Shakespeare's Comedies

Shakespeare's Sonnets

William Shakespeare left 154 sonnets. They were written in 1590's, and published in 1609. A sonnet is a poetical form that appeared in Italy in the 14th cen­tury. The Sonnet came to England during the early Renaissance.

Shakespeare's sonnets are devoted either to his friend or to the "Dark Lady".

His sonnet has 14 lines, but it is divided into three stanzas of four lines with a final rhyming couplet. The rhyme scheme of the sonnet is: ababcdcdefefgg.

Sonnet 66

Tired with all these, for restful death I cry, As to behold Desert a beggar born, And needy Nothing trimmed in jollity, And purest Faith unhappily forsworn,

And gilded Honour shamefully misplaced, And maiden Virtue rudely strumpeted, And right Perfection, wrongfully disgraced, And Strength by limping Sway disabled, 52

And Art made tongue-tied by Authority, And Folly doctor-like controlling Skill, And Simple Truth miscalled Simplicity, And captive Good attending captain 111:

Tired with all these, from these would I be gone, Save that to die,, I leave my love alone.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

"The Two Gentlemen of Verona" (1594) is about two young men, Proteus and Valentine, who live in Verona. They are friends. Proteus is light-minded, he is always in love and "leaves his friends and all for love". Valentine is honest and faithful, he "leaves his friends to dignify them more". He longs to learn about the world by travelling. Valentine is to take service with the Duke of Milan whose daughter, Sil­via, is the Beauty of the city. When the day to leave his home and friends comes, Valentine is very sorry to part with his friend Proteus. Proteus is deeply in love with Julia, a pretty young girl of Verona. Pro-teus's father doesn't like to see his son indulge in romantic emotions. He makes up his mind to send him to Milan to join his companion Valentine at the Duke's palace.

Meanwhile, at the palace Valentine is getting on very well. The Duke is very kind to him, and his daughter Silvia likes to talk with Valentine very much. Silvia and Valentine love each other, but there is little hope'for Valentine to marry Silvia, because Thurio, a rich nobleman, has been chosen by the Duke to become Silvia's husband. Silvia doesn't love him. Valentine tells Proteus of his plan to flee with

Silvia from Milan and to marry her secretly. Though Valentine is in love, he is not a man who can forget a friend. Not such a friend is Proteus to Valentine. His friend's happiness doesn't interest him. When Proteus meets Silvia he forgets his love for Julia and his friendship with Valentine. He even wants to get rid of his companion. That's why he tells the Duke about Valentine's secret, and the Duke decides to banish his servant from Milan. When Valentine is banished by the Duke, he hides in the forest so that to be nearer to Silvia The outlaws make him their leader. Like Robin Hood, he is kind to the poor and chivalrous to women. Meanwhile, Julia comes to Milan and stays at an inn. She dresses as a page and decides to regain her lover Proteus. She comes into service with Proteus as a page.

Silvia is firm in her love for Valentine. She does not love Proteus who tries to win her love. Eglamour, a courtier and an old friend of the Duke's family, helps Silvia to escape. In the woods near the town Silvia is stopped by the outlaws. They want to take her to their chief. Proteus, having been sent by the Duke to follow Silvia, attacks the outlaws. Their leader, Valentine, sees everything from behind the trees, and he doesn't let Proteus take Silvia away by force.

The end of the story is happy. In the last scene, the Duke forgives Valentine and the outlaws, his daugh­ter Silvia marries the man she has always loved. Pro­teus recognizes Julia in his page and is touched by her deep love to him.

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