William Shakespeare's “Sonnet 138” describes the relationship of a couple, who many believe to be the author and his lover, a woman called the dark lady. The sonnet's immense use of imagery makes the reader imagine the sonnet as a play in which the characters are covered in masks. Furthermore, the sonnet illustrates that through lies the characters are able to hide and become something they are not. By changing oneself one falls into mediocrity, because if one puts on a mask to be like everyone else, then that individual can never be himself. Although “Sonnet 138” describes the speakers' willingness to settle for false love and wear a mask, Sonnet 138 describes a relationship whose very survival relies on this deception. Shakespeare begins the first quatrain by using sophisticated language to try to confuse the reader, and in doing so creates a sense of wonder in the reader, which makes him curious about the couple's relationship. Shakespeare uses the poetic device of paronomasia, throughout “Sonnet 138” to demonstrate the idea of ​​duplicity in a couple's relationship. The use of wordplay in “Sonnet 138” provides the reader with key insights into better understanding the truth behind the mask that individuals wear to feel better. Infidelity is a major issue in the relationship between the speaker and the dark lady, and as the speaker states, "When my love swears she's made of truth... I believe her, though I know she lies" (Lines 1 -2), seems to doubt the dark lady's faithfulness as if she knows she is not faithful, and if she knows she is unfaithful why does she continue this relationship? The answer is simple, he likes female company. T...... half of the paper ......ple did in “Sonnet 138”. Furthermore, Shakespeare's use of wordplay also helped shed light on the truth by allowing people to see behind the mask of lies to fully understand understand the theme of mediocrity in “Sonnet 138”. Works cited"Dress, n.". OED online. June 2011. Oxford University Press. September 12, 2011 ."waitress, n.1". OED online. September 2011. Oxford University Press. September 26, 2011 .Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 138: When my love swears to be made of truth." Poetry X. Ed. Jough Dempsey. June 16, 2003. September 12, 2011 ."thin, updated". OED online. June 2011. Oxford University Press. September 12th 2011 .