Shakespeare's Sonnets
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This post, and several following are meant to be "make-up" posts for the pieces I haven't posted on yet. I think they're in order, but I'm not sure. Hey, I tried...
Anyway, I really enjoyed reading the Sonnets. The one I found to be the most interesting was Sonnet 130, where the narrator talks about his mistress. There are countless pieces of poetry out there written about mistresses, but what sets this one apart is that instead of complimenting the woman with otherworldly descriptions of beauty and grace, Shakespeare talks about how she's just an average, run of the mill woman.
It also says something about the standards of beauty for the Elizabethan era versus what they are today. Back then, they valued pale, snowy white skin, big red lips and big breasted women. Today, I think the major difference is in skin tone. Women today spend a lot of money to get that golden tan, yet back then that would have made you look like a poor field worker, and therefore unattractive.
Anyway, I really enjoyed reading the Sonnets. The one I found to be the most interesting was Sonnet 130, where the narrator talks about his mistress. There are countless pieces of poetry out there written about mistresses, but what sets this one apart is that instead of complimenting the woman with otherworldly descriptions of beauty and grace, Shakespeare talks about how she's just an average, run of the mill woman.
It also says something about the standards of beauty for the Elizabethan era versus what they are today. Back then, they valued pale, snowy white skin, big red lips and big breasted women. Today, I think the major difference is in skin tone. Women today spend a lot of money to get that golden tan, yet back then that would have made you look like a poor field worker, and therefore unattractive.
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