As someone who usually has a hard time understanding what William Shakespeare wants to reveal and the moral lesson he wants to take away from the words he writes, it is interesting how the sonnets seem to connect with me than his tragedies or comedies. Sonnet #138 is the perfect example of true love.
"When my love swears that she is made of truth, I do believe her, though I know she lies" reminds me of a man who knows his lover is imperfect, but loves her in spite of her flaws. It was interesting that footnotes talk about "the obvious sexual pun," makes me think this man knows his lover is not a virgin, but she is trying to pass herself off as pure and a naive girl. Sometimes in thinking one thing about a line and then reading the footnotes, makes me ponder the line in different direction.
"That she might think me some untutored youth, unlearned in the world's false subtleties" is a declaration from the man to let us know he is on to her schemes and to not underestimate him. He has got her figured out and knows what she is capable of. Shakespeare gives the impression that the couple both believe they are the cat and the other one is the mouse.
"Therefore I lie with her and she with me, and in our faults by lies we flattered be" is a sign of a couple who enjoy being together in spite of what they pretend to be. They are trying to keep the excitement going in their relationship. If they keeping playing games with each other, then their relationship won't go stale.
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