Venus and Adonis is a narrative poem by William Shakespeare, first published in 1593. It tells the story of the love between the goddess Venus and the mortal Adonis. The poem begins with Venus, the goddess of love, trying to persuade Adonis, a handsome young man, to stay with her and not go hunting. She tells him of the dangers of the hunt, but Adonis is determined to go. Venus then gives him a list of instructions on how to stay safe while hunting. Adonis ignores her warnings and goes hunting anyway. While he is away, Venus is filled with worry and anxiety. She prays to the gods for his safety. Adonis is eventually killed by a wild boar while hunting. Venus is grief-stricken and blames herself for his death. She turns his blood into a flower, the anemone, as a memorial to him. The poem ends with Venus mourning Adonis and vowing to never love again.
By William Shakespeare · First published 1593 · Genre: Renaissance poetry, Classical mythology, Romance