The Dedication of Shakespeare's Sonnets



Mr. W.H.

KDJ argues that Mr. W-H and the Young Boy are both William Herbert, Ealr of Pembroke. She says: "After three years in which London's public theaters had been closed because of plagues, Shakespeare must have even looking for the best reward possible for his precious sonnets. It is most improbable that he would have wished the book to be dedicated, sentimentally, to some obscure actor or sea-cook (the mythical 'Willie Hughes'), or a penniless kinsman (his infant nephew William Hart, or his presumed brother-in-law William Hathaway)--least of all to 'William Himself' or 'William Shakespeare.' None of these could offer him prestige and protection, or, most crucially, a substantial cash reward" (57). Herbert was Sidney's cousin and a well-established patron of poetry.

"Much has been made of the supposed impropriety of an earl's being addressed as 'Mr.' though Chambers did not feel that 'in such a document there would be anything very out of the way...in the suppression of an actual or courtesy title'" (58). KDJ's argument that the address may not include the title because it was written before Herbert's inheritance is kind of weak, but possible.

More importantly, the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays are dedicated to Herbert and his brother.

The Dedication

"The capitalization of each word and division by points [suggests] that this is quasi-Roman inscription, written as if on stone" (KDJ 108).