Shakespeare's Sonnets
Nearly every college student is faced with a research paper on William Shakespeare or one of his works. Paper Masters has many English and World Literature writers that will write you a custom research paper on any aspect of Shakespeare, Shakespeare's plays or Shakespeare's Sonnets.
William Shakespeare was an English writer who wrote plays, sonnets, and poetry. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers of all time. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets. These sonnets were published in 1609 and were titled SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS.: Never before imprinted.
Characteristics of Shakespeare's Sonnets
Shakespearian sonnets have distinct characteristics such as the following:
- Shakespeare's sonnets are written in quatrains and in iambic pentameter.
- The sonnets also rhyme in an abab cdcd efef gg pattern. Sonnets following this pattern have since been named the Shakespearean Sonnets.
- There are a few instances when the sonnet pattern breaks, but most of the sonnets follow this rhyme pattern.
- Of the 154 sonnets, sonnets 1-126 are written to the character of a young man, who is referred to as "Fair Youth."
- The "Fair Youth" sonnets seem to have a romantic tone.
The first seventeen sonnets are addressed to a young man, with whom the speaker expresses extreme admiration, if not outright infatuation. These first seventeen sonnets are preoccupied with procreation, or the perpetuation of the human race and the desire to use reproduction as a means of extending the durability of a thing of beauty. The surface narrative of these poems include the speaker of the poems encouraging the fair youth to marry, procreate, and fulfill his debt to Nature. Taken cumulatively, the first seventeen poems grow gradually more critical, blaming the fair youth for his self-interested ness and his failure to pay his debt to the universal cycle of birth, death and procreation.
Sonnet 20 is probably the most overtly sexual of the entire sonnet sequence, and its strong homoerotic content has made it a popular focus of critical attention over the years. A good deal of critical attention has been focused upon analyzing the text of Sonnet 20 as a means of discovering clues to the addressee's identity.
Characters of Shakespeare's Sonnets
Shakespeare's sonnets have three principal addressees. These include a young man, a "dark lady," and a rival poet. Particularly the presence of the male addressee has caused critics consternation for hundreds of years.
It is debatable weather the "Fair Youth" character points to a intimate sexual relationship or a platonic relationship between the writer and the "Fair Youth." Historians believe this character may have been fashioned after a real person. One of the most popular views is that the character resembles on of Shakespeare's patrons, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton.
Another character of the sonnets is "The Dark Lady." This character is present in sonnets 127-152. These sonnets have a very sexual tone. The character is named after her dark hair and skin tone. There are several possible real life people that this character might have been fashioned to resemble. These ladies include Lucy Negro, Mary Fitton, or Emilia Lanier.
Several sonnets in the "dark lady" mini-cycle also deal with sexual desire, particularly Sonnets 129, 135 and 136. It is strongly implied that the speaker's relationship with the Dark Lady would be socially unsanctioned, because of her nontraditional beauty, and perhaps, because of her sexual skill (with the implication of libertine practices, or even prostitution). However, because the homoeroticism of the earlier sonnets represents one of the ultimate sexual transgressions of Western civilization, namely, homosexuality. As such, the critical analyses addressed here will center on the homoerotic content of the sonnets, although this is by no means the only textual instance of transgressive sexual desire.
Finally, the "Rival Poet" is the last character. This character is present in sonnet 78-86. The writer sees the "Rival Poet" as his competition for his job security and livelihood. The real life correlation for this character is a mystery. Some have speculated that the character might have been made to resemble George Chapman or Christopher Marlowe.
The overall themes that run through the sonnets are love, beauty, and mortality.
Related Research Paper Topic Suggestions
Alls Well That Ends Well - All's Well That Ends Well research papers examine one of Shakespeare's traditional comedies.
A Midsummer Night's Dream - A Midsummer Night’s Dream research papers explain one of Shakespeare's classic comedies with the main character of Puck.
As You Like It - As You Like It Research Papers delve into an order placed on an analysis of Shakespeare and also to view his performances with a critical eye.
Biography of William Shakespeare - A Biography of William Shakespeare for an English Literature Research Paper includes original and new research on the Master of English literature - William Shakespeare.
Comedy of errors - Custom research papers on William Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. In a research paper about The Comedy of Errors, you will want to point out that William Shakespeare presents his readers with an uncommon worldview.
Desdemona In Othello - Desdemona in Othello research papers discuss the central female figure in Othello. Desdemona in Othello research papers are custom written and focus on the main character of Desdemona.
Elizabethan Life - Elizabethan Life is examined as witnessed in the play Midsummer Night's Dream. Literature research paperd on the works of William Shakespeare can be custom written at Paper Masters.
Hamlet - Research papers on Hamlet by William Shakespeare can be ordered to be custom written by professional academic freelance writers from Paper Masters.
Hamlet and Deception - Essays on Hamlet and Deception examine William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and focuses on the common theme of deception.
Henry iv - Research Papers on Henry IV by William Shakespeare summerize Shakespeare's story. Research papers on Henry IV custom written - call today to find out more.
