This is a series of single session studies on Shakespeare’s Sonnets. Each session is completely standalone, and participants are welcome to join as few or many sessions as they please.
‘There is not a part of the writings of this Poet wherein is found in equal compass a greater number of exquisite feelings felicitously expressed.’
William Wordsworth on Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Shakespeare’s sonnets have inspired, fascinated and disturbed readers for centuries. Full of mystery and imagination, they dazzle us even as they drive us mad: Who is the fair youth to whom so many of these sonnets are addressed? Who is the dark lady, the complex beloved of so many others? Who is the rival poet and what power does he possess? Are these lyric expressions of tortured love – among other themes – the key to understanding the mysterious life of Shakespeare, or are they not autobiographical at all?
Through close analysis and hands-on interpretive work, we will examine Shakespeare’s kaleidoscopic exploration of his speaker’s romantic and tortured feelings and experiences.
JOINING DETAILS:
- £30 for two hour-study
- Session #9 – Sonnets 50, 51 and 55
- Sessions are facilitated by Julie Sutherland
- All sessions are held on Zoom
- Before the session, Julie Sutherland will send links to online versions or attach specific copies for discussion. It is highly recommended that you print these off before joining this hands-on session. If you have a printed edition, please also have it ready so we can consider variations between texts. Have a notebook and pencil on hand as well!
An event hosted by the London Literary Salon, an international community of readers who spend time together virtually or in-person, engaging in enriching discussions about literature and ideas.