"Let me not to the marriage of true minds" By William Shakespeare , Short summary and analysis

 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

About Poet ,

William Shakespeare

•        William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor.

•        He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon“.

•        His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems.

•        His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

•        FIRST PUBLICATION OF SHAKESPEARE'S SONNETS. On 20 May 1609, a bookseller named Thomas Thorpe entered for his copy  'a booke called Shakespeares sonnetts'.

 

Short summary,

"Sonnet 116“ is one of the famous sonnets written by  William Shakespeare which explores the nature of true love, defining it as constant and unchanging.

The poem opens by declaring that true love does not admit impediments, meaning that it remains steadfast regardless of the challenges it faces. Love, according to the poet, is not true if it changes when circumstances change. Instead, true love is an unwavering guide, a "fixed mark" that withstands tempests and remains reliable.

Love is likened to a star guiding lost ships, its value immeasurable but always present. Shakespeare uses the metaphor of a guiding star to illustrate love's constancy and reliability, even when its full value is not known.

The sonnet further states that true love is not subject to the ravages of time. Even though physical beauty may fade ("rosy lips and cheeks"), true love endures beyond such superficial changes.

 According to poet, love is not affected by the passing of hours and weeks, but rather persists until the end of time, "the edge of doom.“

In the final couplet, Shakespeare boldly declares that if his understanding of love is wrong, then no one has ever truly loved, and he has never written anything of significance.

Shakespeare's "Sonnet 116" is a powerful exploration of the nature of true love, presenting it as an eternal, unchanging force that transcends the physical and temporal realms. The poet's idealized vision of love has resonated through the ages, making this sonnet one of his most beloved and frequently quoted works.

 

Themes:

Eternal and Unchanging Nature of True Love:

The central theme of the sonnet is the constancy and steadfastness of true love. Shakespeare argues that true love does not change when circumstances change.

Love is depicted as an "ever-fixed mark" and a guiding star, symbols of reliability and permanence.

Love vs. Time:

Another key theme is the relationship between love and time. True love is portrayed as timeless and unaffected by the passage of time.

The imagery of the "bending sickle" of Time emphasizes the inevitable aging process, yet true love remains undiminished.

Idealism of Love:

Shakespeare presents an idealized vision of love, suggesting it is perfect and unchanging. This idealism is especially evident in the boldness of the final couplet.

Major Imageries in the sonnet,

Literary Devices:

                    Metaphor:

      Love as an "ever-fixed mark" and a "star to every wandering bark" illustrates its unchanging and guiding nature.

•        Personification:

     Time is personified with a "bending sickle" that captures the inevitable aging process, yet love remains unaffected.

•        Imagery:

      The poem uses vivid imagery of storms, stars, and physical aging to convey the strength and constancy of true love.

Tone:

•        The tone is confident and assertive, as Shakespeare speaks with authority on the nature of true love.

•        The concluding couplet reinforces this tone by making a bold and somewhat provocative statement.