Shakespeare | Venus and Adonis | A Review
Shakespeare’s ‘Venus and Adonis’-A Review
William Shakespeare’s ‘Venus and Adonis’ is a narrative poem that was published in 1593. The poem tells the story of the goddess Venus and her obsessive love for the young and handsome Adonis. This work is significant in Shakespeare’s literary career as it is believed to be his first published work.
The poem is written in the traditional form of seven-line stanzas called septets, which are written in iambic pentameter. The language of the poem is rich and full of vivid imagery and metaphors, making it an enjoyable read.
The story is set in ancient Greece and begins with Venus, the goddess of love, who falls in love with Adonis at first sight. She tries to persuade Adonis to love her, but he resists her advances, telling her that his heart belongs to hunting and the outdoors. Venus is heartbroken but persists in trying to win Adonis over.
As Adonis goes hunting one day, he is gored to death by a wild boar. Venus arrives at the scene and is devastated by Adonis’s death. She transforms his blood into a flower, which is said to be the origin of the anemone.
One of the main themes of the poem is the power of love and desire. The poem shows how love can drive a person to obsession, and how desire can lead to tragedy. Shakespeare also explores the idea of mortality and the inevitability of death, as Adonis’s death is a reminder of the fleeting nature of life.
Another notable aspect of the poem is the characterization of Venus. She is portrayed as a powerful and determined woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Her obsessive love for Adonis is portrayed as both beautiful and destructive, highlighting the complex nature of love.
Overall, ‘Venus and Adonis‘ is an excellent example of Shakespeare’s early work. The poem showcases his talent for language and imagery, and his ability to tell a compelling story. It is a must-read for fans of Shakespeare and for anyone interested in exploring the themes of love, desire, and mortality. 0 0 0.
N. B. This article ‘Shakespeare | Venus and Adonis | A Review’ originally belongs to the book ‘Reviews on William Shakespeare’s Works‘ by Menonim Menonimus.
Books of Literary Criticism by M. Menonimus:
- World Short Story Criticism
- World Poetry Criticism
- World Drama Criticism
- World Novel Criticism
- World Essay Criticism
- Indian English Poetry Criticism
- Indian English Poets and Poetry Chief Features
- Emily Dickinson’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Walt Whitman’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Critical Essays on English Poetry
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: Return of the Spirit-An Analytical Study
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: ‘Yawmiyyat Naib Fil Arayaf’-An Analytical Study
- Analytical Studies of Some Arabic Short Stories
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Pre-Islamic Period (500 AD-622 AD)
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Early Islamic Period (622 AD-661 AD)
- Reviews on William Shakespeare’s Works …
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