Venus and Adonis

Venus and Adonis is a narrative poem written by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1592-1593. The poem is a retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Venus (the goddess of love) and Adonis (a handsome mortal youth). In the poem Venus falls in love with Adonis and tries to seduce him but he is more interested in hunting than in love. Despite Venus''s warnings about the dangers of the hunt Adonis sets off on a hunt and is eventually killed by a wild boar. Venus is devastated by his death and mourns his passing. The poem explores themes of love desire and mortality and is known for its sensuous and vivid language. It was one of Shakespeare''s earliest published works and was dedicated to Henry Wriothesley the Earl of Southampton. Venus and Adonis was popular in its time and went through many editions but it is now primarily studied as a precursor to Shakespeare''s later plays and as an example of his skill as a storyteller and poet.