Shakespeare's Sonnets: Revised

by Katherine Duncan-Jones

Excellent Book

Paperback

Published June 1, 2010

About the author

Katherine Dorothea Duncan-Jones, FRSL (13 May 1941 – 16 October 2022) was an English literature and Shakespeare scholar and was also a Fellow of New Hall, Cambridge, and then Somerville College, Oxford. She was also Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford from 1998 to 2001. She was a scholar of Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

Reviews

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still not a poetry girly unfortunately 😅 but it was nice

[fionamackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

everyone should find something in these sonnets which resonates - you never in fact finish them. Sonnet 43!!

[Nour · Rating 5 out of 5]

This edition is incredible. Duncan-Jones' notes are so insightful at pointing out allusions, double-entendres, and all sorts of historical details/influences from contemporaries. There are times where she offers bits of readings of the sonnets that really open them up hugely, though at times it can feel a bit unfounded, like the similarity she points out in the speaker of sonnets 84-85 to King Lear's Cordelia, which seems like it does nothing else but say "oh, this is neat". All the same, I really loved this.

[Zebulan (Zeb) McKrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sonnets showcase the Bard's mastery of language and emotion, offering a window into the depths of human experience. While some sonnets may feel inaccessible due to their antiquated language, many still resonate with timeless themes of love, beauty, and mortality. The collection is a testament to Shakespeare's enduring influence on poetry and remains a treasure trove for literary enthusiasts seeking to explore the complexities of the heart.