Shakespeare and the Rival Poet: Displaying Shakespeare as a Satirist and Proving, the Identity of the Patron and the Rival of the Sonnets (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Arthur Acheson

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0331935430 ISBN 13: 9780331935431

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Unveil Shakespeare through a sharp, satirical lens .

This meticulously argued study revisits the poet’s life, work, and the rival voices that shaped his most famous Sonnets, offering fresh insight into the art behind the words and the hints of personal experience woven through them.

The author traces how Shakespeare’s public persona contrasts with a deeply subjective side found in the Sonnets, presenting a theory about the relationship between the “dark lady” and the poet’s evolving friendships and loyalties. Through close readings of works like Love’s Labour’s Lost and Troilus and Cressida, the book connects decades of writing, publishing, and theatrical practice to a broader narrative about literary influence, patronage, and satire. Readers will encounter a blend of textual analysis and historical context that sheds new light on how early modern authors publicized, revised, and defended their art.

• A clear, accessible map of Shakespeare’s early plays and later masterpieces through the lens of satire and rivalry
• A focused argument about the Sonnets’ intended reader and the identity of the patron and rival
• Connections between revision, publication history, and the shaping of Shakespeare’s dramatic voice
• Context for how Chapman's work interacted with Shakespeare’s career and popular reception

Ideal for readers of Shakespeare studies, literary history, and those curious about how biographical details can illuminate a writer’s work without revealing all the secrets behind the lines.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0331935430
• ISBN 13: 9780331935431
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 381