{"id":"01KG8B0SXY7ETM08YB45MYC2VC","cid":"bafkreihivwd7f6ztxes754ehrt4youeuszzrybldikcessxgyaftd7fdei","type":"file","properties":{"cid":"bafkreiakvltuitd3izv4bdsc2x3rozn4cv5bkhpr5cn4trgrkpsohisbwu","content_type":"image/jpeg","filename":"02_venus_and_adonis_1905_facsimile_page_0020.jpg","height":2400,"key":"pdf-page-1769806521463-x37g0x679no","label":"02_venus_and_adonis_1905_facsimile_page_0020.jpg","page_number":20,"pdf_type":"born_digital","size":539595,"text":"matter.\n14\nVENUS\nAND\nADONIS\nimpressions\nof\nthe\ncountry-side,\n—\nimpressions\nwhich\nlost\nsome-\nthing of\ntheir\nconcrete distinctness\nand\nfilled\na\nnarrowerspace\nin his\nthought\nin\nadult\nyears,\namid\nthe\nmultifarious\ndistractions\nof\nthe\ntown.\nThe\nsubject-\nThe\nsubjcct,\ntoo,\nsavours of\nthe conditions of youth,\n—\nof what\nShakespeare\ncalled\nin\nhis\nSo?mets\n(LXX.\n9)\n'\nthe\nambush\nof\nyoung\ndays '.\nShakespeare\nchose\nto\noccupy\nhis\nbudding\nfancy with\na\nsomewhat voluptuous\nstory\n—\nan\nun-\nsubstantial dream\nof\npassion\n—\nwhich\nwas\nfirst\nrevealed\nto\nhim\nin\none of\nhis\nclassical\nschool-books,\nand had\nalready\nexercised the energies\nof\nfamous\nversifiers\nof\nhis\nown epoch\nin\nEngland\nand\non the\ncontinent\nof\nEurope.\nAs\nin\nthe\ncase\nof\nmost\nyouthful\nessays\nin\npoetry, the\nchoice of\nso\nwell-\nworn\na\ntopic\nas\nVenus and Adonis shows Shakespeare\nto\nhave\nembarked\nat\nthe\noutset of\nhis\npoetic\ncareer\nin a\ncon-\nsciously imitative\nefibrt,\neven\nif\nthe potency\nof\nhis\nindi-\nviduality stamped\nthe\nfinished\nproduct\nwith\nits\nown\nhallmark.\nOvid\nin\nhis\nMetamorphoses\nhad\nemulated\nthe\nexample\nofTheocritus and\nBion,\nthe\npastoral poets\nof\nGreece,\nin\nnarratingthe\nGreek\nfable of\nVenus\nand\nAdonis.\nOvid's\npoem\nfilled\na\ngenerous space in the\ncurriculum\nof every Elizabethanschool,\nand\nat all\nperiods of\nhis career\nShakespeare\ngavesigns of affectionate familiarity\nwith\nits\ncontents.\nBut\nOvid\nwas\nonly\none of the\nliterary\ncompanions\nof\nShakespeare's youth, and\nthe\nLatin poet\ndealt\nwith\nthis tale\nof\nVenus and\nAdonis\nin bare outline.\nIn spite of his\ndeep\nobligation\nto\nthe great\nRoman,\nShakespeare did not confine\nhis\nearly poetic studies to\nhim. There\nare\nample\nsigns that\nhe\nfilled\nout Ovid's\nbrief\nand somewhat\ncolourless narrative\non\nlines\nsuggested\nby\nelder\nEnglish contemporaries, Spenser\nand Marlowe, Lodge and Greene. In\nfinally\nmanipulating\nthe\ntheme\nthere cannot be\nmuch\ndoubt,\ntoo, that\nShakespeare","text_extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:55:21.463Z","text_extracted_by":"pdf-processor","text_has_content":true,"text_source":"born_digital","uploaded":true,"width":1632},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG89K4X0DM39SSQK43XXG34R","predicate":"derived_from"},{"peer":"01KG89JREDR8WY5QQGYR5FZRDY","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:55:22.302Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:55:25.146Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFFH6ETXGRVD10WPNP3007D6"}}