THE POEMS AND
SONNETS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Wordsworth Poetry
Library Wordsworth Editions
£3.99
The poet, the poetry reader, the teacher, the student
of language and literature, and lovers of wonderful words generally and
classical works specifically, have an opportunity with Wordsworth Editions to
invest as little as £3.99 in books that have stood and will continue to stand
the test of time. Visit the Wordsworth
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“The Poems and
Sonnets of William Shakepeare” comprises all 154 sonnets, as well as Venus and
Adonis, Lucrece, A Lover’s Complaint, The Passionate Pilgrim, The Phoenix and
the Turtle and Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Music.
The Sonnets are
individual masterpieces of construction, each word and phrase, each rhyme, the
pace and rhythm, combine to deliver perfect examples of how to think about
poetry, how to plan its writing, how to write it and how to hone it for
performance. The main themes of
life, love, beauty, desire, sadness and humour are universal, common to most
poetic output, but in Shakespeare’s hands the language is crafted meticulously,
each Sonnet a template for other poets to match or, if they take up the
challenge, attempt to surpass. But
to drone on about studying Shakespeare,
important thought it is, dulls the real point of a book like this. His work is there to be enjoyed, to be
absorbed quietly or read out loud.
For example, reading a Sonnet a day, fourteen lines of nutrition for the
brain, is all it takes to remind us of this genius of a writer.
The narrative
poems “Venus and Adonis” and “Lucrece” are full-blown stories that need time
and the reader’s patience to pay off, but they are well worth the effort and,
rather like a good novel, repeat readings will reveal more and more in terms of
imagery, emotion and entertainment.
A straw poll
amongst friends and family suggested that schooldays turned a lot of people off
the Bard, probably the result of a force-feeding approach of the education
system. It would be too tragic for
words if Shakespeare was damned and ignored because of bad teaching. The opportunity to rekindle an interest
is here now in this book. “The Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare” is
just under 200 pages, an ideal size to slip into work or leisure luggage, handy
and available for reading anytime.
It costs the same
as a burger and fries, but it is much, much better for your health and well-being….and
for your waistline.
