Venus and Adonis

I have thoroughly been enjoying reading Venus and Adonis. I was at first a bit reluctant because as with many I have trouble getting through Shakespeare. I read the introduction as well and I think that this is why I was able to really engage in the poem, it helped a lot to clarify not only the works of Shakespeare but this poem specifically. The introduction sparked many questions for me and I found myself deep in thought before I had even gotten to the poem.

I love the imagery in Shakespeare's poem, perhaps because I can actually understand it. My favorite image though is one pointed out in the introduction:
"Whereat her tears began to turn their tide, being prisoned in her eye like pearls in glass." Lines 979- 980
These lines portray a sort of innocence in Venus, which is ironic because she is everything but that. The image of the pearls makes me think of purity, simplicity, and solitariness. Again, ironic because the poem is filled with neither simplicity or purity, but it is with solitariness. When I imagined the pearl and what it meant to me, I was reminded of what we think love should be...simple, pure- it is everything except those things.

The introduction talks about Venus and her maternal reflection. The image of the stallion seems significant here because it's reflecting a want to tame the stallion. The representation of the stallion is a strong image by itself, pairing a powerful, controlling, older female with this image is a clear representation of Venus and Adonis' relationship.

In the middle of the introduction it is said, "In a sense, everyone loses." Yes, in those tormenting love affairs everyone does lose, but I can't help but point out that even in the most tragic or tormenting of situations there is a growth of some sort.

Starting the poem (lines 43-54), I couldn't help but ask myself a lot of questions/ present myself with many different thoughts to which I seemed to have absolutely no answers. Thoughts and questions...answerless. In these lines though, I couldn't help but see only the sadness in Venus. Here she is, this powerful female, controlling the younger male she is infatuated with, yet still there is sadness. Of course there is sadness, how horrible to be THE goddess of love...any goddess...any lover...and know that the one you want so badly, love so much is not in love with you.

I guess in the end, everyone really does lose.