"Two loves I have, of comfort and despair". An examination of the addressees in Shakespeare's sonnets

Term Paper , 2006 , 12 Pages , Grade: 1,3

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

“Two loves I have, of comfort and despair” – for somebody who is familiar with that kind of poetry, this beginning of Shakespeare’s sonnet 144 should be striking for at least two reasons: 1) For one thing, it is the fact that the lyrical speaker talks of two loved ones. Usually, sonnets praise one beloved person (or concept, such as love itself) which the speakers love with all their heart but which they cannot reach for one reason or another. 2) The emotions the lyrical speaker has towards those loves are quite strange: “comfort and despair”. Typically, the predominant if not the only feeling the speakers of such love poetry have is love, without any further requests, regrets, or conditions under which they love, especially without such biased concepts as “comfort and despair”. Hopefully, it becomes clear that this Shakespearean sonnet is far from being typical of the genre, at least as far as the treatment of the addressee is concerned.

However, this peculiarity is not only limited to this poem, but it permeates all of Shakespeare’s sonnets, which are an outstanding example of the development and changes taking place within that genre. And this is also the reason why, in this paper, I will be concerned with Shakespeare’s addressees in his sonnets, pointing to striking attitudes the speaker has towards his addressees, hinting at the development of the relations, and also outlining the Elizabethan sonnet tradition. [...]

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• The Elizabethan Sonnet Tradition
• Shakespeare's Adressees
  • The Fair Male Youth
  • The Dark Lady
• Thus...
• Works Cited

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper examines the addressees in Shakespeare's sonnets, focusing on the unique and unconventional relationships depicted in the poems. It analyzes the speaker's attitudes towards both the fair male youth and the dark lady, highlighting the development of their relationships and the evolution of the Elizabethan sonnet tradition.

• The unconventional nature of the speaker's love for two individuals.
• The development of the Elizabethan sonnet tradition, from its Italian origins to Shakespeare's innovations.
• The speaker's complex and often contradictory emotions towards the fair male youth.
• The portrayal of the dark lady as a figure of both attraction and repulsion.
• The use of metaphors and imagery to convey the speaker's feelings and experiences.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction sets the stage by analyzing the opening lines of Shakespeare's sonnet 144, highlighting the unusual nature of the speaker's love for two individuals. It establishes the paper's focus on the addressees in Shakespeare's sonnets and their significance in the context of the Elizabethan sonnet tradition.

The second chapter explores the history and development of the Elizabethan sonnet tradition, tracing its origins back to Francesco Petrarcha and the Italian sonnet. It discusses the evolution of the genre, from its focus on the idealized beauty of a fair lady to the introduction of new themes and motifs, particularly in the works of John Donne.

The third chapter delves into the analysis of Shakespeare's addressees, beginning with the fair male youth. It examines the speaker's explicit declaration of love for the youth and the complex emotions that drive their relationship. The chapter explores the speaker's desire for the youth's attention and affection, highlighting the unconventional nature of their bond.

• College: Ruhr-University of Bochum (Englisches Seminar)
• Course: Elizabethan poetry
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Mate Madunic (Author)
• Publication Year: 2006
• Pages: 12
• Catalog Number: V115346
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640166480
• ISBN (Book): 9783668144026
• Language: English
• Tags: Shakespeare, Elizabethan