William Shakespeare, recognized as one of the most significant figures in English literature, turned to poetry during a plague that halted theater performances in 1592. This transition led him to create works like 'Venus and Adonis' and ultimately to his famous sonnets. Published in 1609, his 154 sonnets came during a time when that poetic form was less favored. The publication—with a mysterious dedication to 'Mr. W. H.'—raised questions about Shakespeare's intentions and the arrangement of the sonnets, influencing literary studies for centuries.
"In the summer of 1592, when William Shakespeare was still new to London and yet to establish himself as a playwright, an outbreak of plague swept through the city, forcing the theatres to close until the contagion had abated."
"As scholar Catherine Bates explains, 'a choice and well-turned poem - if it caught the eye of a wealthy patron - might with luck and skill bring its author to the attention of someone in a material position to reward him.'"
"By the time Shakespeare's sonnets were published, that style of poetry had fallen out of fashion. Yet, they are now revered as some of the finest poetry in the English language."
"The sonnets include a dedication to one 'Mr. W. H.', described as being 'the onlie begetter of these insuing sonnets', causing much speculation among literary scholars about its meaning."
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