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The Dark Lady is a character that appears in Shakespeare’s Sonnets 127 – 152. She is called 'Dark Lady' because of her outer appearance in the sonnets in which she is described as having “raven black” eyes and black hair. Furthermore, she is described as a beauty which contradicts the previous beauty ideals: “In the old age black was not counted fair (…) But now is black beauty's successive heir”. In his Sonnet 127, where she was mentioned for the first time, it seems that her appearance may not necessarily make her conventionally attractive but from a personal perspective e.g., the speaker’s point of view | The Dark Lady is a character that appears in Shakespeare’s Sonnets 127 – 152. She is called 'Dark Lady' because of her outer appearance in the sonnets in which she is described as having “raven black” eyes and black hair. Furthermore, she is described as a beauty which contradicts the previous beauty ideals: “In the old age black was not counted fair (…) But now is black beauty's successive heir”. In his Sonnet 127, where she was mentioned for the first time, it seems that her appearance may not necessarily make her conventionally attractive but from a personal perspective e.g., the speaker’s point of view. However, the use of language and the description of the Dark Lady are far more openly sexual compared to the previous sonnets of the Fair Youth. The Dark Lady seems to address the speaker’s sexual desire because she is brave and emancipated enough to ignore the common beauty ideals and is able to stand out from the crowd. She is a contrast to common conventions and especially this breach with old rules of behaviour and look makes her irresistibly attractive to the speaker. Throughout the 36 Sonnets, the speaker and the Dark Lady have a multi-faceted relationship because on one side there strong desire and attraction towards the lady but on the other side there is a cursing frustration regarding his unfulfilled desire.<br> | ||
There is speculation whether the Dark Lady is based on a real person and there is no consensus to an answer to that question. Currently the most convincing theory says that she is not based on a real historical figure but just a construct of Shakespeare’s’ imagination | There is speculation whether the Dark Lady is based on a real person and there is no consensus to an answer to that question. Currently the most convincing theory says that she is not based on a real historical figure but just a construct of Shakespeare’s’ imagination<br> | ||
'''Bibliography<'''br> | |||
Frampton, Saul. In search of Shakespeare's dark lady. The Guardian. 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/aug/10/search- | |||
shakespeares-dark-lady-florio. Accessed 30th June 2022 | |||
Dark Lady Sonnets 127-154. Hudson Shakespeare Company. | |||
http://hudsonshakespeare.org/Shakespeare%20Library/sonnets/sonnets127thru154.htm#:~:text=At%20such%20who%20not%20born,says%20-beauty%20should%20look%20so. Accessed 30th June 2022 | |||
Pichler, Chris. Das Geheimnis um Shakespeares Dark-Lady Sonette. ORF. 2018. https://oe1.orf.at/artikel/428487/Das-Geheimnis-um- | |||
Shakespeares-Dark-Lady-Sonette. Accessed 30th June 2022 | |||
Sammel, Eva. Shakespeare's "Dark Lady"-sonnets: The hell of sexuality – the sexuality of hell. 2005. Universität des Saarlandes. | |||
Latest revision as of 13:29, 30 June 2022
The Dark Lady is a character that appears in Shakespeare’s Sonnets 127 – 152. She is called 'Dark Lady' because of her outer appearance in the sonnets in which she is described as having “raven black” eyes and black hair. Furthermore, she is described as a beauty which contradicts the previous beauty ideals: “In the old age black was not counted fair (…) But now is black beauty's successive heir”. In his Sonnet 127, where she was mentioned for the first time, it seems that her appearance may not necessarily make her conventionally attractive but from a personal perspective e.g., the speaker’s point of view. However, the use of language and the description of the Dark Lady are far more openly sexual compared to the previous sonnets of the Fair Youth. The Dark Lady seems to address the speaker’s sexual desire because she is brave and emancipated enough to ignore the common beauty ideals and is able to stand out from the crowd. She is a contrast to common conventions and especially this breach with old rules of behaviour and look makes her irresistibly attractive to the speaker. Throughout the 36 Sonnets, the speaker and the Dark Lady have a multi-faceted relationship because on one side there strong desire and attraction towards the lady but on the other side there is a cursing frustration regarding his unfulfilled desire.
There is speculation whether the Dark Lady is based on a real person and there is no consensus to an answer to that question. Currently the most convincing theory says that she is not based on a real historical figure but just a construct of Shakespeare’s’ imagination
Bibliography<br>
Frampton, Saul. In search of Shakespeare's dark lady. The Guardian. 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/aug/10/search-
shakespeares-dark-lady-florio. Accessed 30th June 2022
Dark Lady Sonnets 127-154. Hudson Shakespeare Company.
http://hudsonshakespeare.org/Shakespeare%20Library/sonnets/sonnets127thru154.htm#:~:text=At%20such%20who%20not%20born,says%20-beauty%20should%20look%20so. Accessed 30th June 2022
Pichler, Chris. Das Geheimnis um Shakespeares Dark-Lady Sonette. ORF. 2018. https://oe1.orf.at/artikel/428487/Das-Geheimnis-um-
Shakespeares-Dark-Lady-Sonette. Accessed 30th June 2022
Sammel, Eva. Shakespeare's "Dark Lady"-sonnets: The hell of sexuality – the sexuality of hell. 2005. Universität des Saarlandes.