The theme of forgiveness is evident only after certain lines within the sonnets have been analyzed. These poems outline a specific event in the narrator's life. Both sonnets deal with the "Love Triangle" theme, existent in many of Shakespeare's poems, which encompass the narrator, a fair (male) youth, and a "dark" woman. Through a close reading of the two poems, one can infer that an affair was had between the fair youth and the dark woman, behind the narrator's back. In the first and second quartets of Sonnet 133, lines like "deep wound," "thee I am forsaken," and "slave to slavery" give heavy reference that an infidelity has been had. What is interesting however is that although the narrator seems to be addressing this impious fair youth, he is not angry. This lack of contempt is illustrated in the single line of 133 "But then my friend's heart let my poor heart bail." The line, as well as the ending couplet, explicitly states that the youth's heart bailed out the narrator's heart from a jail of anger, meaning the youth told the narrator about the affair. In confessing, the narrator forgave the youth and, as the reader can see in Sonnet 144, turned his anger to the one who had not confessed, the dark woman.

Sonnet 144 begins by reiterating the affair of the first quartet. Unlike Sonnet 133, the narrator devotes the first four lines to explain what invoked the theme of the two poems. "Two loves I have, of comfort of despair" describe what the reader already knows, an affair within the love triangle, but tension and anticipation are created with the last line of the quartet, "The worser spirit a woman colored ill." Already the narrator has devolved a tone that insinuates Sonnet 144 to appear directed more towards the woman, rather than addressed to the youth (as in 133). The second quartet deals with anger and jealousy, accusing the woman had "tempteth thy better angel from thy side." The idea of contempt is much more obvious in this quartet, as well as a verbal defense for the fair youth. Apparently, as in Sonnet 133, although the youth was involved in the affair, the narrator has already forgiven him and chose to allocate that the woman violated the youth's innocence; "wooing with purity" is an obvious example. The last three lines of the poem solidify the idea of forgiveness by depicting how the "dark" woman did not confess the affair, thus, not earning the narrator's forgiveness, "yet this I never know but live in doubt."

The theme of forgiveness is vivid within the two poems. Forgiveness acts as a white light in Sonnet 133, assumedly addressed to the fair youth, the author takes on a sense of compassion, because the youth confessed the affair to the author. In contrast, forgiveness is played upon like a shadow to the "dark" woman in 144. With a tone of anger and contempt, it is obvious that the woman did not confess, thus receiving no absolution from the narrator. These two Sonnets express an illustrious example of forgiveness.

He knows that God is capable of forgiving sins, but Donne seems to believe that there is a limit to how much or how often God can forgive. He asks God “Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run/And do run still, though still I do deplore?” He wants to know if God will absolve him of a sin that he keeps committing, although he feels sorry for doing it.

Donne obviously understands the struggle of recognizing when one is doing wrong and asking for forgiveness. But forgiveness isn't enough to keep him from committing the same sin again! Donne struggles against temptation, and as in his previous poems, is very hard on himself when it comes to the state of his immortal soul. He blames himself entirely for succumbing to the temptation to sin, and throws himself on the mercy of God when he repents.

“But swear by Thyself, that at my death Thy Son/Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore/And having done that, Thou hast done/I fear no more.”

Donne trusts that at his death and final judgment, God the Father will have pity on him and forgive him of all his sins, both past and present, through the intercession of God the Son. Though his earthly struggles pain him, he puts his faith in God's mercy, and hopes to one day be absolved absolutely of his sins, and never to sin again.