The Poems

“Venus and Adonis”
In which Venus is a thirsty cougar who pursues a young boy. Adonis would rather die than be anywhere near her, so he runs off in the dead of night on a hunt, and ends up getting killed by a boar.

“The Rape of Lucrece”
In which Tarquin spends half the poem rationalizing his decision to rape his friend's wife, and Lucrece spends the other half plotting her own death and linking her misery to the fall of Troy.

“The Phoenix and the Turtle”
In which two birds, a phoenix and a turtle (dove), fall in love and die.

“The Passionate Pilgrim”
In which Shakespeare rewrites a few sonnets, summarizes “Venus and Adonis,” and talks about an English lady.

“A Lover's Complaint”
In which a lover complains a lot, using ‘O's to convey his feelings.