Jealousy In Othello - Jealousy in Othello essays examine one of William Shakespeare’s most complex and fascinating plays, The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice.
King Lear - King Lear research papers delve into the play by William Shakespeare based on King Lear and how his character is the center of the plays purpose.
King Lear The Prince and Elizabethan Literacy - King Lear, The Prince, and Elizabethan Literacy Research Paper goes into the sixteenth century and the new ethos of humanistic and post-Reformation ideals that came into play.
Love's Labour's Lost - Love’s Labour’s Lost research papers examine the early comedy written by William Shakespeare.
Loyalty In King Lear - Loyalty in King Lear Research Papers look at the characteristic of loyalty throughout the play King Lear, and specific characters in their roles dealing with loyalty.
Macbeth - Macbeth research papers examine one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies.
Measure For Measure - Measure for Measure research papers examine one of Shakespeare's problem plays that entails both comedy and tragedy.
Much Ado About Nothing - Much Ado About Nothing research papers on the Shakespearean comedy.
Ophelia In Hamlet - The role of Ophelia in Hamlet research papers examine the main character of Ophelia and her suicide in Shakespeare's most famous tragedy.
Othellos tragic downfall - Othello's tragic downfall is part of Shakespearian typical tragic downfall literary tool.
Othello The Moor - Othello, The Moor of Venice research reveals the origins of the character Othello. Othello's black heritage is an important part of the story of Othello and the writers at Paper Masters can explain why in a custom research paper.
Richard ii - Richard II Research Papers examine Richard II by William Shakespeare. Custom Richard II research paper, essay or research project on Shakespeares works.
Role of Family In King Lear - Role of Family in King Lear research papers examine the different roles that take part in families and the relationships that take place throughout the play.
Romeo and Juliet - Romeo and Juliet research papers are custom written on Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet.
Romeo and Juliet and Othello - Romeo and Juliet and Othello research papers compare the similarities between the two classic tragedies.
Shakespearean Comedies - Order a custom research paper on any Shakespearean Comedy - Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, A Comedy of Errors and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Shakespearean Tragedies - Custom research papers on the tragedies of Shakespeare. Plays such as Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet are tragic literary stories and they are Paper Masters specialty.
Shakespeare Plays List - Custom research papers on Shakespeare's Plays. Paper Masters provides a list of 37 plays, which include comedies, tragedies, and histories by William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare Quotes - Shakespeare Quotes essays examine the many famous quotes from the writings of William Shakespeare.
Shakespeares Histories - Order custom research papers on shakespearean histories for fresh, new research on Shakespeare's historical plays.
Shakespeares Plays - Research papers on Shakespeare's Plays can focus on any of his comedies, tragedies or histories. All's Well That Ends Well, Henry IV, Part I or even King Lear. Any play you need written on from the literature writers at Paper Masters.
Shakespeare Twelfth Night - Shakespeare Twelfth Night research papers analyze one of Shakespear's better-known comedies that involves the fantasy of mistaken identity and romance with a Christmas holiday setting.
Sonnet - Essays and research papers on Sonnets look into the poetic form that consists of a specific number of lines with a tightly controlled rhyme scheme.
Supernatural Elements In Shakespeare - Research papers on supernatural elements in Shakespeare will discuss two of his most famous works, Hamlet and Macbeth, that used the supernatural throughout his writing.
Supernatural elements of hamlet - Supernatural Elements of Hamlet Research Papers examine Shakespearan Tragedies.
Supernatural In Macbeth - Research papers on supernatural in Macbeth will examine the use of the supernatural throughout one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies.
Theme of othello - The Theme of Othello is discussed in custom research papers on Shakespeare's Literature. Shakespeare research papers are written for college students.
The Merchant of Venice - Merchant of Venice essays overview one of William Shakespeare’s most famous comedies.
The Merry Wives of Windsor - The Merry Wives of Windsor research papers examine the comedy written by William Shakespeare that was first published in 1602.
Themes In Hamlet - Essays on themes in Hamlet discuss William Shakespeare’s variety of themes in one of his well known plays.
The Tempest - The Tempest Research Papers look at the different power struggles taking place throughout the story.
Titus andronicus - The Roman world in Titus Andronicus is complex and illustrated in Shakespeare's play Titus Andronicus.
Tragedy Plays - A research paper on tragedy plays look into one of the important aspects of drama famously used by playwrights such as Shakespeare and Arthur Miller.
Twelfth Night - Twelfth Night research papers discuss any part of the Shakespearean Comedy you need.
Two Gentlemen of Verona - Two Gentlemen of Verona essays examine one of Shakespeare's weakest plays.
Undiscovered Country - Undiscovered Country Research Papers go into many different views on the perception of hell.
William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare research papers examine the life of Shakespeare and discuss his plays, sonnets, and poems.
William Shakespeare's Monologues - William Shakespeare’s Monologues custom writings examine the well known monologues from Shakespeare’s plays.
Winter's Tale - The Winter’s Tale essays discuss one of Shakespeare's problem plays that conveys strong elements of romance and psychological drama.