Lesson 1: William
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 ("Let me not
to the marriage of true minds")
Sonnet 116
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-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering 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.
✅ This sonnet follows the Shakespearean Sonnet structure:
- 14 lines,
- Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCDEFEFGG,
- Written
in Iambic Pentameter.
Brief Introduction (Simple
Explanation in 150-200 words):
Sonnet 116 is one of the most famous sonnets
written by William
Shakespeare. It speaks about the nature of true love. The
poem defines love as unchanging, constant, and eternal, unaffected by time, circumstances, or external
forces.
Shakespeare begins by
saying that true
love is a
perfect union of
minds, which admits no obstacles ("Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments"). He compares love to an ever-fixed mark, like a lighthouse, that guides ships during storms. True
love does not fade
with time, even
though beauty may decline.
The sonnet ends with
Shakespeare’s firm belief: if
his ideas about love are wrong, then he has never written, and no man has ever
loved.
The poem is written in Shakespearean sonnet form (14
lines), following the rhyme scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG and using iambic pentameter.
📝 2-Mark
Questions (Answer in 50
words):
1. Who wrote Sonnet 116?
Answer:
William Shakespeare wrote Sonnet 116, which describes the unchanging nature of true love.
2. What is the theme of Sonnet
116?
Answer:
The theme of Sonnet 116 is true love,
which is constant, unchanging, and enduring, despite time or circumstances.
3. What metaphor does
Shakespeare use for love in Sonnet 116?
Answer:
He compares love to an ever-fixed mark, like a lighthouse, guiding people safely through life’s
storms.
4. What is meant by “Love’s not Time’s fool”?
Answer:
It means true
love is not controlled by time. It
does not fade, even as beauty and youth decline.
5. What is the rhyme scheme of
Sonnet 116?
Answer:
The rhyme scheme is ABABCDCDEFEFGG, typical of a Shakespearean sonnet.
📝 3-Mark
Questions (Answer in 75
words):
1. Explain the meaning of “Let me not to the marriage of true
minds admit impediments.”
Answer:
This line means that nothing should come in the way of the union of two true minds. True love
is pure and cannot be broken by external obstacles. Shakespeare
suggests that genuine love remains unshaken,
regardless of difficulties.
2. What does Shakespeare
compare love to in the poem?
Answer:
Shakespeare compares love to an ever-fixed mark, a metaphor for a lighthouse, which stands firm in storms and
guides wandering ships. This suggests that true love is constant, unchanging, and reliable.
3. What is the message of
Sonnet 116?
Answer:
The message is that true
love is eternal and unchanging. It
does not alter with time or circumstances and remains constant even when beauty fades or
difficulties arise.
4. What is the tone of Sonnet
116?
Answer:
The tone is confident, assertive, and philosophical. Shakespeare
strongly believes in the permanence of true love and presents it as an unchangeable truth.
📝 6-Mark
Questions (150 words
with Side Headings):
1. Write a critical
appreciation of Sonnet 116.
1. Introduction:
Sonnet 116 is one of
Shakespeare’s most famous sonnets, celebrating true and constant love.
2. Theme:
The poem defines true love as unchanging, eternal, and unaffected by external forces or time.
3. Imagery
and Metaphor:
- Love
is compared to an ever-fixed
mark, like a lighthouse, guiding
lost ships.
- Love
is not Time’s fool,
meaning time cannot destroy it, unlike beauty that fades.
4. Structure
and Form:
The poem follows the Shakespearean sonnet form:
- 14
lines,
- Rhyme
scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG,
- Written
in iambic pentameter.
5. Conclusion:
Shakespeare asserts that if
his idea of love is wrong, then no man has ever truly loved. The
poem remains a universal
expression of timeless love.
2. Explain the use of imagery
in Sonnet 116.
1. Ever-fixed Mark
(Lighthouse):
Love is compared to a lighthouse, symbolizing stability, guidance, and hope.
2. Star to
Every Wandering Bark:
Love is like the North Star, guiding lost ships (wandering bark), representing direction and certainty.
3. Love’s Not Time’s Fool:
Time cannot control love,
unlike beauty which fades. Love stands against Time’s sickle,
defying aging
and death.
4. Conclusion:
Shakespeare’s
imagery in the poem shows love as eternal and constant, unaffected by time or change.
3. Discuss Shakespeare’s idea of true love as portrayed in
Sonnet 116.
1. True Love
is Unchanging:
Shakespeare believes true love does not change, even when
circumstances change.
2. Love is a
Guide:
Love is described as a lighthouse or fixed star, providing guidance and hope.
3. Love is
Beyond Time:
True love is not Time’s fool;
it remains strong even when beauty fades or time passes.
4. Conclusion:
Shakespeare concludes that true love is eternal, unchanging, and universal, making it pure and ideal.
----------------
Dr. Noojilla Srinivas
Lecturer in English, Government College (Autonomous),
Rajahmundry
Phone: 7981862200
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