The Secret Drama of Shakespeare's Sonnets

Through detailed analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnets and their historical background, Massey refutes the commonly held assumption that they are autobiographical.

Gerald Massey (Author)

9781108000901, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 20 July 2009

496 pages
23.4 x 15.6 x 2.5 cm, 0.69 kg

Gerald Massey's work of 1888 presented a strong argument against the many theorists who viewed Shakespeare's Sonnets as autobiographical – 'a permanent reply to Shakespeare's misinterpreters'. Beginning by outlining the known background and context of the Sonnets, Massey proceeds to wage what he terms his 'battle against fictions, fallacies, forgeries, and groundless assumptions'. Who were the Sonnets addressed to, if anyone, and what is the significance of the inscription in the edition of 1609? What is the correct arrangement of the Sonnets, and why did Shakespeare himself give personal testimony to their 'purity'? Following detailed descriptions of the many different theories, Massey provides close readings and analysis of the Sonnets themselves to dispute the autobiographical claims, and to demonstrate that the Sonnets are 'partly personal and partly dramatic'.

1. Preliminary account of the sonnets
2. Lues Browniana
3. Primary facts and fundamental fallacies
4. Personal sonnets 1-13
5. Personal sonnets 14–26
6. Personal sonnets 38
7. Dramatic sonnets 29–31
8. Personal sonnet 32
9. Dramatic sonnets 33–42
10. Dramatic sonnet 144
11. Personal sonnet 39
12. Dramatic sonnets 36–56
13. Personal Sonnets 53–65
14. Dramatic sonnets 66–69
15. Personal sonnets 70
16. Personal sonnets 71–77
17. Personal sonnet 78–86
18. Dramatic sonnets 87–93
19. Dramatic sonnets 94–96
20. Dramatic sonnets 97–99
21. Personal sonnets 100–108
22. Dramatic sonnets 109–122
23. Personal sonnet 116
24. Dramatic sonnets 123–125
25. Personal sonnet 107
26. Personal sonnet 115
27. Fragment of a personal sonnet 126
28. Dramatic sonnets 127–154
29. Reprint of the sonnets
30. Summary of Conclusions
Part II. Biographia Literaria: 31. Shakespeare's Southampton
32. Sidney's Stella
33. Shakespeare and Bacon
34. The man Shakespeare and his private friends.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: general [DSB]