ИСТИНА

Sonnets CXXVII-CLII (127-152) devoted to the Dark Lady hold a very special place among Shakespeare’s works both due to their expressivity and precision in conveying the minute overtones of emotions – and because of the enigmatic character of the nameless protagonist. Over some centuries now the Dark Lady has been stirring the imagination of millions of readers all over the world. One of the most probable prototypes of the Dark Lady is Mary Fitton, a descendant of the old aristocratic family, a Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth. In this article the author is trying to demonstrate how the study of life of a literary prototype and the specificity of her portrayal in the sonnets help readers to reveal the protagonist’s traits – and to grasp the main features of the relevant historic epoch, thus enabling readers to approach the level of true understanding.