Dazzling puzzles

Halfway through his new book about Shakespeare’s sonnets, Don Paterson quotes W.H. Auden. Auden was one of Shakespeare’s great commentators and he firmly warned against reading the sonnets as simple statements. ‘It is also nonsensical,’ Auden wrote, ‘to waste time trying to identify characters. It is an idiot’s job, pointless and uninteresting.’

Our magazine articles are for subscribers only. Start your 3-month trial today for just $5 and subscribe to more than one view

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.

Already a subscriber? Log in