and greedy for love and for a women in his life. It is weird that even after all this lying they are still together, in their old age. This makes me view this poem in a whole new light. Shakespeare is describing an old couple who has been together for a long time, maybe through their youth, and even though they may have ups and downs in their relationship, they will forever be together.  If a couple has been together for so long, there is no point in separation; they are old, they need someone to hang on to, why leave your youth love? Their love is inevitable, and regard age as just a number. Even though they are old, and should be together, they want to preserve the wildness and rebel sense of youth and live life to the fullest with no disagreement, arguments, or displeasure, hence he chooses to block the dishonesty and carry along as if nothing has happened. Also, these lies help them burry their faults and flaws, making their relationship seem more light and lively.