Loving Will Shakespeare

By Carolyn Meyer






Jacob Suter
Mrs. N. Kugler
American Literature Section 6
Quarter 2 Accelerated Reader Literary Analysis
Sterling High School
December 1, 2011








Loving Will Shakespeare
Carolyn Meyer
265 pages
Harcourt Incorporated
Copyright 2006

Carolyn Meyer, author oI the novel Loving Will Shakespeare, was born in 1935, in
Lewiston Pennsylvania. Carolyn Meyer was the lead editor oI her high school newspaper; this is
where her love Ior writing started. Following high school Meyer went onto college where she
graduated as an English major. She wrote her Iirst published piece oI writing in 1969. It was not
until 1990 that she started her proIessional writing career. Since 1990, Carolyn Meyer has been
awarded 'Best Books Ior Young Adults Ior her book C.C Poindexter. Lately, Meyer has
enjoyed traveling in order to research Ior her upcoming books. Because oI this, it has contributed
to her series oI books, 'Royal Series, which is based in England, and this book, Loving Will
Shakespeare as well. Meyer is currently living happily in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has
more than IiIty published books to date.
The novel Loving Will Shakespeare is a romantic historical Iiction novel. The
protagonist, Agnes Hathaway, has trouble with love and her relationships throughout the story.
Agnes` mother died when Agnes was just a preteen and this leIt Agnes` dad responsible Ior three
children, one oI which was a newborn. Agnes` Iather, Richard then remarried to a wretched
woman who was nothing but awIul to Agnes. All through Agnes` liIe, she Ialls in love numerous
times but they all end tragically. However, as she grows older she becomes aware oI her rising
interest in the younger, Iamily Iriend, Will Shakespeare. Agnes and Will Iinally begin to see each
other and eventually they become married. Agnes and William had two children, one oI which
died at the young age oI eleven. Shortly aIter marrying, Will moved to London in order to pursue
his dream oI becoming a Player. Will moved back in with Agnes at the age oI Iorty-seven when
Agnes was at the age oI IiIty-Iive. From this point on they lived the rest oI their married lives
together.
There were many characters that played big roles in Loving Will Shakespeare. Agnes
Hathaway was the main character oI the story. Throughout the story she grew Irom a young girl
to a Iully grown woman. Agnes experienced horrible luck when it came to love, even though she
Iell into love quite oIten. One oI Agnes` lovers was Edward Stinchcomb who was a school
instructor. They were to marry until Edward Iell ill and died. Important members oI Agnes`
Iamily were Richard, her Iather, Joan, her stepmother, and Catty, her younger sister Irom her real
mother. Agnes` best Iriend Irom child birth on was Emma Sandells. The love oI Agnes` liIe and
the man she married was Will Shakespeare. Shakespeare was a light hearted am who loved plays
and Agnes with all oI his heart.
Loving Will Shakespeare is a heavily romantic novel. The Iirst theme oI the book is that
true love will always Iind its way into two lover`s hearts. Agnes was eight years older than Will,
but still they ended up loving each other. The quote, 'Will stumbled and Iell Iorward. We
landed.then he kissed me, explains an intimate moment between the two lovers where Will
pushes his love upon Agnes (p. 152). This quote strongly supports this theme. Another theme oI
this novel is heart versus reason. Will`s dream was to move to London; as well he loved Agnes
very much and did not want to leave her. 'When I arose...I would Iind Will awake and pacing,
(p. 250). This shows how the decision Will would have to make tore at his heart and was a very
tough decision. A third theme oI the book is that it is never too late to start one`s liIe. A quote
Irom Agnes reads, 'I shall welcome his as I always have.Ior what may be the Iinal chapter in
our story, (p. 262). This shows Agnes` hope to start new with Will when he returned home aIter
being away their whole marriage.
Elements used in the novel contribute largely to the themes oI the novel. The characters
oI the story add to the theme due to their ages and Ieelings. The eventual marriage oI the two
lovers whose ages were Iar apart contributes to the Iirst theme. Characterization in the story
shows the true love Will has Ior plays and the true love Agnes has Ior Will. The loves oI these
two characters make the heart versus reason theme come to liIe. The setting oI the story
contributes to the Iirst theme too. The story takes place in the 1500s, and during this time, love
out oI wedlock was Iorbidden; however, this did not stop the two lovers. The dialogue and the
Iirst person point oI view both spill emotions oI Agnes and all oI the other characters, which
gives inIormation that helps the reader come to the conclusion oI what the themes are. A symbol
brought up in the story was the burning oI Agnes` barn representing the breaking oI her heart
when one oI her lovers Iled town. This contributed to the Iirst theme because her heart breaks
only lead to her love and eventual marriage to Will.
Loving Will Shakespeare has a very distraught tone due to Agnes` many heartbreaks. The
diction used is very interesting. The use oI dialogue is very heavy. Archaic language such as
knapsack, mayhap, and banns are used in this writing which makes the reading somewhat
diIIicult. The structure oI the writing is broken up into chapters and inside these chapters there
are oIten breaks in the page to signal a change in time or setting. In a scene where Agnes was
helping a mother ewe give birth to a lamb, imagery is used to make the reader easily visualize
the scene. Loving Will Shakespeare is a very well written novel.
This book should very much be included on a list oI works or high literary merit. This is a
very well written novel about true love. The thought and work behind the novel is extraordinary
and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The novel kept me Iully interested throughout the whole
novel with its great story line. Loving Will Shakespeare is a wonderIul book that I recommend.