Among his contemporaries, a great of William Shakespeare’s literary reputation rested upon his poetry rather than his plays, for play writing was then regarded almost as a journeyman’s trade. His first published poem, Venus and Adonis, for instance, was the most popular narrative love poem of the day. From 1593 50 1636, it went through fifteen printings-more than any of his plays achieved in that time.
The sonnets, long the subject of much inquiry and scholarly speculation, contain some of the greatest lyric poetry ever written. Throughout the plays themselves are song lyrics which are extraordinary expression of emotion – some light, some tragic.
Shakespeare’s supreme reputation as a dramatist has tended to obscure his masterful skill as a poet. For those who wish to enjoy these other examples of his many-faceted genius, all the sonnets, songs and poems have been collected in this single volume.