Venus & Adonis

Written by William Shakespeare

Narrated by David Burke, Eve Best, Benjamin Soames and 2 more

These two great poems date from Shakespeare’s early years and are full of passion and invention. In Venus and Adonis, the goddess of love pleads with the beautiful boy to submit to her advances and become her love – but he only wants to hunt boar. In the more serious Rape of Lucrece, Shakespeare draws on the Roman take of the Emperor Tarquin’s desire for Lucrece and its tragic consequencies. These poems give prominent parts to the two heroines, and Clare Corbett and Eve Best shine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks
• Release date: Sep 1, 2006
• ISBN: 9789629546717

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) is arguably the most famous playwright to ever live. Born in England, he attended grammar school but did not study at a university. In the 1590s, Shakespeare worked as partner and performer at the London-based acting company, the King’s Men. His earliest plays were Henry VI and Richard III, both based on the historical figures. During his career, Shakespeare produced nearly 40 plays that reached multiple countries and cultures. Some of his most notable titles include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar. His acclaimed catalog earned him the title of the world’s greatest dramatist.

Reviews for Venus & Adonis

[lizpatanders · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of Shakespeare's narrative poems. It's been about a year and a half since I read it, but I remember really enjoying it at the time. It's beautifully written. One thing I found entertaining was the fact that Venus was so lustful and domineering over Adonis. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys Shakespeare's plays.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good poem, dedicated to the Earl of Southampton. Shakespeare regarded it as his first publication, and that statement necessarily excluded his dramatic work. Th poem is not a retelling of any Greek or Roman work, but a love story using the names the readers would find common enough to set the matter of the poem firmly in their minds without descending to the gritty particulars. It was quite popular during the playwright's lifetime. It bears up well under rereading.

[jveezer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

According to Crispin Elsted, of the Barbarian Press, Venus & Adonis is one of two lengthy narrative poems written by Shakespeare early in his career, when plague forced the closure of the theatres and he took the opportunity to write something non-theatrical. This poem, The Rape of Lucrece, and probably the sonnets – or at least a good many of them – date from the early 1590s.Having recently read Lysistrata, I was struck by the two different approaches taken by the women in these two books. In Lysistrata, the women refuse to have sex with the men until they end a senseless war (Hmmmm...are you reading this Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Cheney?); while in Venus & Adonis the heroine tries to keep Adonis from dangerous boar hunting with all that her love can offer. It worked for Lysistrata but not for Venus. I love Shakespeare's use of natural imagery in the verse:Fondling, she saith, since I have hemd thee hereWithin the circuit of this ivorie pale,Ile be a parke, and thou shalt be my deare:Feed where thou wilt, on mountaine, or in dale;Graze on my lips, and if those hils be drie,Stray lower, where the pleasant fountaines lie.As for this edition from Barbarian Press, it is out of this world. The illustrations by Andy English are absolutely beautiful. The setting and choice of type and the binding make the book a joy to hold and read. This was my first book from the Barbarian Press and I highly recommend a look by those interested in small private presses. The proprietor's are delightful and knowledgeable as well.Venus & Adonis was shortlisted for the first Gregynog Prize for Letterpress Book Design, Oxford, 2005.

[coach_of_alva · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Two early poems of Shakespeare, based on love and lust from classical mythology. The first is a stillborn May-December romance where the goddess Venus tries to seduce, then protect, a young boy she loves, failing at both. The goddess of love here comes across as a desperate cougar, oddly lacking in power, not so surprisingly lacking in sense. I'm not sure how I would have felt about the goddess if I had merely read her story. Instead I listened to Claire Corbett read her, and she gave her such heart that I could forgive her folly and tyranny and mourn her loss.The second work was even darker, with Shakespeare probing the psyches of a rapist and his victim. The greatest dramatic psychologist had early shown an interest in extreme psychopathology with Richard III, but I found the power and depth that he showed here almost worthy of the tragedies he would write a decade later. Eve Best, a star on the London and Broadway stage, nearly brought tears to my eyes as the wronged heroine examined her options and decided on suicide.