About the book
In his own time, Shakespeare was best known to the reading public as a poet, and even today copies of his Sonnets regularly outsell everything else he wrote. For this edition, Stephen Orgel offers a warmly personal and original introduction to Shakespeare's best-loved and most widely read poems. Careful readings emphasize their sexual and temperamental ambiguity, their textual history and the special perils an editor faces when modernizing the original quarto's spelling, punctuation, and even layout. The edition retains the text of the Sonnets prepared by Gwynne Evans, together with his detailed notes on each, and a line-by-line commentary. Throughout, the 'voices' of the sonnets appear in all their intricacy and dramatic power.
Editions of The Sonnets
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780521861182
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780521678377
Read an Excerpt
In his own time, Shakespeare was best known to the reading public as a poet, and even today copies of his Sonnets regularly outsell everything else he wrote. For this edition, Stephen Orgel offers a warmly personal and original introduction to Shakespeare's best-loved and most widely read poems. Careful readings emphasize their sexual and temperamental ambiguity, their textual history and the special perils an editor faces when modernizing the original quarto's spelling, punctuation, and even layout. The edition retains the text of the Sonnets prepared by Gwynne Evans, together with his detailed notes on each, and a line-by-line commentary. Throughout, the 'voices' of the sonnets appear in all their intricacy and dramatic power.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Sonnets about?
In his own time, Shakespeare was best known to the reading public as a poet, and even today copies of his Sonnets regularly outsell everything else he wrote. For this edition, Stephen Orgel offers a warmly personal and original introduction to Shakespeare's best-loved and most widely read poems. Careful readings emphasize their sexual and temperamental ambiguity, their textual history and the special perils an editor faces when modernizing the original quarto's spelling, punctuation, and even layout. The edition retains the text of the Sonnets prepared by Gwynne Evans, together with his detailed notes on each, and a line-by-line commentary. Throughout, the 'voices' of the sonnets appear in all their intricacy and dramatic power.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Sonnets?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Plays, playscripts, drama > Classic plays / drama
Where can I read a sample of The Sonnets?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780521861182
Is The Sonnets part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series The New Cambridge Shakespeare
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Sonnets?
William Shakespeare
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Sonnets is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780521861182) and paperback(ISBN 9780521678377)