The theme of Sonnet 141 conveyed by William Shakespeare, using specific language and tone, is that love may not always go both ways. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In this particular sonnet, a man and a woman are in a committed relationship, but the man thinks he is foolish for loving her. For example, the man explains that his heart loves her but he contradicts that. He believes that the woman he loves may not be the right one for him. For example, he says that “notes of a thousand errors” reside in his mistress. Through the use of hyperbole, the author reveals the theme by exemplifying how many flaws the man sees in his lover. The theme is expressed in this, as it would be unlikely for him to love someone in whom he sees so much wrong. The critical man then goes on to say how he wishes not to smell, taste, hear, “nor [share] tender feelings.” In line 6, the speaker states imagery to show how the man does not want to be near his “mistress” at all. His appearance is atrocious to him. This type of language shows the reader that he may not love her at all. The man soon goes on to say that he loves her, but resents his "foolish heart for loving her." The author's diction in line 10 describes how it might be a mistake for him to love her. Even so, he gravitates towards the relationship which could deteriorate his character. This is also why he calls himself a fool. In conclusion, the author conveys the idea that the man is not particularly intelligent in sharing a relationship with a woman who has so much against him. Shakespeare writes that the man does not believe he gets much out of the relationship, further conveying the theme of how love doesn't go both ways. To exemplify this, the man thinks out loud that she may not be the best woman for him. He knows he doesn't love her very much and thinks he isn't getting enough return from the relationship. The man says that his eyes and senses despise her, but his heart "loves what they despise." In the third line, the poem shifts to one of the many times where he seems to love the woman, even after talking dirty about her. This shows that the man is on the verge of loving or hating her, thus conveying the theme. At one point, he says, “proud hearts are slaves” to loving someone who isn't right for them. Shakespeare creates a heavy tone through the use of personification to illustrate the idea that the man sees his love as a laborious task. For many obvious reasons, the man gets nothing good out of the relationship. He even dares to define loving her as work, supporting this idea. Along with that, he describes his love for her, calling it his "plague". The effect of the metaphor comparing his love to a plague creates an atmosphere of danger and toxicity. The relationship is burdensome enough for the man to the point that he would say it is like a fatal disease. The affair does the man more harm than good, even if his lover appears unharmed. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In summary, Shakespeare conveys the theme by visualizing the idea that the man had an affair that brought no rewards.