First Readers of Shakespeare’s Sonnets, 1590-1790

This scholarly work examines how Shakespeare's sonnets were received and interpreted by readers from their initial circulation in the 1590s through the eighteenth century, revealing how personal beliefs, religious values, and political contexts shaped early understandings of these poems. Faith D. Acker meticulously reconstructs the reading experiences of private individuals, stationers, and editors who first engaged with Shakespeare's poetic works. The book demonstrates how these early audiences balanced their personal literary tastes against broader cultural expectations and the perceived interests of the reading public. Through careful archival research, Acker illuminates the evolving critical contexts that governed responses to the sonnets long before they became canonical texts.

What distinguishes this study is its focus on the material and social conditions of early readership, moving beyond traditional literary criticism to explore how actual readers interacted with Shakespeare's poetry in their daily lives. The book will particularly resonate with scholars of reception history, book history, and Renaissance literature, offering fresh perspectives on how cultural preferences and humanist values influenced textual interpretation. By recovering these forgotten reading experiences, Acker provides a vital corrective to modern assumptions about Shakespeare's sonnets, reminding us that their meaning has always been shaped by the readers who bring them to life.