Wells talks at some length (particularly on pgs 48-50) about many of Shakespeare’s poems being personal rather than for public consumption. “Many of the sonnets, including–indeed, especially–those that seem most revelatory of sexual infatuation and self-disgust, are private poems, personal and almost confessional in nature” (Wells 50). He also speaks on page 49 about how, if Shakespeare had been writing for a public audience, he would have published them himself, etc.
I am drawn to one of his more famous sonnets, number 18, to somewhat question Wells on this point. “When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st; / So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this and this gives life to thee” (No. 18, 12-14). This is as blatant a statement as ever: to paraphrase, Shakespeare says, “as long as you are in my poem, you will live forever.” This does not sound like a man writing into a fire, it sounds like a man who expects his poetry to last. To me, this poem is a clear indication that Shakespeare was writing his work to be read not by one but by many. That this is one of the earliest in his collection is also significant, in that it shows his early recognition that his poetry would live on through the ages.
I agree with you, Nick, about how Wells seems to rather push a point about Shakespeare’s sonnets being private. And while they are “meditations” in the sense that they are focused exercises in wordplay, the sonnets seem created for an audience with an author’s self-awareness — not simply an internal monologue. To me, it seems pointless to group this vast group of poems into one type; some seem like a clear commission (such as the first 17, when he urges the young man to reproduce), while others do seem more confessionary.
Along these lines, I found it curious that Wells never really mentioned the patrons of this sonnet culture and the money/power that came along with writing sonnets, as was described in the Norton intro. It seems to be an essential part of why many wrote sonnets and an undeniably public, commercial aspect that also contradicts Wells’s argument.
I was also interested in Wells’s categorization of Shakespeare as a private poet, which seems to draw a clear distinction between Shakespeare the playwright and Shakespeare the poet. As a playwright, Shakespeare was not only producing plays for public viewing, but the very act of playwriting was considered inherently collaborative, making the role of author a potentially elusive one. Is this one of the distinguishing factors between the two genres?
I was interested in the ways in which Shakespeare adheres to classical forms and also strays away from them. According to Wells, Shakespeare’s sonnets “show none of that dependence on continental models which is so conspicuous a feature of the other sequences” (49). Unlike his contemporaries, Shakespeare pays homage to classical works in “reaction against them rather than in imitation of them.” This idea relates to Wells’ point about Shakespeare’s poems being intended for personal rather than public consumption. While I agree with Nick that Sonnet 18 contradicts Wells’ argument, I also believe Wells provides compelling evidence to suggest that Shakespeare’s sonnets served a more personal, confessional purpose.
I agree with the above comments, and am also reminded of the idea of “copia” that we discussed in class. We discussed how writing many sonnets on the same theme was a value to be praised in a poet because it was a sign of the poet’s literary ability. This suggests to me that he had in mind public consumption for many of the poets that are focused on the same theme. If he was just intending to write these for himself, it would seem odd to write so many to express the same idea. The fact that in writing so many aligns with the public values of the time seems to indicate he had some concern for what the same public would think.
I don’t think that we can make such an easy distinction between private and public. I think it’s very possible that Shakespeare might’ve intended a smaller audience than the one his Sonnets received; however, that is not to say that they were intended to be for his eyes only. Perhaps he didn’t intend for his poems to be as popular as they ended up becoming, but I’m sure he probably had an audience of at least a handful of patrons and other poems in mind.