Difference between Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser

In the tunnel of literature we come across different gems. We all must have heard about Shakespeare and many other literary gems. Shakespeare’s Hamlet, his poetic compositions, his tragedies are so much stuck in our minds that we can’t deny our love for them. Former is the poet of nature and latter is more closely associated with the purity in relation and faith. Shakespeare being a lover of nature started his travel and ends up writing out tragedies. On the other, Edmund Spenser was a poet of nature too. In his works, we find very difficult diction along with different sonnet styles. But there is a huge difference between Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser:

Shakespeare  

William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright and actor, was born on 26 April 1564 and died on 23 April 1616. He was married to a lady named Anne Hathway in 1582. He wrote during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. He is regarded as England’s national poet. He is called as the ‘Bard of Avon’ as he was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. After his marriage he wrote up a number of sonnets. At that time, his writings got a high point and high reach. Shakespeare in the meantime, started intermingling with nature and wrote several poems like A Fairy Land, a Fairy Song, Bridal Song, Dirge, Aubade, A Madrigal, A Lover’s Complaint, Carpe Diem and many others. He was a poet of nature and language. His works are mainly known for his love for nature.

Edmund Spenser

Edmund Spenser was an English pot born during the reign of the Tudor dynasty. He was born in London. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsman of Modern English verse. His famous poems are Wrenock, The Faire Queen, the Shepheardes Calendar, Tears of the Muses, Iambicum Trimetrum and many other which reflect his psyche and thoughts towards the world.

Shakespeare vs. Edmund Spenser

Difference in their sonnets

Shakespeare’s works have been recorded and maintained in the form of manuscripts. Spenser, who was perhaps the most religious of the poets, Christianises Neo-Platonism, applied his belief and faith to some of his work, as that of innocent marriage in Amoretti. And of course, Shakespeare, takes Neo-Platonism to a completely diverse level, picturing and describing a man instead of a woman, portraying woman extremely negatively in his all sonnets almost.

When we compare these with Elizabethan era’s sonnets, we can say that, Shakespearean sonnet uses 3 quatrains followed by a rhymed couplet. It follows the rhyming scheme of abab cdcd efef for three quatrains and gg for the couplet. It makes use of seven syllables. The beginning of third quatrain marks the Volta to show a ‘turn’ in the mood of the poem. Here, the poet expresses a revelation or epiphany. The closing couplet summarizes the entire poem. An example of Shakespearean sonnet is Sonnet-18 Shall I Compare thee to a summer’s day?

On the other hand, when it comes to the Spenserian sonnets, it uses three quatrains as well with a rhymed couplet. It follows the rhyming scheme of abab bcbc, cdcd and ee with the notion of 5 syllables. It has a quatrain made up of 3 Sicilian quatrains. The metre is iambic pentameter. It uses a Volta sometime after the second quatrain and epiphany is arrived at logically. There is a metaphor, conflict or idea in each quatrain and the rhyming couplet provides the resolution. Some examples of Spenserian sonnet are Amoretti, Sonnet LXV,

Their beliefs and views on religion

When we consider their beliefs regarding Christianity and other religions, especially, in two of the poets work namely, Spenser’s 22, and Shakespeare’s 151, the poets explain their differences. Spenser according to his religious beliefs, Christianises Neo-Platonic supposed and applies it to his marriage; while Shakespeare instead decides to reject, even goes to the extreme of mocking those Neo-Platonic tradition and gives importance to the role of men while transmitting an anti-traditional female image. Spenser wastes to focus to a larger extent on Neo-Platonism in his simpler, more frank sonnets; though, when he does include Neo-Platonic thought, he makes it Christian, placing it in the Christianity point of view.

 Famous works

When it comes to Shakespeare, he is famous for writing tragedies, comedies, tragicomedies and sonnets. His plays were dramatised in public and private theatres through out England. One of the famous theatres is ‘Globe theatre’. His Hamlet is based on the philosophy of existentialism, in which the tragedy of a being is discussed. Other plays from the pen of the great playwright are:

• Macbeth
• King Lear
• Romeo and Juliet
• Hamlet
• Julius Caesar

Comedies written by Shakespeare are:

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Merchant of Venice
• As You Like It
• Much Ado About Nothing

Problem plays written by Shakespeare are:

• Measure for Measure
• All’s Well That Ends Well

Some tragicomedies written by Shakespeare are:

• Prince of Tyre
• The Winter’s Tale
• Twelfth Night

On the other hand, Spenser is mainly known for his Faire Queene in which he is more concerned with the display of purity of knights and women. Some other notable works are:

• A Hymn in the Honour of Beauty
• A Ditty

• Amoretti iii: The Sovereign Beauty

Conclusion

Shakespeare and Spenser are those legends upon whose shoulders the giants of English Literature stand. They have given new forms of writing to the world. Also, they have given an insight into the Elizabethan era. Their writings are, undoubtedly, still applicable in today’s era also.What is your point of view?