William Shakespeare is and has always been one of the most read authors of all times. His stories, books, plays and even poems have been discussed and analysed several times and still play an important role in our society as new interpretations and adaptions surface on a daily basis. Pupils still have to read his plays in school and more and more movie and theatre productions seem to find their way into the world of Broadway and Hollywood. However, with today's impact of multimedia technology on society and applied arts a great amount of people forget to look deeper into the real meaning and the controversial issues that Shakespeare dealt with and tried to portray in his written work. Therefore, there has been the development of gender studies and queer theory that tries to have a closer look at Shakespeare and his use of sexual intentions: "So much sex is readily apparent in Shakespeare [...] [and] every play is shot with sexual puns." (Wells 1)
One of Shakespeare's best known and most dealt with publications, in regard to gender studies, is his poem Venus and Adonis from 1593, which marks his first published work ever and incorporates two of the best known figures of Greek mythology that were first dealt with in Ovid's Metamorphoses (cf. Shakespeare 125). However, when it comes to their character traits and their course of action, one can notice that both of them adopt attributes from the opposite sex leading to a confusion in terms of gender roles. Both Venus and Adonis slip into the opposite sex when it comes to their physical appearance as well as to their actions and both of them make it quite clear that the poem does not deal with a story of real love, but with unrequited lust instead. In order to show this, this term paper in hand tries to analyse the main protagonists of the poem Venus and Adonis by focusing on their physical appearance as well as on their behaviour towards one another. Furthermore, the slight differences between the original myth itself by Ovid and Shakespeare's altered version will be taken into account in order to show the meaning and to highlight the functions of Shakespeare's version. Finally, this term paper will focus on two highly important symbols which would be the boar and ultimately Adonis' metamorphosis since both have an important meaning in regard to the portrayal of Venus, the Goddess of Love and her object of desire, Adonis.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Venus
- Venus' Physical Appearance
- Venus' Aspirations
- Adonis
- Adonis' Physical Appearance
- Adonis' Refusal
- The Boar and Adonis' Metamorphosis
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper aims to analyze the main protagonists of Shakespeare's poem Venus and Adonis, focusing on their physical appearance and behavior towards one another. The paper will also examine the differences between Ovid's original myth and Shakespeare's version, highlighting the meaning and functions of Shakespeare's adaptation. Finally, the paper will explore the significance of two key symbols: the boar and Adonis' metamorphosis, in relation to the portrayal of Venus and her object of desire.
- Gender roles and the blurring of traditional masculinity and femininity
- The nature of love and lust, particularly in Shakespeare's portrayal of unrequited desire
- The power dynamics between Venus and Adonis, with Venus's dominance and Adonis's resistance
- The use of symbolism in Shakespeare's work, with particular focus on the boar and Adonis's metamorphosis
- The differences between Ovid's original myth and Shakespeare's adaptation
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter, "Introduction," provides an overview of the poem's context, highlighting Shakespeare's enduring impact and the emergence of gender studies and queer theory in analyzing his works. It focuses on the poem's central characters, Venus and Adonis, and their portrayal as figures whose actions and attributes blur traditional gender roles.
The second chapter, "Venus," delves into the depiction of Venus, the Goddess of Love. It examines the poem's depiction of her physical appearance, which combines traditional feminine beauty with more masculine attributes. This chapter highlights the strength and forcefulness she displays, particularly in her pursuit of Adonis.
The third chapter, "Adonis," begins to explore the character of Adonis, focusing on his physical appearance and his refusal of Venus's advances. This section compares Adonis's representation in Shakespeare's poem to Ovid's original myth, highlighting the significant differences in their portrayal.
The fourth chapter, "The Boar and Adonis' Metamorphosis," examines the symbolism of the boar and Adonis's transformation. This chapter explores the significance of these symbols in relation to Venus and her unrequited love for Adonis.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts explored in this paper include: Venus and Adonis, gender studies, queer theory, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Shakespeare's adaptation, physical appearance, behavior, unrequited love, power dynamics, symbolism, boar, metamorphosis.
- Quote paper
- Daniel Laux (Author), 2011, Myth and Mythology in English Literature. Shakespeare's Gender Representation and Role-Reversal in "Venus and Adonis", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/231755
