After reading these three sonnets, my thoughts have changed concerning the idea that Shakespeare was writing these poems as guidance to the young nobleman. Right from the start with sonnet 20 complaining that one of them was not born a woman so they could be lovers shows to me that there is definite romantic emotion in these sonnets. Sonnet 20 has similar complements to some of the procreation sonnets, but these are much more sexual. Calling someone the "master mistress of my passion" is definitely a come on. So i think this first of the three sonnets sets up a lot of the emotions Shakespeare is feeling for this person and at the end seems to reconcile with the fact that they are two men with the line "mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure.", saying that Shakespeare gets the emotional or principal love and that women are for his pleasure. In sonnet 36 i think you can see more of this reconciliation of this forbidden love. Shakespeare seems to be saying he understands that they can never be together, "Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame, nor thou with public kindness honor me unless thou take that honor from thy name." Then at the end more of this reconciliation, "But do not so, i love thee in such sort as, thou being mine, mine is thy good report." This last sonnet 55 is a quite beautiful attempt at immortalizing this person through this poem and more evidence that Shakespeare indeed loves this person, "When wasteful war shall statues overturn, and broils root out the work of masonry, nor Mar's his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn the living record of your memory." and "So till the judgment that yourself arise, you live in this and dwell in lovers eyes." It is interesting to me that Shakespeare's desire came true because his poetry is the standard of the English language and will live on for a long time.
Alex