Venus and Adonis

William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.7

Word count: 66K words
Chapters: 7

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Venus et Adonis by William ShakespeareAuthor: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,Language: French, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jun 4, 2008

Editor's review

This is a French translation of Shakespeare's narrative poem Venus and Adonis, released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook. The original, based on the Ovidian myth, treats love, rejection, and death in a long narrative poem with dense language and elaborate imagery, making it an important entry point into Shakespeare's non-dramatic work. The French translation offers another route for French readers or learners, but the handling of verse form directly affects the reading experience, and readers should first determine whether they are dealing with verse or a prose rendering. The book is short but not suited to rapid reading: metaphors pile up and the narrator's tone shifts repeatedly, so it is best read slowly, grasping the progression of imagery section by section. For scholars, it can be used to compare the rhythmic differences between English and French poetry; for general readers, it is a short but intense encounter with classical myth. Note that Project Gutenberg editions usually lack detailed translator's notes, so readers must supply background on mythological allusions and early modern attitudes themselves.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with French reading ability who want to encounter Shakespeare's narrative poetry
Learners studying Shakespeare's non-dramatic works or poetry translation
French readers interested in adaptations of classical myth
Advanced learners seeking short French texts for close reading practice

Not a good fit for

Beginner readers with weak French who hope to follow the story easily
Shakespeare readers expecting dramatic dialogue or plot twists
Beginners needing detailed annotations and scholarly introductions

Reading tips

First learn the outline of the Venus and Adonis myth to reduce obstacles from allusions before entering the text.
Read only a small section at a time, mark recurring images, and review their progression afterward.
For language learning, read selected passages alongside the English original to observe how the French translation handles verse rhythm.
After finishing, retell the plot in your own words to check whether you have truly grasped shifts in the narrator's tone.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book the French or English version?

According to the information, the book is in French: it is a French translation of Venus and Adonis released by Project Gutenberg. Readers need French reading ability.

Can I read it without any French?

Not really. This is a French poetic text, and Project Gutenberg editions usually lack detailed notes, so readers with weak French will struggle with syntax and imagery. It is better to start with the English original or an annotated translation.

What background should I know before reading?

It helps to know the outline of the Venus and Adonis myth and to understand that this is Shakespeare's long narrative poem rather than a play. With these two points, entering the text is much smoother.

Does this edition have translator's notes and an introduction?

The information does not indicate that this edition includes translator's notes or a scholarly introduction; Project Gutenberg public-domain ebooks generally present the original text. Readers needing detailed annotations should find an annotated edition to use alongside it.

Comments

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About the author

William Shakespeare Author · English · 1564–1616

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was the greatest playwright, poet and actor of the English Renaissance. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he is known as the "Bard of Avon." He wrote roughly thirty-seven to thirty-nine plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets and narrative poems. His representative works include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. His works span tragedy, comedy and history play, distinguished by rich, poetic language and profound characterization. His explorations of human nature, power, love and fate have had a lasting influence, and his works have been translated into many languages and circulated widely around the world.