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critical appreciation on Shakespeare's sonnet 29
discuss the themes of shakespeare sonnet
william shakespeare influence to modern literature
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Shakespeare is unquestionably one of the most, if not the most, influential and renowned playwrights of the Elizabethan era. He was and still is recognized today for his boundless talent in the literary and theatrical worlds. Readers speculate whether he is writing about himself specifically and his own personal experiences or from other inspirations. Regardless, there is raw emotion and profound depth found in his words. In this particular piece, Shakespeare is in a troubled state and he is attempting to convey his feelings of distress and self pity; this is evident in his language, poetic devices, and content.
Most of Shakespeare's work contain multiple themes about various universal truths. In this sonnet, one of the most prevalent messages is to basically realize blessings and be aware that no matter how arduous life may become love can always be relied upon. All of his sonnets share basic characteristics, one of which being the undoubted form or expression of love (Leishman). In other words, this sort of extended theme that is carried into almost all his works involving the endowment that is love and its potential is clearly something significant to Shakespeare and something that he felt his audience should acknowledge. The indisputable bliss he feels when he finally thinks of his beloved suggest that complacency can spring solely from love alone despite any adversity; such as in this case as he is quite apparently lacking in the rest of his life (Davis). In layman's terms, there is power and dependability in love.
The use of imagery and other literary elements creates a specific tone and connects back to the motif. Two devices used continually throughout are alliteration and repetition. For example, paying particular a...
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...t resulting in an extended, yet temporary cessation of the theaters in London (Mabillard). At this same time, Robert Greene, an envious playwright lashed out with attacks denouncing Shakespeare (Mabillard). This could attribute to his feelings of an “outcast state”. Additionally, with such insults slewn at him from Greene, he likely felt shame as it was a sort of public condemning. This relates to the quote unquote disgrace in men’s eyes.
Works Cited
Davis. Sonnet# 29. Project Gutenberg, 2004.
Leishman, J. B. Themes and Variations in Shakespeare's Sonnets. London: Hutchinson, 1961. Print.
Mabillard, Amanda. "Sonnet 29." Shakespeare Online. N.p., 8 Dec. 2008. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
Peake, Robert. "Shakespeare: “Sonnet 29″." Robert Peake RSS. N.p., 17 July 2006. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
"Sonnet XXIX." Shakespeare's Sonnets. Oxquarry Books Ltd, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014
Mack, Maynard. “The World of Hamlet.” Yale Review. vol. 41 (1952) p. 502-23. Rpt. in Shakespeare: Modern Essays in Criticism. Rev. ed. Ed. Leonard F. Dean. New York: Oxford University P., 1967.
Clark, W.G. and Aldis Wright, eds. Introduction. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. New York: Nelson Doubleday, Inc., n. d.
William Shakespeare’s intellectual use of the English language is what brought him prosperity throughout his lifetime, and what brings us to tears and laughter in the modern world. The life of Shakespeare is of great importance to English literature because of his many contributions including poetry, stories, and plays. However, many people do not know that he also owned a business. “William Shakespeare was a professional actor, a businessman, and a playwright. Today, nearly four hundred years after his death his plays are still performed” (Greenhill and Wignall 4).
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is laden with tragedy from the start, and this adversity is reflected in the title character. Being informed of his father’s murder and the appalling circumstances surrounding the crime, Hamlet is given the emotionally taxing task of avenging his death. It is clear that having to complete this grim undertaking takes its toll on Hamlet emotionally. Beginning as a seemingly contemplative and sensitive character, we observe Hamlet grow increasingly depressed and deranged as the play wears on. Hamlet is so determined to make his father proud that he allows the job on hand to completely consume him. We realize that Hamlet has a tendency to mull and ponder excessively, which causes the notorious delays of action throughout the play. It is often during these periods of deep thought and reflection that we hear one of Hamlet’s famous soliloquies, which are obviously relative to Hamlet’s apprehensions and worries surrounding his current situation. The seven soliloquies throughout the play offer insight pertaining to the deteriorating mental state of Hamlet, and the circumstances which induce his decent into madness.
William Shakespeare can be considered one of the greatest writers in English language of all time. He was born in Stratford in 1564 and it is well-known that he has written 38 plays, 154 sonnets and two long narrative poems. A widely held assumption is that he wrote his sonnets during the 1590s. Thus, they belong to the Elizabethan era, where literature was in one of the most splendid moments of the English literature. Consequently, William Shakespeare stands out in this period, not only for being a playwright, but also as a poet. His sonnets gave him a reputation and are considered to be ‘Shakespeare 's most important and distinctive contributions to lyric poetry, as well as the most profoundly enigmatic works in the canon '. Shakespeare’s sonnets can be divided into three different groups, as regards the subject of the poem. One of them would be constituted by the first 126 sonnets, where the addressee is a young man. The next sonnets, 127–52, would be addressed to ‘the dark lady’, whereas the last two poems are fables about Cupid. This essay will particularly focus on Sonnet 20 and Sonnet 130, making a comparison of the two poems by establishing a relationship between form and meaning.
