Shakespeare's Sonnet no 116 with detail explanation

Sonnet no. 116 "True love" 

Structural pattern of Shakespearean Sonnet, " True love" or "Let me not to the marriage of true minds".

Sonnet No.116 entitled "True love" is one of the famous 126 Southampton Sonnets which Shakespeare addressed to his patron-friend, the Earl of Southampton. Of various themes that deal with, Time and Love hold a prominent place.

                The sonnet depicts the poet sense of insecurity on account of emergence of rival poets. His p patron friend Southampton was the most sought-after patron of his time. Thee leading poets were vying with one another for currying favour with him. Southampton's interest in Chapman and Marlowe disturbed Shakespeare very much and not without reason. In the year 1593 the theatre was still closed. The poet had none other than him to bank upon. If Southampton cast him away, what would become of him?

                 Through this Sonnet the poet makes a poetic effort to extract and assurance from Southampton that his favour and love towards him will never diminish. He tells his friend straight out that he would not tolerate anyone trying to meddle in their relation. By way of exhortations he also tells his friend that love, that changes on finding better substitute, is not true love. He means to say that his rivals should not be favoured at his cost.

                  Love is fixed and form like the Lighthouse. It is as steadfast as the stars in the sky. It cannot be conquered by Time. Time can destroy the body but it cannot harm love. it is eternal. It will continue to Doomsday.

                   Shakespeare considers  himself a true lover of Southampton and expects his patron to reciprocate his love.He is so confident of the sincerity of his love that he dares  anyone to prove him wrong. If he is proved wrong he will disown his works and if he is not a true lover, a lover was never born-

                   

                   "It this be error and upon me proved,

                    I never writ, nor no man ever loved."

                    

          This Sonnet like any other shakespearean Sonnet is notable for sincerity of feeling and intimacy of tone. Insecurity is the undertone of this poem. The emergence of rival poets has made him a bit jealous and nervous but he's never bitter. Shakespeare is a courteous poet.

           It comprises their quatrains of four lines each and a couplet of two lines. The rhyme scheme is ab ab, cd cd, ef ef, gg. It contains some beautiful expression like 'wandering bark', 'Time's fool' , 'rosy lips and cheeks' , 'bending sickle compass' , and 'the edge of doom'. The personification of Time as a farmer having a sickle in his hand is very evocative. The poet has drawn images of a Lighthouse and the pole-star from navigation and astronomy in order to drive his point home that love is firm and steadfast. The language of the poem is simple and lucid.

            To conclude, "True love" is a typical shakespearean Sonnet in both, tone and texture. It underscores the Supremacy of love over time.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds,

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

or bend with remover to remove...:-

Reference - 

These are the opening lines of William Shakespeare's Sonnet No. 116 entitled "Let me not to the marriage of true minds." 

Context - 

The Poet no longer has a monopoly on his patron's favour. Southampton has started turning his affection and attention to the other poets too, like Chapman and Marlowe. The poet feels slighted and insecure.

     In these lines the poet pleads with his patron to be constant in his favour and love towards him.

Explanation - 

The poet says that he is not ready to accept anyone coming between him and his patron-friend Southampton. By way of exhortation he tells his friend that the love, that changes on finding better substitute or yeilds to one who forcefully tries to change its course, is not to love.

            In plain words,  the poet prays his patron not to fosake him. No doubt, Chapman and Marlowe are far above him regards educational qualifications Southampton should never forget that he has been his first love. You should not be favoured at his cost.

Comments - 

This emergence of rival-poets has made Shakespeare a bit jealous and nervous. These lines reflect a sense of insecurity looming large in his mind.

Oh no ! It is an ever-fixed mark 

That looks on tempests, and is never shaken,

It is star to every wandering bark,

whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Reference - 

These lines have been extracted from William Shakespeare's Sonnet No. 116 entitled "Let me not to the marriage of true minds." 

Context - 

Southampton's turning his affection to Chapman and Marlowe has made the poet a bit nervous and insecure. Reminding his friend that he has been his first love he tells him that love that changes on finding better substitutes is not true love. To drive his point home the poet gives two powerful analogies in these lines.

Explanation - 

The poet says that true love is steadfast. It is like a strongly and solidly built Lighthouse that remains intact and stands erect in face of powerful storms striking it from all sides. It is like the fixed and firm pole star that guides ever wandering ship that has lost direction on the sea. Although its height can be measured, its worth is inestimable. Love is invaluable.

Comments - 

  The Elizabethan age was much given to astronomy and navigation. Shakespeare being abreast of his time made ample use of imagery from these two fields. Both the lighthouse and the stars stand for constancy fixity and steadfastness.

Love's not Time's fool though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come,

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out ev'n to the edge of doom:-

Reference - 

These lines have been extracted from William Shakespeare's Sonnet No. 116 entitled "Let me not to the marriage of true minds." 

Context - 

The poet has already submitted that the true love is as fixed and firm as the lighthouse,; it is as steadfast as the stars in the sky. Now, he wants to impress on his friend's mind that love is eternal, too.

Explanation -

 The poet says that love cannot be conquered by the Time. The tyrannous Time can and does destroy the body but it cannot harm love. Love is everlasting, It lasts not only hours, weeks,months or years but it continues to exist till the very end of the existence i.e. Doomsday.

Comments - 

Time is an important theme in Shakespeare's Sonnets. In these lines, Time has been personified as a farmer having a sickle in his hand. In the last two lines there is use of figure of speech called 'Climax'.  Hours and weeks are gradually leading to Doomsday. Time is moving towards timelessness.