【Poem Reading Tuesday】Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds 
by William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments; love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
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 even to the edge of doom:
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Source: SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (1609)

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William Shakespeare | Poetry Foundation

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Shakespearean sonnet | Poetry Foundation

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ChatGPT Poem Analysis:

"Sonnet 116" by William Shakespeare is a classic Shakespearean sonnet that explores the timeless and steadfast nature of true love. Here's an analysis of the poem:

Theme of Love: The central theme of the poem is love. Shakespeare presents love as something enduring and unchanging, not subject to the fluctuations of time or circumstance. He sets up a contrast between the temporary nature of physical beauty and the eternal constancy of genuine love.

True Love's Definition: The speaker defines true love as something that does not waver or diminish over time. It is not swayed by external factors or obstacles ("Let me not to the marriage of true minds / Admit impediments"). Love, in this context, is not merely an emotion but a profound commitment and bond between two people.

Metaphors and Imagery: Shakespeare employs vivid imagery and metaphors throughout the poem to illustrate the nature of love. For example, he describes love as an "ever-fixèd mark" and "the star to every wand'ring bark," suggesting that it provides guidance and stability even in the midst of life's storms.

Timelessness of Love: The poet emphasizes the enduring nature of love by asserting that it is not subject to the passage of time ("Love's not time's fool"). Despite the inevitability of aging and mortality, true love remains steadfast and unyielding.

Personal Commitment: The concluding couplet serves as a personal declaration of the speaker's faith in the power of love. He states that if his beliefs about love are proven wrong, then he has never truly written anything meaningful, and no one has ever experienced genuine love.

Overall, "Sonnet 116" celebrates the timeless and unwavering nature of true love, portraying it as a force that transcends the constraints of time and circumstance.