Shakespeare a Poet of Passion

Shakespeare a Poet of Passion

In the history of the English language, no poet is more famous or more often cited than William Shakespeare. Considering both his Sonnets and his plays, he wrote about some of the most poignant, eternal subjects, which is why his works remain interesting to this day. Love, jealousy, family relationships, and religion are some of the topics that the poet's eternal works have touched upon. His home in Stratford Upon Avon is a monument to his success and delight, as places where he visited have been memorialized to advertise their connection with him. Despite the commentaries, movies, and tourist attractions that have been created because of the playwright and poet, the best way to get to know the bard is through his works. For this reason, this paper will explore the life, works, and impetus behind Shakespeare's writings by examining two of his poems, the 46th and 100th sonnets, showing that importance Shakespeare attached to both love and writing.

Because they touch on one of Shakespeare's most popular themes -- love -- as well as discussing Shakespeare's writing process, the two sonnets were the most appropriate for inclusion in this analysis. While most of Shakespeare's sonnets addressed the powerful concept of love, the 46th sonnet comes incredibly close to defining the poet's concept of love, allowing readers to understand what the great writer was actually writing about when he penned sonnets and plays discussing the subject. In addition, the 100th sonnet not only allows the reader to see some of Shakespeare's writing process, but also to understand how the bard struggled with writing and inspiration. The poem is a wonderful piece of literature for writers who are just beginning, showing that even the best writers have periods of writers block and uncertainty. Thus, an exploration of Shakespeare's background, in addition to an analysis of sonnets 46 and 100 will allow readers to understand both the author's writing and the issues that drove him.

Although he left behind an impressive body of work, relatively little biographical information is available regarding the author. From town records, scholars have determined that William Shakespeare was born around April 23, 1564 into a relatively wealthy family; his father was a businessperson who knew how to blend talents in order to make a living for his family. The poet and playwright's father was also popular in their town of Stratford Upon Avon, and was a member of the town council. Shakespeare's mother, Mary, inherited a substantial estate when her father died. He had a number of brothers and sisters, many of whom died before him; at least two of these died before reaching adulthood ("Shakespeare Biography").

Later in life, Shakespeare would form his own family. He married Anne Hathaway, a woman who was eight years holder than his 18 years, when she was most likely pregnant, and was presented with a daughter seven years later. He also sired twins, one of which died at the age of 11. For as many as 20 years, Shakespeare lived apart from his family while writing plays in London ("Shakespeare Biography").

In addition to working as a playwright, Shakespeare had been was referred to as a good businessperson, in addition to being a creative genius. Although he most likely attended grammar school and probably did not go to college, Shakespeare wrote poems and poetry that not only gained publication, some without his permission, but also made him a great deal of money, along with the income he earned as a landlord. Documents prove that Shakespeare managed to earn a great deal of money, and purchased some of Stratford's most illustrious property ("Shakespeare Biography").

Although this information was gleaned from the record books of the day, a controversy still exists regarding whether or not Shakespeare was actually the author of all of the works that are attributed to him. While a great deal of evidence does suggest that he wrote his plays, most of that evidence is circumstantial, criticism, testimony from other actors, or lines composed in attribution to him. Still, only a select group chooses to believe that the famous bard is not the one who composed these great works ("Shakespeare Biography").

The fact that Shakespeare wrote poetry, however, has a bit more foundation, as he entered at least two of his poems into the register himself. Although Shakespeare's plays are some of his most celebrated works, his poetry is much more personal ("Shakespeare Biography"). The bard's 46th sonnet is a testament to this. Discussing the very personal concept of love, this poem finds the poet debating whether his definition of love has to do with the heart or the eye, whether it is about feelings or looks. The poet writes, "Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war," suggesting this conflict. By writing what he does on this subject, the author suggest his brilliance through the universality of the subject in addition to his genuine struggle with it.

By far, Shakespeare is not the only man who has ever had the feelings that he describes in this sonnet. He asserts that his "hearth doth plead that thou in him dost lie. / (A closet never pierced with crystal eyes)," suggesting that love is really a feeling in the heart and has nothing to do with physical beauty. On the other side of the argument, the poet says, "the defendant doth that plea deny, / And says in him thy fair appearance lies," describing the affinity he feels toward those with physical beauty. To conclude this dilemma, Shakespeare argues that both the heart and the eyes are right. He states that, "mine eye's due is they outward part,/And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart." By this, Shakespeare argues that a person can both enjoy physical beauty and emotional love.

Of course, this is a subject that couples who enjoy "just looking" at other couples hotly debate. This is one of the reasons that this poem has survived the test of time, the fat that it is a universal struggle, one that men and women have had for centuries, and one that they will continue to have. Although many poets have written about love, Shakespeare extends the genre by discussing an equally universal facet of love that is more unique, at least when it comes to poetry. Thus, by choosing subject matter that would remain relevant through time, Shakespeare exhibits his genius in penning this poem.

Further, Shakespeare shows that he genuinely struggles with whether physical love or emotional love is more important. Instead of taking a solid stance on the subject, proclaiming one type of love as clearly superior to the other, he suggests that this is genuinely troubled by the issue. He shows this most clearly through the fact that he gives arguments for both viewpoints and also ends the poem by suggesting that both types of love have their places. Thus, Shakespeare's 46th sonnet is a personal masterpiece, memorializing a deeply personal struggle that Shakespeare himself suffered.

In his 100th sonnet, Shakespeare shares a similar passion with his reader. Once again, he is struggling, but this time it is not with love, but with inspiration. Shakespeare's 100th sonnet is one of the most important in his body of work because he not only shares some of his writing process with the reader, but also allows readers to understand that even the most wonderful writers struggle with inspiration and writer's block.

In Shakespeare's 100th sonnet, readers get to see his writing process, as he invokes the muse to inspire him. When Shakespeare writes, "Where are thou Muse that thou forget'st so long, To speak of that which gives thee all thy might," Shakespeare suggests that his works come from inspiration that he gets from insights. His writing is not necessarily carefully planned, but comes through sparks of inspiration. Further, when he writes, "Spend'st thou thy fury on some worthless song,/Darkening thy power to lend base subjects light," Shakespeare suggests that certain subjects are more worthy of poetry than others. Thus, this sonnet sheds light on Shakespeare's writing process, and the creative insights that produced his work.

But this sonnet was not a song of praise to the muse for the inspiration that she has given to Shakespeare so far. Instead, it was a cry for help, suggesting that Shakespeare struggled with writer's block just like any other writer. The last two lines prove this, as they are a passionate plea to the muse for one more song before the poet dies. Shakespeare writes, "Give my love fame faster than Time wastes life, / So thou prevent'st his scythe, and crooked knife," asking the muse for inspiration before death. Shakespeare's passionate poem shows his love for writing, creativity, and poetry, in addition to his struggle with it.

Thus, Shakespeare's 100th sonnet, like his 46th is a poem of passion. In this poem, however, he shows both his writing process and his struggle with writer's block. Thus, both poems allow readers to examine the real Shakespeare closer, seeing his views on both love and writing.