ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Southampton was a keen theatre-goer and generous patron of writers including William Shakespeare, John Florio and Thomas Nash. Two of Shakespeare’s longer poems, ‘Venus and Adonis’ (1593) and ‘The Rape of Lucrece’ (1594) were dedicated to him.

Detailed explanation-2: -Shakespeare dedicated his narrative poem Venus and Adonis to the Earl in 1593, and then, in 1594 he dedicated The Rape of Lucrece to him in very extravagant terms: ‘The love I dedicate to your lordship is without end … What I have done is yours; what I have to do is yours; being part in all I have, devoted yours. ‘

Detailed explanation-3: -Shakespeare’s two narrative poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, were dedicated to Southampton, who is frequently identified as the Fair Youth of Shakespeare’s Sonnets.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Sonnets’ dedication reads: “To the only begetter of these ensuing sonnets Mr WH. All happiness and that eternity promised by our ever-living poet wisheth the well-wishing adventurer in setting forth. TT [Thorpe].”

Detailed explanation-5: -He refused. It was not that he didn’t like Burghley’s granddaughter – in fact, he liked her: they had grown up together and were the best of friends. It was, he said, that he was opposed to marriage and he told everyone that he intended never to marry. The young man’s mother and other relatives were alarmed.