The Controversy Of Interpreting Shakespeare's Sonnets

William Shakespeare is more than just a household name. For many, he’s an icon, a writer that cannot be fully praised for his genius, and a talented storywriter remembered forever due to the far reach his plays enjoy. For that reason, it is only natural that the worth of his sonnets within school curriculum would be called into question. Is it possible for sonnets, which are composed of only fourteen lines, to rival the well-deserved acclaim his plays receive?

If not, it would make perfect sense for the editors of a world anthology to strike his sonnets from their next edition. Thankfully, they do not need to. In this essay, I will argue that removing Shakespeare’s sonnets would be a great disservice to students that wish to study Shakespeare

It is likely that Shakespeare never intended for his sonnets to be published (Neary). The sonnets appear to be written from a first-person perspective, which, according to the perspectives of varying students, can either be reflective of his own personal thoughts or a way that he expressed his muse in ways he kept away from his plays. With the nature of some of the sonnets referring to men so beautiful that they simply must reproduce, and dark women that are beautiful and demonic at the same time, it invites positive scholarly debate about the truth and fiction behind these sonnets. Additionally, it is valuable for a reader to feel connected to the author in some way; it helps generate interest and personal, vested intrigue in the work at hand. Many sonnets may echo sentiments that students themselves feel they have experienced, which helps foster the connection between a work of the past and the reader of

If a student looks at the sonnet mentioned in the previous paragraph, he will find similarities in the play Measure For Measure. This play also showcases the peril that a country and its citizens can face when the person that is meant to protect and guide the people is the one that is led astray and embraces corruption. When Angelo propositions Isabella with the compromise of sex in return for her brother’s life, he shows the purest form of power leading to near immediate corruption. It is shown in this play that when “weeds,” such as Claudio, are rotten, it is a drop in the ocean; however, when a “lily,” like Angelo, is rotten, it rocks the sea itself. (Shakespeare) “Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.” Sonnets can provide great value when viewed as more than just a standalone piece of writing. They can connect to the plays and be used in conjunction with other works from Shakespeare explored in the curriculum and may serve as excellent primers to the morals and lessons discovered