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Oxymoron in Shakespeare's Sonnets

Oxymoron Examples in Shakespeare's Sonnets:

Sonnets 31–40

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"Lascivious grace..."   (Sonnets 31–40)

The word “lascivious” means lustful, while the word “grace” refers to refinement and elegance. The combination of words “lascivious grace” creates an oxymoron: it can mean both lustful grace as well as refined sensuality. This oxymoron captures the speaker’s conundrum as he decides whether or not to return to his beloved despite the fair youth’s faults.

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