8-1Poetry

 What is Shakespeare's body of work in poetry? What are considered to be his most important poems? //Answer prepared by Jessie B.// From rhyming to moving love phrases, Shakespeare’s body of work in poetry is one that is unforgettable. Shakespeare is most known for a specific type of poem- the sonnet. In fact, these poems were so popular that on page 457, The Essential Shakespeare Handbook by Leslie Dunton-Downer and Alan Riding states that “the sonnet was so popular that 1,200 survive in print from the 1590s alone.” Also, on page 427 of The Rough Guide to Shakespeare by Andrew Dickson, a quote by Keats states that the sonnets were “full of fine things said unintentionally.” These poems are widely appreciated for the voice they have in them, which are believed to be written in Shakespeare’s own voice. For example, many historians believe most of his work was written to a secret lover, possibly a person of the same gender. However, this very reason also made the sonnets unappealing, because it made the language too hard to read and interpret. This large contrast stuns readers, making the work of Shakespeare all the more brilliant in their eyes. A couple of Shakespeare’s most famous poems are The Rape of Lucrece and Venus and Adonis. This is because he is said to capture the true essence and concept of immortality in these masterpieces. Except… why would someone want to write these poems? What was the purpose?

During Shakespeare’s time of writing, the Black Death was breaking out through cities and towns everywhere. On the website page Shakespeare’s Poetry by J.M. Pressley, we are presented with the information that Shakespeare’s plays could no longer be performed for the public, yet he longed to keep writing. The best way to keep the people of England entertained was through poetry that they could read and be entertained by alone, without having to see it performed at a theatre. What is the point of questioning the purpose when we have the beauty of Shakespeare’s words right in front of us? So sit back and relax with a poem written by Shakespeare in front of you; you never know what you may learn! Works Cited Books: Dickson, Andrew. The Rough Guide to Shakespeare. New York, NY: Rough Guides Ltd, 2005.

Dodd, A.H.. Elizabethan England. London, UK: William Clowes and Sons Ltd., 1974.

Dunton-Downer, Leslie, and Alan Riding. Essential Shakespeare Handbook. New York, NY: DK Publishing, INC, 2004.

Hart, Roger. English Life in the Seventeenth Century. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons, INC, 1970. Wood, Michael. Shakespeare. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2003.

Websites: Alchin, L.K.. "Elizabethan Theater." William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. 16 Nov 2008. William Shakespeare Info. 8 Mar 2009 < http://www.william-shakespeare.info/elizabethan-theatre-facts.htm >.

Alchin, L.K.. "The Black Death Bubonic Plague during the Elizabethan Era." William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. 16 Nov 2008. William Shakespeare Info. 6 Mar 2009 .

Alchin, L.K.. "The Swan Theater." William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. 16 Nov 2008. William Shakespeare Info. 5 April 2009 < http://www.william-shakespeare.info/the-swan-theatre-picture.htm>.

Pressley, J.M.. "Shakespeare Poetry." Shakespeare Resource Center. 18 Feb 2009. Shakespeare Resource Center. 12 Mar 2009 .

Unknown, "Art During Elizabethan England." Elizabethan England Life. Travel Prague City. 12 Mar 2009 .

Unknown, "The Black Death." Museum of London. 5 Apr 2009 .