Theme Of Sonnet 116 - 714 Words

In 14 lines and 109 words, William Shakespeare characterizes devotion. The speaker in â€Å"Sonnet 116† converses with us to refute ideas previously associated with love and to establish his own take on the emotion. To do this, Shakespeare uses structure, diction, and figurative language to reveal the speaker’s attitude toward love and to persuade us to accept his definition of love. To help convey the speaker’s message about love, Shakespeare employs a familiar structure -- that of the Shakespearean sonnet. Specifically, Shakespeare uses three quatrains in â€Å"116† to present a definition of true love. For twelve lines the speaker emphasizes his ideas of what love is (or is like). The fact that Shakespeare devotes this much space to this purpose†¦show more content†¦Through his word choice Shakespeare is evidently declaring that true love is an absolute and enduring emotion. A significant factor regarding the speaker’s attitude is the concluding couplet. In the last two lines the tone shifts from being assuredly assertive to being downright arrogant. The speaker, who presumably represents Shakespeare himself, stakes the veracity of his ideas against his reputation as a writer. Consequently, what Shakespeare discloses in â€Å"Sonnet 116† is a confident description of true affection. To further persuade us to agree with his definition, Shakespeare utilizes figurative language. In fact, Shakespeare employs personification in the third quatrain when he writes, Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle’s compass comes Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks (9-11). Basically, Shakespeare is humanizing both love and time in an effort to depict first how time affects people and then how love withstands these effects. The visual imagery evident in these lines -- in which Love is pitted against a violent Time -- further emphasizes Love’s triumph. We are suppose to conclude from this use of figurative language that Shakespeare’s message is accurate. More important than his personification is his metaphoricalShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Sonnet 1161025 Words   |  5 Pagesthat an individual may face throughout their lives. â€Å"Sonnet 116,† written by Shakespeare argues that love is powerful and that time is mainly influenced by the thought of love. The central message of this poem demonstrates that although love is a mystery to some people it is the mindset of one to face the challenges of love; love is constant, patient, and kind. Based on the message that Shakespeare hints to his readers, I can agree with the theme of love, in that love is a powerful feeling that shouldRead MoreComparing And Contrasting Two Sonnets1141 Words   |  5 Pages Comparing and Contrasting Two Sonnets ‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare and ‘What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why† by Edna St. Vincent Millay are both sonnets that discuss companionship and a glimpse of each poet’s experiences. In ‘Sonnet 116’, Shakespeare illustrates how capability is weakened by its metaphysical stereotype and ideals such as, love, while on the contrary, in ‘What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why† Millay feeds on the chaos between the idealRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Sonnet 116944 Words   |  4 Pages ‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare and ‘What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why† by Edna St. Vincent Millay are both sonnets that discuss companionship and a glimpse of the poets’ experiences. In ‘Sonnet 116’, Shakespeare illustrates how capability is weakened by its metaphysical stereotype and ideals such as, love which never seems to wither away according to Shakespeare while on the contrary, in ‘What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why† Millay feeds on the chaos betweenRead MoreShakespearen Sonnets Essay883 Words   |  4 PagesShakespearen Sonnets William Shakespeare is one of the most famous authors of all times. His works span a wide range of formats, styles, and themes. While best known for plays, such as the tragedy Romeo and Juliet, he was also a composer of poetry. To many people, these poems constitute the greatest of Shakespeares accomplishments. They were often highly emotional in nature, and dealt with timeless ideas such as beauty, love, and death. Each one of the poems is unique. Yet for allRead MoreAnalysis of Two of the Best Williams Shakespeares Work1273 Words   |  6 Pagesthe human heart experiences in life. This is especially shown in his vast collection of sonnets which exemplified the â€Å"carpe diem† ideology of the period, and the love that one can have for another. Two of the most famous of Shakespeare’s works, Sonnet 55 [Not Marble, nor the gilded monuments] and sonnet 116 [Let me not to the marriage of true minds], are no exception to this theme in poetry. Both of these sonnets e xemplify the love that the narrator has for a mistress in his life, and how he definesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Poetry Of Love1612 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationships. By comparing two poems from William Shakespeare it is shown how he has been able to articulate the poetic theme of love. This seminar will analyze and explore two of Shakespeare’s poems focusing on the particular theme of love. Shakespeare deals with deep and enduring love, as he applies his past experiences to his poems. Shakespeare’s poems Sonnet 116 and Sonnet 130 are based around the romantic pursuits of his life, and they have similar context but deliver different meanings of whatRead MoreShakespeare - Sonnet 116 Analysis and Interpretation887 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare – Sonnet 116 Analysis and interpretation Sonnet 116 was written by William Shakespeare and published in 1609. William Shakespeare was an English writer and poet, and has written a lot of famous plays, amongst them Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare lived in the Elizabethan era. At that time, the literature and art was in bloom, and his works are clearly characterized by that era both as language and theme goes. A sonnet is a poem consisting of 14 lines, three quatrainsRead MoreImagery in Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare627 Words   |  3 Pageslove in his poem â€Å"Sonnet 116†. He starts out by saying what love is not; love never stops, changes, or dies. He then goes on to tell how love doesn’t terminate with old age and loss of beauty, it guides people through tough times. Finally, Shakespeare threatens his own reputation by saying, â€Å"If this be error, and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved†. The theme of this poem is that love is a truly powerful force that cannot be changed. Shakespeare builds the theme of love through employingRead MoreShakespeare Sonnet 18 Comparison993 Words   |  4 Pagescomparing some of Shakespeare’s famously known sonnets. William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright and actor. He was widely referenced as the greatest English writer. I will start this paper giving you a brief summary of each sonnet ind ividually, secondly I will then compare the sonnets drawing in on their similarities, and third I will then draw in on their differences. William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 I would say is his best known and famous sonnets. It’s probably the most straight- forwardRead MoreSonnet 116 Love Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesLove is a central theme in William Shakespeares sonnets, yet the means by which love is expressed and the form in which it takes differs across various sonnets. In sonnet 116, Shakespeare lavishes the reader with beautiful imagery of love in its most idyllic form. On the other hand, in sonnet 130, he adopts a more realistic approach to love as it is experienced by everyday people. In both cases, the poet is able to artfully convey the theme of love in its various forms such that the reader is able