The Poems of Shakespeare

Besides thirty-seven plays, two volumes of poetry and over 150 sonnets are also attributed to Shakespeare. The volumes of narrative poems that Shakespeare released during 1593 and 1594 are Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. These volumes focused on the problems surrounding uncontrollable lust and the guilt associated with it. In this vein, Shakespeare also wrote “A Lover’s Complaint”, which was included in the first edition of Shakespeare’s sonnets, released in 1609.

The book contains the text of these narrative poems. The text of Venus and Adonis has been taken from the First Quarto, 1593, as reproduced in facsimile by William Griggs from the unique original in the Bodleian Library, Oxford (Shakespeare—Quarto Facsimiles, No. 12). The text of The Rape of Lucrece has been taken from the First Quarto of 1594, as reproduced in facsimile from the copy in the British Museum by Charles Praetorius. The text in sonnets and “A Lover’s Complaint” has been founded on the facsimile by Charles Praetorius, from the Museum copy of the First Quarto, 1609. Spelling and punctuation in all these poems have been modernised, generally, but not invariably, in accordance with the use of The Cambridge Shakespeare. The Notes given at the end of the book enable the readers to comprehend each poem.

The book contains a comprehensive Introduction which studies the characteristics of Shakespeare’s poetry, like imagery, vivid imagination, emotional content, and lyrical elements. It also provides valuable information about Shakespeare’s life, writing, and staging of plays. The facts and statements have been authenticated by Notes which appear throughout the Introduction.

The book is useful for the students and teachers of English Literature, especially Shakespeare’s poetry, and researchers in these fields.