Commentary

Shakespeare and Marlowe and metaphors from nature

The fundamental difference between the poetry of Christopher Marlowe and that of William Shakespeare is the source of their metaphors. For Marlowe it is nearly always classical mythology, for Shakespeare it is nearly always nature. Those who speculate that it is possible that Marlowe wrote Shakespeare's works clealy have never bothered to read either author.

Neither does Shakespeare borrow his natural metaphors from precedent. Most of the metaphors he uses come directly from his life in Stratford: from his involvement with animals, poaching and observing nature generally with a meticulous eye.

Even as an empty eagle, sharp by fast,

Tires with her beak on feathers, flesh and bone,

Shaking her wings, devouring all in haste,

Till either gorge be stuff'd or prey be gone;

Even so she kissed his brow, his cheek, his chin,

And where she ends she doth anew begin.

Venus and Adonis, 62-67

This is somebody speaking who has seen an eagle feeding.

Birds of prey mentioned by Shakespeare in his works include eagle, buzzard, eyas, falcon, hawk, kite, owl, osprey, pelican, tercel, and vulture (see here). Whether the imagery is suitable for describing Venus feeding on Adonis cheek is debatable, but very distinctive. More suitable perhaps, the image of helplessness which follows shortly after:

Look how a bird lies tangled in a net,

So fasten'd in her arms Adonis lies;

Venus and Adonis, 76-77

Or the image of a dive-dapper:

Upon this promise did he raise his chin,

Like a dive-dapper peering through a wave

Venus and Adonis, 85-86

The poem as a whole is replete with this imagery from nature, and speaks of Shakespeare's youth in the country, and of his involvement with poaching, well documented by a variety of commentators close to the time.

Love or hunting

We are very quickly into the story, the two principle characters and their motivations are set out in the first verse:

Rose-cheekt Adonis hied him to the chase,

Hunting he lov'd, but love he laught to scorne:

Sick-thoughted Venus makes amaine unto him,

And like a bold fac'd suter ginnes to woo him.

Venus and Adonis, 3-6

Shakespeare does not explain why it is that Venus so dotes on Adonis. Ovid details the fact that Venus was grazed by one of Cupid's arrows when Adonis was by.

Red and white imagery

More white, and red, then doves, or roses are

Venus and Adonis, 9

Twixt crimson shame, and anger ashie pale,

Being red she loves him best, and being white,

Her best is betterd with a more delight.

Venus and Adonis, 76-78

White and red are traditional epithets of beauty, white being associated with chastity, purity, and fear; red with passion and shame. The line has added significance for Henry Wriothesley (probably pronounced Rosely), Earl of Southampton (to whom the poem is dedicated) two red and one white rose being depicted on the arms of the town of Southampton.

White and red for beauty figure also in the poetry of Ovid, of medieval balladeers and sonneteers, and of many contemporary poets, including Marlowe and Spenser:

'A countenance of snow, flushed with red: shining eyes, joyful and full of love - I do not believe there is a woman in the world so full of beauty and truth.' Guido Guinizelli (1220-76)

'Hath white and red in it such wondrous powre,

That it can pierce through th'eyes unto the hart,

And therein stirre such rage and restless stowre,

As nought but death can stint his dolours smart?' Edmund Spenser(1552-1599) An Hymne in Honour of Beautie

White and red roses were also used by Shakespeare to emblematise the so-called 'wars of the roses'. The scene in 1 Henry VI (written some time before Venus) of the opposing forces plucking white and red roses to signify their allegiance to either the House of York or Lancaster is set in the Temple garden, London (being the original church of the Templars) . The Temple referred to was probably the Old Temple which had become Southampton House around 1550, and the garden therefore Wriothesley's garden.

'To plucke him from his horse'

Among the supernatural feats carried out by Venus during the course of the poem, this is probably the strangest. Venus is depicted plucking Adonis from his horse and depositing him on the ground while fastening the horse's bridle to a ragged bough with the other hand.

Over one arme the lustie courser's raine,

Under her other was the tender boy,

Who blusht, and powted in a dull disdaine,

With leaden appetite, unapt to toy,

She red and hot as coles of glowing fier,

He red for shame, but frosty in desier.

Venus and Adonis, 31-37

The inventiveness of love

Venus uses all sorts of arguments to convince Adonis to love her: that she has been wooed by Mars, the mighty god of war; why not lips on lips, if eyes in eyes; if you are ashamed, close your eyes, then it will be as though it were night; the violets around us will not blab;' beautie within itself should not be wasted'; were I ugly you might have an excuse; 'my flesh is soft, and plumpe, my marrow burning'; I will enchant your ear with discourse; do not act like Narcissus who died to kisse his reflection in the brook; torches are made to light, jewels to wear; by the law of nature, you are bound to breed. All to no avail. (lines 91-174) She continues to express her frustration,and he his refusal until line 258, when he departs in search of his horse.

The horse

Lines 259-330 offer a long interlude describing Adonis' horse's reaction to seeing a 'breeding jennet' close by, with a detailed analysis of the points to look for in a horse:

Round hoof'd, short jointed, fetlocks shag, and long,

Broad breast, full eye, small head, and nostrill wide,

High crest, short eares, straight legs, & passing strõg,

Thin mane, thicke taile, broad buttock, tender hide:

Looke what a Horse should have, he did not lack,

Save a proud rider on so proud a back.

Venus and Adonis, 295-300

Further wooing

A further three hundred lines are dedicated to Venus' further wooing of Adonis, and, when she has finished wooing, a further two hundred lines to dissuade him from hunting the boar, which Venus fears is dangerous for him. She urges him to hunt the hare, and gives a detailed account of the behaviour of the hare when hunted. Adonis, for his part, gives a spirited defence of his position, again rejecting Venus' proferred love

Call it not love, for love to heaven is fled,

Since sweating lust on earth usurpt his name...

Venus and Adonis, 792-797