Sonnet 116

Sonnet 116

Overview:

• “Sonnet 116” is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous love poems.
• It examines the nature of love, describes its eternal essence and disdain for alterations or removals.
• Shakespeare uses a range of poetic devices including metaphors, personification, and alliteration to express his thoughts.

Themes:

Theme: Eternal Love

• The most prominent theme in “Sonnet 116” is eternal love. Shakespeare asserts that true love is unchanging and lasts forever, and is ‘an ever-fixed mark’.
• Shakespeare elevates true love to almost divine status, suggesting its immunity from the ravages of time.

Theme: Time and Mortality

• Despite its overarching emphasis on the immortality of love, the poem grapples with the concept of time and mortality.
• Time is personified as the ‘grim reaper’, but despite its capacity to alter physical beauty, true love remains unaffected.

Devices and Structure:

Device: Metaphors

• Throughout “Sonnet 116”, metaphors are used to symbolise the constancy and unchanging nature of love. For instance, love is likened to a ‘star to every wandering bark’ and ‘an ever-fixed mark’.

Device: Rhyme Scheme

• This Shakespearean sonnet follows a specific rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG, presenting an organized pattern that offers a pleasing sense of resolution at the end.

Device: Iambic Pentameter

• Shakespeare’s choice of iambic pentameter contributes to the rhythm of the sonnet, maintaining a steady beat throughout the poem, symbolising the constancy of love.

Interpretation:

• “Sonnet 116” provides a romantic yet mature understanding of love as an unchanging and constant force that remains unaffected by external forces like time.
• Shakespeare’s exploration of love in this sonnet can be seen as a testament to the enduring power of love.
• The poem concludes by challenging anyone to prove him wrong, thus emphasising his confidence in his understanding and portrayal of love.