Comparison of the Beloved in Shakespeare's Sonnet 20 and Sonnet 130In the hands of a master like Shakespeare, the conventions of sonnet form are manipulated and transformed into something unique and original underlined. Both sonnets in one way or another subvert the conventions of Petrarch's basic sonnet; although they are about love, the traditional theme of sonnets, whereas in Sonnet 20 the object of desire is unattainable and there is no evidence of the level of affection rewarded, the target is male and the target of the poet's affections in Sonnet 130 is the current mistress of the poetic voice. It also seems important to note that in none of these cases is the love of the generic stereotype of the young Aryan woman, and in the latter case we have no doubt that it is very certainly so in a calculated manner. Shakespeare's collection of sonnets runs the gamut from a multitude of playful adjustments to the usual, routine sonnet; each break from convention not only serves to emphasize its particular point of the moment, but enriches the reading experience for those familiar with the genre as it was before Shakespeare diversified. Sonnet 130 belongs to the group of “dark mistresses” of Sonnets, and is well-known and often selected for anthologies. Perhaps this is because it expresses two views particularly dear to Shakespeare: the purpose of this sonnet (indeed, a number of pieces in Shakespeare's sonnet arc cover this issue) is to question the he conventional image of beauty of the time, which held pale skin. and straight golden tresses to be the desirable zenith of feminine beauty. It is also, perhaps more importantly, seeking to challenge the almost willfully insincere flattery demonstrated in the largely derivative medium of the paper in a way that befits the controlled nature of the sonnet. the sonnet mode of poetry is more inclusive than exclusive - given the necessary factor of an objectified object or personality, an experienced writer such as Shakespeare can use this form to describe that subject with any degree of 'intensity. However, where these two poems are most similar is in the way each manipulates genre expectations to pique the reader's interest. Watching Shakespeare shows how flexible the sonnet genre is and how quickly it could become boring if it becomes static and repetitive.1. pg25, The Sonnets and a Lover's Lament, Penguin Classics, 19992. pg199, lb3. from our conference paper, The Sonnets: Some Issues of Genre and ContextBibliography: The Sonnets and a Lover's Lament, Penguin Classics, 1999