In my survey of Shakespeare's Sonnets, I have found it difficult to sincerely regard any single sonnet as inferior. However, many of the themes could be regarded as rather trite. For example sonnet XCVII main idea is that with my love away I feel incomplete, sonnet XXIX says that only your love remembered makes life bearable, while sonnet XXXVIII makes the beloved the sole inspiration in the poet's life. These themes recycled in love songs and Hallmark cards, hardly original now, would hardly have been any newer in Elizabethan England. However the hackneyed themes of these sonnets is in a sense the source of their essence. These emotions, oftentimes difficult to adequately articulate, are shared by all that have loved, been loved, lusted or been hurt in a relationship. Still, it is certainly difficult to criticize Shakespeare's work as a whole. One would only show his ignorance if he were to argue against Shakespeare's sophisticated style.
...ays him. He tricks himself into believing that he and his friend are such kindred spirits that they are truly one in mind, body and spirit, when in fact, they are not. The final line of the sonnet begins with an initial spondee, "Sweet flattery" (14) in which Shakespeare himself is admitting how sweet delusion really is, and ends in a terminal spondee, "me alone" (14) showing that the young man and Shakespeare were really never more than acquaintances that loved the same woman.] Through a figment of his imagination, he developed a mythical relationship with the young man when in fact, the only really loving relationship he had was with his own pretentious subconscious.
Shakespeare’s works are some of the finest examples of Tragedy and Comedy from the English cannon of literature. The reason that his works are so poignant and reflective is his use of both emotions in order to progress the other. In his interpretation of Troilus and Cressida the traditional story of tragic love and loss are peppered with irony and satire in order to address topical issues of Gender roles, Government action/inaction, and hero worship through juxtaposition and humor.
William Shakespeare’s dramatic and poetic techniques and his use of hyperbole are used to describe the characters emotions and weaknesses. The use of dramatic irony is used to create personal conflict. This is done throughout the play to describe the characters concerns and their situations.
Like in quatrain three of Sonnet 116 where personification is used to show that love is not vulnerable to time, despite that beauty fades with time. Then he goes on to say that true love does not change instead it last until Judgment Day and so on. Sonnet 116 concludes with lines thirteen and fourteen saying, “ If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved.” Here the speaker expresses pure confidence in the words written that he professes if an error has been made then he has not written a word, and no man has ever loved. The romantic concept that love does not change, but has the ability to outlast death and admit no flaws is the comprehensive theme of the passage (Shakespeare 's Varying Views of Love). Related structures and devices illustrated in Sonnet 116 were also common is Sonnet 29 and continued to be relevant in Sonnet 130.
William Shakespeare, poet and playwright, utilized humor and irony as he developed specific language for his plays, thereby influencing literature forever. “Shakespeare became popular in the eighteenth century” (Epstein 8). He was the best all around. “Shakespeare was a classic” (8). William Shakespeare is a very known and popular man that has many works, techniques and ways. Shakespeare is the writer of many famous works of literature. His comedies include humor while his plays and poems include irony. Shakespeare sets himself apart by using his own language and word choice. Shakespeare uses certain types of allusions that people always remember, as in the phrase from Romeo and Juliet, “star-crossed lovers”.
Shakespeare's sonnets are a romantic and charming series of poems. His use of rhyme and passionate, eloquent language serve to illuminate his strong feelings. These techniques were probably the most fluent way for such a writer as him to express the immeasurable love that he obviously felt for his mysterious lady. Examining the numerous ways Shakespeare found to describe it, the reader believes that this love was undoubtedly lasting and authentic. He often made heart-felt comments about his emotions that could also suit lovers in the present day. Because of this, and the fact that people read them yet, Shakespeare's sonnets are timeless and universal, just like the concept of love itself.
Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 15". The Broadview Anthology of British Literture. Volume A. Petersborough, Ontario: Broadview Press, 2008.
Steele, Felicia Jean. "Shakespeare's SONNET 130." Explicator 62.3 (2004): 132-137. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Nov. 2013.
Shakespeare’s sonnets include love, the danger of lust and love, difference between real beauty and clichéd beauty, the significance of time, life and death and other natural symbols such as, star, weather and so on. Among the sonnets, I found two sonnets are more interesting that show Shakespeare’s love for his addressee. The first sonnet is about the handsome young man, where William Shakespeare elucidated about his boundless love for him and that is sonnet 116. The poem explains about the lovers who have come to each other freely and entered into a relationship based on trust and understanding. The first four lines reveal the poet’s love towards his lover that is constant and strong and will not change if there any alternation comes. Next four lines explain about his love which is not breakable or shaken by the storm and that love can guide others as an example of true love but that extent of love cannot be measured or calculated. The remaining lines of the third quatrain refer the natural love which can’t be affected by anything throughout the time (it can also mean to death). In the last couplet, if