Answer TWO of the following for our next class:
Q1: These sonnets begin the downward spiral of the poet's relationship with the young man. Though we've seen flickers of this previously, where does it become most apparent that their relationship has ended? What does the poet seem to accuse the young man of? Or was it his fault?
Q2: Sonnets 79, 80, 85, and 86 introduce a rival poet, someone else who is either writing sonnets for the young man, or writing plays for the young man to act in (if we follow that theory). Since Shakespeare clearly believes his verse has the greatest chance of surviving the ages (Sonnet 18, etc.), why is he worried about a rival? What does the rival seem to have that he lacks?
Q3: In several sonnets so far, including 66, 71, 72, and now 87, the poet seems to be taking his leave of the young man, and basically saying the relationship is over. What seems to keep the poet coming back to his favorite subject and Muse? Do these poems seem sincere--or are they calculated to win him back?
Q4: Sonnet 73 is one of Shakespeare's most famous and most quoted, even though its theme seems to follow the typical memento mori formula "death is always with us, even in youth, etc." What makes this poem particularly powerful, so that it rises above the "death" cliche and says something powerful and unusual? In other words, how does it draw attention to itself?
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