Sonnet 126 - Mr. W. H.

Mr. W. H.

With much deliberation and research, scholars have come to the conclusion that the intended recipient of the first 126 sonnets was Master William Herbert, Duke of Pembroke. Louis Anspacher, author of Shakespeare as Poet and Love and the Enigma of the Sonnets deems that the “onlie begetter (meaning inspiration of these ensuing sonnets) is the duke of Pembroke.” After much historical research have finally identified Mr. W. H. The only person at that time, among those whom we recognize as Shakespeare’s possible friends, whose age, whose history, whose personality, whose virtues and whose vices correspond exactly to the description in the sonnets, is young William Herbert, who in 1601 became the Earl of Pembroke.”. Author Kaikhushru Sethna, author of "Two Loves" And "A Worthier Pen": The Enigmas Of Shakespeare's Sonnets : An Identification Through A New Approach' also agrees that the poems were dedicated to William Herbert, duke of Pembroke on account that no other person known at the time could be put in his place without argument. “…apart from William Herbert we have no W. H. with whom Thomas Thorpe, a well known publisher at the time, can be positively connected by the information we possess about him”. Some critics (Ulric Nisbet The Onlie Begetter) played with the idea that the “begetter” could perhaps be the cousin of the Earl of Pembroke, coincidentally with the same name. However, after more research, “the namesake cousin has never been mentioned anywhere as an avoider of marriage (such as Pembroke was) nor has any evidence linked him with Shakespeare at any time”. In addition, he was too young and born of a lesser class (a Baron) to be considered a fellow acquaintance of Shakespeare. Other young men have also been begetters of interest. Gerald Massey, author of Shakespeare's Sonnets Never Before Interpreted: His Private Friends Identified: Together With A Recovered Likeness Of Himself cites that scholars once believed that William Harte, Shakespeare’s nephew could also be considered the intended begetter. However, the Stratford Register soon put a stop to this young boy’s candidature because records showed that Harte was not baptized until August 28, 1600, proving to be too young for the text. Continuing in Massey’s text, it is also shown that Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton was once considered for candidacy as well. However little evidence has concretely linked both Wriothesley and Shakespeare together. William Hatcliffe, another potential choice for the begetter, was also investigated, but once looked into was deemed to be too old for the date of the first set of sonnets (19 years). “It would make more sense for Shakespeare to begin the series of sonnets of Herbert’s 18th birthday April 8, 1598.”