The Secret Architecture of Shakespeare's Sonnets

This book argues that Shakespeare was deeply engaged with other poets and pursued a career as a poet, and that the organizational schemes of the Sonnets have been hiding in plain sight for over four centuries. It explores Shakespeare's relations with his poetic contemporaries and offers new insights into his career as a poet.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 344 pages
Publication date: 19 May 2023
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Shakespeare's Sonnets: Unveiling the Hidden Organization

Shakespeare, renowned as a playwright and poet, possessed a burning aspiration to establish himself as a poet in his lifetime. This captivating book delves into the intricate hidden organization of Shakespeare's Sonnets, shedding light on his profound engagement with other poets and his relentless pursuit of a poetic career.

Through a meticulous analysis of individual poems, particularly anthology pieces and minor sonnets, this book offers fresh perspectives on Shakespeare's poetic genius. By examining the organizational schemes of the Sonnets, we uncover a profound revelation: Shakespeare's ingenious designs have been hiding in plain sight for over four centuries.

The historical context plays a pivotal role in explaining why Shakespeare's schemes have remained unnoticed for so long. In the decades following his death, conventions of sonnet sequences became unfamiliar, and they have largely remained so since. This book challenges the prevailing notion that the Sonnets should be viewed as a standalone sequence or merely as a part of a larger poetic tradition. Instead, it proposes a holistic perspective, recognizing the Sonnets as a complex sequence within a broader context of poetic sequences.

By weaving together ideas of the Sonnets as a free-standing sequence and as a sonnet sequence among other poets' complex sequences, this book uncovers new insights into Shakespeare's career as a poet. It reveals his intricate connections with other poets, his willingness to experiment with different poetic forms, and his relentless pursuit of artistic excellence.

Through its comprehensive exploration, Shakespeare's Sonnets: Unveiling the Hidden Organization offers a fresh perspective on one of the greatest literary works of all time. It demonstrates Shakespeare's unparalleled poetic prowess, his ability to navigate the complexities of poetic form, and his profound dedication to his craft. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Shakespeare, poetry, or the art of literary analysis.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474481489