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William ShakespeareI love Dr. Seuss, Mother Goose, and William Blake. I have also mentioned my distaste for Frost and Dickenson. I bet you are wondering who could I possible add to my list of poets I enjoy reading. Wonder no more...the second poet in "My Favorite Poets Series" is none other than the bard himself, William Shakespeare.
Like most of you, I was introduced to Shakespeare via his plays. They were required reading for my English classes in high school, and, with one exception, I read everything I was required to read. Shakespeare's plays seemed to flow so smoothly. I loved them all but my favorites were his comedies, A Midsummer Night's Dream holding the top spot. All the mayhem caused by the fairies and Pan were delightful! His tragedies and histories were written in the same style. I am sure I am not the only one who memorized the "To be or not to be" soliquy of Macbeth. Now you may be wondering why I am talking about his plays, since this is a post about poets. Well, the fact is Shakespeare wrote all his plays in the poetic form called blank verse! That is the reason they flowed for me. His style was smooth and eloquent at the same time. After reading 4 of his plays, I sought out his sonnets, which were his other main format. I found them to be as easy to read and understand as his plays. He wrote on many themes: love, beauty, morality, and jealousy, to name a few. My favorites are the ones that use the nature herself to express his thoughts. Favorite lines: From Sonnet 18 Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines And often is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometimes declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimmed; From Sonnet 73 In me thou see'st the twilight of such a day As after sunset fadeth in the west; Which by and by black night dot take away, Death's second selc, that seals up all in rest. From Sonnet 130 I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. From Sonnet 97 What freezings I have felt, what dark days seen! What old December's bareness everywhere! And yet this time remov'd was summer's time, The teeming autumn, big with rich increase, Bearing the wanton burden of the prime, Like widow'd wombs after their lords' decease: He is eloquent and his verses paint a vivid picture in my mind. I love reading his sonnets, but, as a poet, I am amazed at the ease with which he writes in this format. Sonnets are a very precise form, which I am unable to use. For me it seems to be too complex to achieve. So, William Shakespeare is another favorite poet. I loved his blank verse plays as well as his strict sonnet poems. © Cindy J. Smith
12 Comments
6/24/2021 05:29:00 pm
When I was a teenager, I read Shakespeare in Hungarian translation. A Midsummer Night's Dream was my favorite too, but when I first read it in English, I was amazed how much is lost in translation.
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Cindy
6/24/2021 07:42:35 pm
The only "translated" work I have read is Dante's Inferno, and I have read several versions so I know what you mean. Each told similar tales but just a bit different.
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6/24/2021 11:57:18 pm
I loved Shakespeare's tragedies, and my favourite remains Hamlet. Nevertheless, there's a special place in my heart for each of his literary production.
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Cindy
6/25/2021 06:55:54 am
I liked all his works, I agree that Hamlet is my favorite tragedy also.
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6/25/2021 05:07:26 am
Shakespeare was a standard part of the English curriculum when I was in school, though mainly we concentrated on the plays rather than the sonnets. A Midsummer Night's Dream was, of course, one of those included, yet my personal favourite was Macbeth, because it's such a powerful tale.
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Cindy
6/25/2021 02:17:44 pm
The only "required reading" I never did was A Tale of Two Cities, I just could not get into that one. And, I am not sure why I said Hamlet was my favorite tragedy when I know it was Macbeth...not enough coffee getting to my fingertips I guess.
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Cindy
6/25/2021 02:18:41 pm
I prefer reading Shakespeare in old English, somehow the updated versions lack appeal for me.
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Alexandra Butcher
6/25/2021 11:52:22 am
Thanks for the great post.
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Cindy
6/25/2021 03:45:27 pm
I like Kipling too, he is the topic for #3, lol. Much Ado About Nothing is a good one!
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Slate R. Raven
6/26/2021 09:45:01 am
Great article! My favorite quote was always, “Now I can drink hot blood and do such bitter business that the earth would quake to look upon it.” (Been a while since I’ve shouted something along those lines before charging into a fight of one type or another.
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Cindy
6/26/2021 10:02:18 am
I think he probably had help, just like Michelangelo and other artists. Even today most "popular" authors have ghost writers that write for them and they just take credit.
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