The publication is timed to coincide with the year of the English language in Russia (2016) and the 400th anniversary of the poet's death. The edition reproduces the original English text of the sonnets, equipped with a new commentary (comp. V.S. Makarov). The articles given in the "Appendices" show the history of the creation of sonnets (Art. A.N. Gorbunova), disclose textology and show the history of world perception of Shakespeare's sonnets for 400 years (Art. V.S. Florova), illuminate the formation and specifics of Russian Shakespeare's sonnetiana from the middle of the XIX century. to the present day (Art. E.A. Pervushina), told about sonnets, which Shakespeare included in the texts of his plays (Art. E.V. Khaltrin-Khalturina).