Nowadays sonnets, or probably even lyric in general, are not very popular anymore. That was quite different in the Elizabethan era when sonnet-writing was widespread during the so called “sonnet vogue” at the end of the 16th century. A lot of sonnets were written during that time by poets like Sir Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser or of course William Shakespeare, whose sonnet sequence contains 154 sonnets in total. Some of Shakespeare’s sonnets are still very well-known today and are read and analysed by students in schools or universities.
To get a better understanding of these poems, an important aspect one should be concerned with is the addressee of each sonnet. Shakespeare had two major addressees for his sonnets: The “Fair Youth” – respectively the “Young Man” – and the “Dark Lady” whose identities are still a matter of speculation even today.
The first part of Shakespeare’s sonnet sequence, namely sonnets 1–126, is directed to the “Young Man”, while sonnets 127–154 are written to the “Dark Lady”.
But how are these figures – the young man and the dark lady - portrayed by the poetic persona? What does this portrayal tell the reader about the relationship between persona and addressee? Are these relationships of a similar nature or do they differ in some aspects?
In this paper I am first going to deal with the “Fair Youth” sequence: There will be a short characterisation of this figure before I will concern myself with the relationship to the poetic persona. After a brief summary of these results the “Dark Lady” sonnets will be examined in the same manner while regarding the results about the “Young Man” I achieved before. These points will be executed by looking at several sonnets in detail. For the “Fair Youth” section these are going to be sonnets 18, 20, 26, and 116; for the “Dark Lady” sonnets I will deal with sonnets 127, 130, 129, and 144. At the end I will recapitulate the ascertained outcomes in a conclusion.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2.Analysis
2.1 The “Fair Youth” Sonnets
2.1.1 Characterisation of the ‘Fair Youth’
2.1.2 Relationship to the Poetic Persona
2.1.3 Summary
2.2 The “Dark Lady” Sonnets
2.2.1 Characterisation of the ‘Dark Lady’
2.2.2 Relationship to the Poetic Persona
2.2.3 Summary
3. Conclusion
4. Works Cited
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper explores the portrayal of the "Fair Youth" and the "Dark Lady" within William Shakespeare's sonnet sequence to determine how the poetic persona's relationship with each addressee differs in nature and emotional intensity.
- Analysis of the physical and character-based traits attributed to the "Fair Youth."
- Examination of the platonic versus romantic nature of the persona's bond with the "Fair Youth."
- Investigation of the "Dark Lady" as a subversion of Petrarchan ideals of beauty.
- Evaluation of the moral and sexual tension defining the persona's relationship with the "Dark Lady."
- Comparative analysis of the persona's differing attitudes toward the two addressees.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.2 Relationship to the Poetic Persona
There are different assumptions as how one can interpret the relationship between the poetic persona and the fair youth. Some see it as a homosexual relationship whereas others read it as merely platonic (Innes 145).
What seems quite noticeable though is that the poetic persona is attracted to the young man and even loves him whether platonic or not.
The attraction becomes obvious in the description and praising of the man’s beauty especially in sonnet 18 as already mentioned above.
While in the first seventeen sonnets the persona tries to persuade the young man to marry and father children, the tone changes from sonnet 18 on. This sonnet starts with these famous lines:
“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate” (Shakespeare et al. 41)
Here the persona already sounds enamoured and charmed by the man and the tone is light and lovely as it is throughout the whole poem.
In sonnet 20 the persona speaks to the man as “the master mistress of my passion” (Shakespeare et al. 42). There are different ways as how to interpret this phrase: on the one hand this could allude to a sexual relationship between addresser and addressee referring to the young man as his male lover who evokes passion or love in the persona.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the historical context of the "sonnet vogue" and presents the research question regarding the portrayal of the "Fair Youth" and "Dark Lady."
2.Analysis: This section provides a detailed investigation into the characteristics of the two addressees and their specific dynamics with the poetic persona.
2.1 The “Fair Youth” Sonnets: This chapter analyzes the portrayal of the young man as a figure of natural beauty and the primarily platonic nature of the persona's affection.
2.1.1 Characterisation of the ‘Fair Youth’: This subsection focuses on the feminine qualities and physical traits attributed to the young man in the sonnets.
2.1.2 Relationship to the Poetic Persona: This subsection explores the emotional bond between the speaker and the young man, specifically addressing the interpretation of their relationship.
2.1.3 Summary: This subsection recapitulates the findings on the persona's admiration for the young man and the influence of social class on their bond.
2.2 The “Dark Lady” Sonnets: This chapter examines the subversion of beauty standards in the sonnets addressed to the "Dark Lady."
2.2.1 Characterisation of the ‘Dark Lady’: This subsection details the negative and unconventional traits assigned to the lady in contrast to traditional Petrarchan ideals.
2.2.2 Relationship to the Poetic Persona: This subsection discusses the complex and often painful nature of the persona's desire for the "Dark Lady."
2.2.3 Summary: This subsection summarizes the role of "darkness" as both a physical and moral attribute of the lady and its impact on the persona.
3. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, confirming that the relationships with the two addressees are distinct and expressed through different tonal approaches.
4. Works Cited: This section lists the academic sources utilized for the analysis of Shakespeare's sonnets.
Keywords
William Shakespeare, Sonnets, Fair Youth, Dark Lady, Poetic Persona, Petrarchan tradition, Elizabethan era, Platonic love, Literary analysis, Sonnet sequence, Gender representation, Moral duality, Romantic attraction, Sexual desire, Social hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this academic paper?
The paper aims to analyze how the poetic persona in Shakespeare's sonnets portrays the "Fair Youth" and the "Dark Lady," and how these portrayals reveal the nature of the relationships between the speaker and the addressees.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include the construction of gender, the evolution of love from platonic to complex desire, the subversion of Petrarchan literary traditions, and the influence of social status on poetic expression.
What is the research question addressed by the author?
The author asks how the young man and the dark lady are portrayed by the poetic persona, what these portraits reveal about their relationship, and whether these two relationships are of a similar nature.
Which methodology does the author utilize for the study?
The author conducts a qualitative literary analysis, performing a close reading of selected sonnets (such as 18, 20, 116, 127, 130, 129, and 144) to characterize the figures and analyze the speaker's tone and intent.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body is divided into two parts: the analysis of the "Fair Youth" sequence, focusing on feminine traits and platonic bonds, and the analysis of the "Dark Lady" sequence, focusing on the demonization of desire and the subversion of beauty standards.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Shakespeare's sonnets, Fair Youth, Dark Lady, Poetic Persona, platonic love, Petrarchan tradition, and literary analysis.
How does the persona's treatment of the "Fair Youth" differ from that of the "Dark Lady"?
The persona treats the "Fair Youth" with admiration, praising his natural beauty and desiring an emotional, platonic connection, whereas the treatment of the "Dark Lady" is characterized by moral critique, conflict, and a struggle with overwhelming sexual desire.
What is the significance of sonnet 144 in the author's analysis?
Sonnet 144 is critical because it explicitly compares the two addressees, framing the "Fair Youth" as the "better angel" and the "Dark Lady" as the "worser spirit," providing a clear snapshot of the persona's internal conflict.
Why does the author argue that the relationship with the "Fair Youth" is platonic?
The author points to the persona's explicit statement that a male body is of no use to him and the emphasis on a "marriage of true minds," which suggests a bond rooted in emotional, rather than physical, union.
- Citar trabajo
- Eva Schiffbauer (Autor), 2016, The ‘Fair Youth’ and the ‘Dark Lady’ in Shakespeare’s sonnets and their relationship to the Poetic Persona, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/336527
