Introduction to Shakespeare’s Sonnets
According to Senna (10), the sonnets are among the best and most popular works by William Shakespeare. In addition, some have been adapted as plays in English literature. Written between 1592 and 1598, the sonnets total up to 154 in number. Senna (10) notes that Shakespeare’s sonnets were not officially published until 1609. This form of play-write common during Shakespeare’s era lost its appeal even before his demise (Senna 11).
The sonnets try to show Shakespeare’s adulation of a young man and his admiration of a married woman (Senna 12). Some authors mixed Shakespeare’s sonnets with poems written by other people, which led to confusion on the general order of his sonnets that were believed to tell a story. It is believed that the first 126 sonnets are addressed to a man while the remaining sonnets are addressed to a woman (Senna 12).
The Top 10 Plays of Shakespeare
The top 10 plays of Shakespeare include the Hamlet written between 1599 and 1601, and one of the most arguably successful plays to be adapted in English studies. Some of the greatest actors in the entertainment industry have played various roles in this play over the years. Another classical play is Romeo and Juliet, which has been adapted in to a motion picture. Love was the main idea of this play. Written in 1599, Henry V was based on the life of King Henry V of England. Midsummer Night’s Dream is a romantic comedy that has been widely adapted for stage plays. Other plays that make up the top ten list include Macbeth, Richard III, Julius César, Twelfth Night or What you Will, The Taming of the Shrew, and Othello, The Moor of Venice.
Shakespeare’s Influence on Other Artists
Shakespeare’s influence on other artists is profound. His style of writing has inspired poets like John Keats whose poems portray the same imagery that was present in Shakespeare’s poems (Mabillard). George Bernard Shaw secretly admired Shakespeare even though he openly ridiculed those worshipped Shakespeare. Some authors have gone to the extent of using Shakespeare’s phrases as titles in their novels. For instance Robert Stone in his novel Dogs of War, he uses a phrase from the play Julius Cesar (Mabillard). In addition, several movies have been produced based on Shakespeare’s works such as the 1968 movie Romeo and Juliet. The movie “10 things I Hate About You” is based on the play Taming of the Shrew.
Shakespeare’s Sexuality
Shakespeare is believed to have married a 26-year-old pregnant woman by the name of Anne Hathaway (“Shakespeare’s Sexuality”). Information on Shakespeare’s sexuality is minimal. This has led to many critics using his sonnets as a way to prove his sexuality especially being gay. Though Shakespeare had three children, this did not deter critics from coming up with a variety of reasons to justify his sexual orientation. After moving to London, speculations of Shakespeare having affairs with different women came up. A law student by the name Manningham noted in his diary that Shakespeare had a short affair with a woman during the acting of the Richard III play (“Shakespeare’s Sexuality”). Evidence of affairs can be linked to his sonnets, twenty-six of which are love poems that are directed to a married woman (“Shakespeare’s Sexuality”). In addition, some scholars allude to the fact that since most of his sonnets were directed towards a young portray his homosexuality (Chedgzoy 168).
Works Cited
Chedgzoy, Kate. Shakespeare’s Queer Children: Sexual Politics and Contemporary Culture.
Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1995. Print.
Mabillard, Amanda. “Shakespeare’s Influence on Other Writers.” Shakespeare Online. n.p. 20
Aug. 2009. Web. 7 Mar. 2012.
Senna, Carl. Shakespeare’s Sonnets. New York: Wiley Publishing, 2000. Print.
“Shakespeare’s Sexuality”. Shakespeare. n.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2012.
