Why Lyrics Last: Evolution, Cognition, and Shakespeare's Sonnets

by Brian Boyd

In "Why Lyrics Last, " the internationally acclaimed critic Brian Boyd turns an evolutionary lens on the subject of lyric verse. He finds that lyric making, though it presents no advantages for the species in terms of survival and reproduction, is universal across cultures because it fits constraints of the human mind. An evolutionary perspective especially when coupled with insights from aesthetics and literary history has much to tell us about both verse and the lyrical impulse.

Boyd places the writing of lyrical verse within the human disposition to play with pattern, and in an extended example he uncovers the many patterns to be found within Shakespeare s "Sonnets." Shakespeare s bid for readership is unlike that of any sonneteer before him: he deliberately avoids all narrative, choosing to maximize the openness of the lyric and demonstrating the power that verse can have when liberated of story.

In eschewing narrative, Shakespeare plays freely with patterns of other kinds: words, images, sounds, structures; emotions and moods; argument and analogy; and natural rhythms, in daily, seasonal, and life cycles. In the originality of his stratagems, and in their sheer number and variety, both within and between sonnets, Shakespeare outdoes all competitors. A reading of the "Sonnets" informed by evolution is primed to attend to these complexities and better able to appreciate Shakespeare s remarkable gambit for immortal fame."

Genres: Nonfiction, Criticism, Literature, Poetry

240 pages, Hardcover

First published April 5, 2012

About the author

Brian David Boyd is a University Distinguished Professor at the University of Auckland and a preeminent scholar best known for his definitive work on Vladimir Nabokov. After earning his PhD from the University of Toronto, Boyd was invited by Véra Nabokov to catalogue her husband's archives, leading to his award-winning, two-volume biography, The Russian Years and The American Years. His scholarship on Nabokov remains prolific, encompassing numerous edited volumes, verse translations, and the digital project AdaOnline. Beyond his expertise in Russian literature, Boyd is a pioneer in the field of "biopoetics," exploring the intersections of literature, evolution, and cognition. His landmark book, On the Origin of Stories, argues that storytelling is a biological adaptation rooted in play, applying evolutionary criticism to works ranging from Homer to Dr. Seuss. A versatile intellectual, he has also tackled the biography of philosopher Karl Popper and co-curated major exhibitions on the origins of art. In 2020, his contributions to the humanities were recognized with the Rutherford Medal, the Royal Society Te Apārangi’s highest honor.

Reviews

[Frank Ashe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnets from the perspective of an evolutionary approach to lyric poetry - art is a version of play when applied to the pattern recognition aspect of cognition.

Sounds like it might be difficult but it's actually fun to look at the sonnets that way.

I'm now having to read the Sonnets now, rather than just dip into them.

[Nicola Griffith]

Just started this. So far: fascinating. Verse as information pattern-making and -breaking, designed for ease of cognitive consumption and retention. Haven't even got to Shakespeare yet...

[John Fredrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was unusual, but outstanding. I enjoy reading Shakespeare, and material about him. I thought I had a pretty good handle on the sonnets, which are definitely difficult, but Boyd's book forced me to see them in a very new light. It was a very instructive read, but will certainly not be for everyone.