# Adonis — Poetry character guide

> Adonis in Poetry by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** young Adonis, Anon Adonis, Anon, Adon

**First appearance:** 0000-venus-and-adonis

## Who they are

A rose-cheeked young hunter who loves the chase but laughs love to scorn, until the goddess of desire decides he will be her quarry instead.

## Relationships

### [Venus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/venus)

_romantic_

Venus passionately pursues the reluctant Adonis, creating a dynamic of obsessive love and tragic rejection.

### [Love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/love)

_psychological_

Adonis is the objectified embodiment of love itself, pursued by Venus but ultimately rejecting its mortal form.

### [Lucrece](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/lucrece)

_social_

Adonis and Lucrece are characters from separate poems by Shakespeare, linked only by thematic parallels of tragic beauty.

### [Venus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/venus)

_romantic_

Venus passionately pursues the reluctant Adonis, creating a dynamic of obsessive love and tragic rejection.

### [Venus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/venus)

_romantic_

Venus passionately pursues the reluctant Adonis, creating a dynamic of obsessive love and tragic rejection.

## In the story

### [Venus and Adonis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/venus-and-adonis)

A beautiful youth who scorns love and hunting, dies from the boar, and is transformed into a flower.

### [The Passionate Pilgrim](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/the-passionate-pilgrim)

The young, reluctant object of Venus's affections, who flees her advances.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/iv)

Young and fresh, he rejects Venus's advances, smiling and jesting before running away.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/vi)

Arrives at the brook, throws off his mantle, and stands naked on the brim before diving into the water to avoid Venus.

### [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/ix)

A youngster proud and wild, arrives with horn and hounds, blushes at Venus's display, and flees.

### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/xi)

Adonis is the object of Venus's affection but resists her advances, ultimately breaking free and fleeing.

### [Sonnet LIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/liii)

Mentioned as a figure whose description is poorly imitated after the beloved.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/adonis
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters