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Giovanni and Shakespeare The sonnets of William Shakespeare and Nikki Giovanni revolve around the theme, which was the matter of foremost importance, for both authors love. Although, the understanding of love, by both authors, is absolutely different, in its essence. Shakespeare talks about the love to a woman, while Giovanni reflects on the love for friends, parents and her immediate surroundings, when she was growing up as a child. There is no doubt that Shakespeare's poetical language is much more refined than Giovanni, which might prompt us to think that Shakespearian type of love has more artistic value. This is, of course, is not true. The love, regardless of its nature, has always served as the best kind of an inspiration, and not just in strictly poetical sense of this word.
Neither of the authors mentions the word love in their poems. Yet, in the case with Sonnet number 18, the reader gets to be embraced by what Shakespeare felt towards the woman, to whom he dedicated his poem: Shall I compare thee to a summers day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate says author, and somehow we know that his feeling is genuine. Partially, this is because Shakespeare's love has tragic properties. He writes about the object of his love with quiet awe, which leaves no room for the passion. This is because his lady of heart was probably too distant, because of her higher social status.
Therefore, the Shakespeare's love could never actuality itself. But this is exactly what kept it pure and untainted. It is very real, but its illusory essence can only be preserved with the mean of poetical rhyme. It is not by mere accident that Shakespeare rightfully predicts his love, as being able to survive the time.
Author knew that his poetic genius will keep it preserved: Nor shall Death brag thou wander " st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grows: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this and this gives life to thee Giovanni's love has more philosophical nature. It is obvious that the author did a fair amount of thinking, before coming up with the statement like this: I really hope no white person ever has cause to write about me because they never understand that Black love... Giovanni. Yet, despite her pathos, the author does not go as far as to enlighten us about what Black love actually is, except for the fact that somehow she associates it with living in Woodlawn with no inside toilet and with fathers drinking. Giovanni is trying to prove, mostly to herself, that the issue of wealth is of no importance to her: ... theyll (White people) probably talk about my hard childhood and never understand that all the while I was quote happy.
Yet, unlike Shakespeare, Giovanni subconsciously associates her love of family with the absence of certain luxuries that others take for granted. This makes her love conditional, as compared to the unconditional love of Shakespeare. What if Giovanni was born in rich family? Would she be still feeling in the same way about big tubs that folk in Chicago barbecue in?
Probably not. For the poet it is important to maintain an intellectual integrity, in order to be respected. Giovanni appears to have overlooked this important rule. This is why, her argument that the love should be thought of in terms of wealth, sounds a bit banal.
It is the same if person, who rides buses all his life, would start ranting about the bus ride, as being superior to driving car. Actually, despite the fact that Giovanni's type of love is comparable with Shakespeare's feeling, Giovanni did a very good job vulgarizing the subject in her Nikki-Rosa. Therefore, even though that the love for family and the love for woman are both worthy to be expressed in poetical way, we should not draw parallels between Sonnet number 18 and Giovanni's masterpiece. It seems that Giovanni might have a point, after all the Black love can probably be never understood by the people with even basic knowledge of what poetic finesse actually stands for. Bibliography: Giovanni, Nikki Nikki-Rosa. 2003.
Project Echoes. 29 Nov. 2006. web Shakespeare, William Sonnet number 18. 2002. No Sweat Shakespeare. 29 Nov. 2006. web
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Research essay sample on Type Of Love Nov 2006
