Published in 1593 while plague closed the theatres, it retells Ovid: the goddess of love attempts, at length and in vain, to seduce a beautiful boy who would honestly rather go hunting. Erotic, comic, and gorgeous by turns, it was the runaway bestseller of its age.
Six-line stanzas, easy to read in an evening, and full of country detail — the digression on the hare is a small marvel. Meet the young Shakespeare showing off exactly how well he could write.
Venus and Adonis on screen
A curated guide to Venus and Adonis on film and television is in the works.
Reading Venus and Adonis this year?
Mark it in your record when you finish — one seat, kept for decades.