Literature: Exploring Shakespeare’s Sonnets

The course will begin by defining the anatomy of the sonnet, the early practitioners of the form such as Sir Thomas Wyatt and Surrey, before we discover the sonnet boom of the Elizabethan Age.

We will then move onto discussing the date of the sonnets through textual analysis and historical references. We will also examine the nature of the addressee of the sonnets, and the figures of the Fair Youth and the Dark Lady. This will reveal the manner in which Shakespeare’s sexuality has been argued over, misapplied and revised by editors down the span of centuries since the sonnet sequence was written. All this will reveal Shakespeare as a complex and intriguing individual, and much more than the author of straightforward love poetry.

Our discussions will provide many opportunities for discussion, and you will be advised on further reading to enrich your experience. The course is suitable for all, whatever your level of knowledge of Shakespeare and his world. Come along and participate and bring your opinions to the table, enabling a rich and provocative atmosphere of debate.