The Principal Characters of Shakespeares Sonnets :: William Shakespeare, Sonnets

One of the many intriguing aspects of Shakespeargons Sonnets is the identity of the principal characters within them, of which there are three - The Young Man - The Dark Lady - The Rival Poet Nowhere in the Sonnets are these people explicitly identified and their anonymity has spawned much flip over as to who these people could have been. The content of the Sonnets that refer to these people however, undoubtedly show that these were indeed real, living people and not imaginary inventions by the originator for the sake of literary exercise. Many poets of the Elizabethan and Jacobean age wrote verse to others and did not refrain from identifying who they were addressing. Some poesys were clearly dedicate to the addres impinge ons, such as Spensers Prothalamion which is dedicated in honovr of the dovble marriage of the two Honorable & vertuous Ladies, the Ladie Elizabeth and the Ladie Katherine Somerset, Daughters to the Right Honourable the Earle of Worcester and espoused to the two worthie Gentlemen M. Henry Gilford, and M. William Peter Esquyers. And Spenser makes clear that the poem is about the Somerset ladies within the poem itself by punning on their names in the 4th. stanza But rather Angels or of Angels breede Yet were they bred of Somers-heat they say. Where poems were not explicitly dedicated to the addressee their identity could simmer down be found in the poems verse, such as in Sidneys Astrophel and Stella Doth euen grow rich, meaning my Stellaes name and Rich in all beauties which mans eye can see Beauties so farre from reach of words that we Abase her praise saying she doth excell Rich in the treasure of deserud renowne, Rich in the riches of a royall heart, Rich in those gifts which giue theternall crowne Who, though most rich in these and eury part