Shakespeare Research

[carinafelix]

After doing some research, I found that there are many theories about who the sonnets may have been written to...
I found myself convinced that they were autobiographical and gave us insight into the mind of Shakespeare rather than being directed towards someone in particular.

What I found interesting was that one theory said that they were addressed to Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. Idk what side shakes played for but, it seems kind of strange that he can be so completely open about writing this intimate sonnets about a man. Especially during that time, I'm sure that would have been suicidal. I know some people believe that he is "Fair Youth" but idk... I found that hard to believe.

For the most part, I thought the themes of Shakes' sonnets all had to do with love. Whether it was adoration or lust, they are all somehow connected by this vibe of intimacy they give off.

[berenicecontreras]

While conducting some research there were a variety of different thoughts about who the sonnets where addressed to. There was not a very credible source however i thought this to be t he most relevant!
In sonnets 1-126, it is said that these sonnets were for an unnamed male friend, younger, in a friendship which starts off with encouragement to marry ,later leads to a very grief and distant friendship. The male friend belongs to the upper class, is good looking and is more than handsome, and is more likeable. Although the poems are about love the audience believes there is a homosexual relationship or that the relationships in the past were very strange. That put aside, is overshadowed and used to express love to others.
Like Carina , I found the sonnets themes to revolve around love. Although some are full ov ==f hate its through the despair of love and others are completely about love.

[berenicecontreras]

Not sure if we had to reply but , I had the same idea when i researched my info and completely agree with you! (:

[john petree]

like you, i found the homosexual boyfriend theory, but i also found another lover, who was called the dark lady. i dont know what the dark lady is suposed to mean, i didnt find a name, just the nickname, which leads me to believe that this source might not be credible, its a little wierd, so mysterious. maybe this lady was the inspiration for shakespeares, according to mrs chacons lovely comment, "emo" and "cutter" personality to the character hamlet.
and i know this was already said, but im just answering the question for the homework, i agree that the themes for his sonnets were about love

[zacko]

Did some research found stuff I didn't believe so I came up with my own theory. So after reading my sonnet again I came up with the idea that Shakespeare is writing for someone he loves, but has to have loved or does love him. This young man for all we know could be a son of his or someone who he has known for years one who would be able to notice his aging and rate of dying. His lyrical poems are mostly about love and even if "like my sonnet" based on ageing and death, also includes love. Relating to my opinion of Shakespeare being a gentleman and believing in love.

[zacko]

Or this random dude is who Shakespeare really wants to be as in handsome, upper class, and better. Shakes' is writing sonnets to himself for himself...

[crystalruiz23]

I could agree with the idea that Shakespeare had made these sonnets for the reader to get a better insight of his thought and emotions. Shakespeare also wrote these sonnets for us to feel a connection with him and to understand him. Yet there were some websites that spoke of Shakespeare making the sonnets because he was inspired by “Mr. W.H.” like Carina had mention. I did read about the homosexual situation but I do believe he didn't write the sonnets for him but people who would understand him.

The main themes of his sonnets happens to be addressing two forms of love, that can be inseparable in many forms. The purpose in emphasizing love in the sonnets was to have those who read them feel what the message is saying and to understand its purpose.

[mayrapuente]

One of the theories I read, and also the most interesting, I thought, was that Shakespeare's sonnets were dedicated to a man. Which, after analyzing the sonnet I chose, had me convinced that Shakespeare was in love with a man.

I chose sonnet 18, his most famous sonnet, I believe.

The sonnet I chose began with the line, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

On one of the websites I read, it said that Shakespeare was clearly addressing this sonnet to a man as Shakespeare was comparing the unknown person to a "summer's day", and the site claimed that if it would have been dedicated to a woman, the phrase would have been "summer's eve" instead. But then I thought, "day" rhymes with "May", so perhaps he was doing it for the sake of rhyming.

Another line is, "And often is his gold complexion dimm'd/"

Shakespeare, here, clearly makes a reference to a male.

But, disregarding the research, I believe Shakespeare's sonnets were not directed to a specific person, but were things he encountered in his everyday life. For instance, one can find inspiration in a... fruit! And write endless poems describing the admiration one has towards the fruit.

I almost don't believe it's possible for Shakespeare to have had ONE person or object in mind while writing all 154 sonnets...

But, I agree with all of you! The most common theme in Shakespeare's sonnets was love.

[mayrapuente]

Zack, your theory of Shakes writing sonnets because the character in his sonnets is who he wanted to become is quite interesting. I never really thought of it like that, but considering the fact that he was at the bottom in the Great Chain of Being, maybe he was writing the sonnets because he wanted more than he was. Great insight (:

[jmahurien]

@john
I found it interesting that you would bring up a dark lady in your research. When I was discussing my sonnet with Ms. Chacon, I came up to a line (or a couple of lines) that I didn't quite understand."My Heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie\ A closet never pierced by crystal eyes." This sonnet was basically about him being in love with two people, one whom was dear to his eye, and one whom was dear to his heart. Your reference to a "Dark Lady" would perfectly back up this sonnet, possibly written about her, the one he quite truly loves, and some other woman that he thinks is beautiful. The one that the "heart dost plead for" is "a closet never pierced by crystal eyes" which Ms. Chacon described to me as a darker woman, or a more emotional woman. All in all, your comment was quite thought-provoking.

And through some of my research and the support of the sonnet I recited, I would also say, as John does, that these sonnets were written about this "Dark Lady". One other sonnet that I read, Sonnet 130, seems almost comical in the way that he refers to a lady of his liking. He basically says that she is not the most beautiful person in the world, paraphrasing: "Her eyes are not like the sun", "Coral is redder than her lips are", "Music hath a far more pleasing sound than her voice". If we could link this to my sonnet where the Dark Lady is the woman that lies in his heart rather than his eyes, (meaning one that is less beautiful), it seems almost obvious that they are about the same woman.

After reading a few of the sonnets, it seems like the theme is related to love. More specifically though, the lamentations and struggles of love. Through a few randomly picked sonnets, 41, 46, 138, it is obvious there are love woes. In sonnet 41, Shakespeare admits the fact that wherever he goes, he is tempted to betray his love. In sonnet 46, Shakespeare is in internal conflict on the fact that he is in love with two women, one possibly for the wrong reasons, in which he does not feel satisfied in himself about. Finally, in sonnet 138, he laments on the struggles of trust in love. Most of these sonnets, in my opinion, are a record of the hardships he went through while in love with a, or several, woman/women.