Read The Sonnets and Other Poems Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
The Sonnets and Other Poems (38 page)
4
perhaps by Bartholomew Griffin, though conceivably by Shakespeare
5
by Shakespeare, a version of Berowne’s sonnet to Rosaline in
Love’s Labour’s Lost
(Act 4 scene 2)
6
probably by Bartholomew Griffin, though conceivably by Shakespeare
7
authorship uncertain
8
by Richard Barnfield
9
authorship uncertain (possibly Bartholomew Griffin)
10
authorship uncertain
11
almost certainly by Bartholomew Griffin (a variant version appears in his
Fidessa
, published in 1596)
12
authorship uncertain; the poem is the first stanza of “A maiden’s choice twixt age and youth,” a poem in Thomas Deloney’s collection
Garland of Good Will
(the earliest surviving edition of which is from 1631); it was probably first printed in the 1590s
13
authorship uncertain
14
authorship uncertain
15
authorship unknown
16
by Shakespeare—Dumaine’s poem to Katherine in
Love’s Labour’s Lost
(Act 4 scene 3); also printed, with slight variations, in
England’s Helicon
(1600)
17
authorship uncertain—possibly by Richard Barnfield; also printed in Thomas Weelkes’
Madrigals
(1597) and in
England’s Helicon
(1600)
18
authorship uncertain
19
Sir Hugh Evans sings parts of this in
The Merry Wives of Windsor
(Act 3 scene 1); in
England’s Helicon
(1600) it is attributed to Christopher Marlowe
20
by Richard Barnfield; it first appeared in
Poems in Diverse Humours
(1598); a shorter version was printed in
England’s Helicon
(1600)
1
dial
clock
11
Shrovetide
the three days immediately preceding the season of Lent; this epilogue was written for a court performance by Shakespeare’s company on Shrove Tuesday, 20 February 1599
14
boards
tables
“LET … LAY”
untitled when originally published, this poem has been known since the early 1800s as “The Phoenix and Turtle”
1
bird … lay
never positively identified within the poem; the following line suggests that it might refer to the mythological
Arabian
phoenix
lay
song
3
trumpet
trumpeter
5
shrieking harbinger
often identified as the screech owl, regarded as a bird of ill omen whose cry heralded death
6
precurrer
precursor
fiend
devil
7
Augur
predictor (literally soothsayer who made predictions based on the behavior of birds)
9
session
sitting (of court or parliament)
interdict
prohibit
10
fowl … wing
bird of prey/usurper, despot
11
Save
except
12
obsequy
funeral rites
strict
restricted, exclusive/rigorously maintained
13
surplice
ecclesiastical garment (here, the swan’s white feathers)
14
defunctive
deathly, funereal
can
knows
15
death-divining
the
swan
was thought to know that its own death was coming, at which point it would sing
16
his right
what is due (either to the swan or to the requiem; puns on “rite”)
17
treble-dated
living three times the normal span
18
sable gender
black offspring; the
crow
was thought to reproduce chastely through the touching of beaks and exchange of breath
21
anthem
piece of music or song of praise
23
Phoenix
mythological Arabian bird which lived for five hundred years, was consumed by fire, and then reborn from the ashes; only one existed at a time
turtle
turtledove, a bird renowned for love and constancy
fled
have departed this life
24
In … flame
together in one flame
25
So … as
they so loved that
twain
two
26
essence … one
essential irreducible quality of one thing
27
distincts
separate things
28
Number
the concept of plurality
29
remote
apart
asunder
separated
30
Distance
distance and proximity was seen
32
But … wonder
in anyone other than them it would have been extraordinary
34
right
due, what belonged to him
35
sight
eyes, gaze
36
Either … mine
they belonged to each other/each was the source of the other’s wealth
37
Property
ownership/self-possession
38
the same
itself
39
Single … called
i.e. their nature was both separate and united, so it could not properly be called either one or two
41
confounded
confused/overthrown
42
division grow together
separateness resolve into one
43
To … neither
i.e. each one was nothing without the other
44
Simple
a single unmixed substance
compounded
combined
45
it
i.e. Reason
true
truly/faithful
46
concordant
harmonious
48
what … remain
separate elements remain so united
49
threne
threnody, song of lamentation for the dead
51
Co-supremes
joint rulers
52
THRENOS
threnody, funeral lament
59
posterity
offspring
60
infirmity
physical inability
64
Truth … be
i.e. since both truth and beauty are buried with the phoenix and the turtle, whatever appears like them cannot really be so
65
repair
make their way
love
loyalty and respect (though of course the word can signify a more personal affection also)
pamphlet
short publication (a modest way of referring to this longer work)
without beginning
Lucrece
begins
in medias res
(in the middle of the story)
moiety
small part
warrant
assurance/guarantee (possibly suggesting that Shakespeare had been rewarded for
Venus and Adonis
)
What … done
i.e.
Venus and Adonis
and
Lucrece
what … do
future work
being
you being
my … greater
i.e. I would have been able to produce a greater poem
Lucius Tarquinius
last king of Rome (reigned 535–510 BC)
Superbus
“proud” (Latin)
Servius Tullius
sixth king of Rome (reigned 578–535 BC), killed when his daughter, Tullia, drove her chariot over him
requiring or staying
asking or waiting
suffrages
votes
Ardea
a city of the Latin Rutuli people, about twenty-five miles south of Rome
humour
mood
posted
rode with speed
make trial of
test
avouched
asserted
several disports
various amusements (sexual connotations)
privily
secretly
according … estate
in accordance with his status
Collatium
Collatia, a town ten miles northeast of Rome
ravished
raped
habit
clothing
actor
culprit
dealing
conduct (with grim play on sense of “copulation”)
withal
with that
wherewith
at which
1
post
haste
2
trustless
untrustworthy
false
treacherous
3
Lust-breathèd
inspired by or well-exercised in lust
host
army
4
lightless
smoldering, giving no light
5
aspire
rise, break into flames (perhaps with connotations of penile erection)
6
girdle
encircle, embrace
8
Haply
perhaps, by chance
unhapp’ly
unhappily/by mischance
9
bateless
impossible to blunt
keen
sharp/eager
10
let
cease, stint
11
red and white
i.e. of her complexion
12
triumphed … delight
i.e. shone triumphantly in her face
13
mortal stars
i.e. Lucrece’s eyes
14
aspects
glances/astral positions (which, according to astrology, influenced human affairs)
peculiar duties
expressions of deference that were exclusive to him
19
proud rate
glorious price
20
espousèd
married/attached to
21
But
but neither
peerless
unequaled, incomparable
22
of
by
23
done
over, destroyed
25
Against
exposed to
26
expired … begun
period which has run out, rendered void before properly started
28
fortressed
defended
29
of
in
31
apology
argument, justification
32
singular
notable, eminent/exceptional, oustanding
33
publisher
publicizer
36
Perchance
perhaps
sov’reignty
preeminence
37
Suggested
tempted, incited
proud
arrogant (plays on sense of “sexually desirous”)
issue
offspring
40
Braving compare
defying comparison
41
high-pitched
proud, ambitious
meaner
lesser, lower ranking
vaunt
brag, boast of
42
hap
fortune
want
lack/desire
43
untimely
inopportune
44
all-too-timeless
over-hasty
45
state
high status