Venus and Adonis by Shakespeare is an interesting piece of work that portrays the goddess of love as a device to an allegory. Venus is humiliated, but in a way that humanizes and relates her to readers. Loving Adonis becomes an obsession, and proclaiming his beauty is the most recurring element in the piece of poetry. She vigorously chases him, despite his refusal to comply with his wishes, and stumbles over herself endlessly for the promise of a single kiss. One of the most profound things about the work is that Love never reveals exactly why she admires the young man so much; she discusses his youthful qualities and charming appearances, but never addresses if there were any other characteristics that made her believe she was in love. All of her efforts to praise him involve lustful, earthly senses, such as in lines 430-45. She is continuously made into a verbose, emotional fool as the seemingly endless pursuit carries on. Although she is not shown in the most flattering light, this gives the audience an opportunity to be sympathetic with a celestial being. Being affected by the alien experience of unrequited love, Venus becomes a symbol for those who have been subject to such a thing. In her hunt for romantic satisfaction throughout this poem, it can be easy to find elements of hilarity, but also universal connection to the public.
Painting: Venus and Adonis by Georges Barbier (1882-1932)
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/venus-and-adonis-georges-barbier.html
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