Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare Mindmap

?
  • Created by: Natalia
  • Created on: 21-03-13 18:17
View mindmap
  • Sonnet 116
    • Quotes
      • "Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments"
        • He believes that nothing can stop true love from lasting.
        • "impediments"- noun is used in traditional marriage services, reminds the reader of weddings.
      • "love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds"
        • True love doesn't change when faced with difficult or unexpected circumstances.
        • "alter ... alteration"
      • "remover ... remove"
        • Near repetition suggests that love is constant - it won't change the way appearances do.
          • "alter ... alteration"
      • "ever-fixed mark ... star"
        • Metaphor compares love to the Pole Star, which stays in the same place in the sky and helps sailors to navigate.
      • "bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken."
        • The star's height can be mathematically measured, but its value to the ship it guides is immeasurable.
        • "ever-fixed mark ... star"
          • Metaphor compares love to the Pole Star, which stays in the same place in the sky and helps sailors to navigate.
      • "Time's fool ... bending sickle's compass ... brief hours and weeks ... edge of doom"
        • Time is personified, dramatising the battle between time and love.
        • It's within Time's power to take away youth and beauty, but cannot change love.
        • Any measure of time is short for love, because love lasts till the end of time.
      • "If this be error upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved."
        • The poet guarantees us that what he is saying is true.
    • What is the poem about?
      • Shakespeare is writing about how constant true love is. It can't be shaken.
      • If love is genuine, it doesn't change as circumstances change.
    • Structure
      • Sonnet
        • A popular form of poetry in Shakespeare's time.
        • Were used for writing about love.
        • Regular rhyme structure suggests that like this structure, love is ordered and complete.
        • A poetic form that has been written for hundreds of years.
        • Has 14 lines and is usually written in iambic pentameter.
        • Keeps ideas focused; every word has to be carefully chosen and placed within the constraints of the 14 lines.
      • Quatrains
        • All discuss the same idea of love being unchanging.
        • First quatrain is about how love will never change, second uses the image of the Pole Star and the third uses the personification of Time.
      • Final rhyming couplet
        • Guarantees the truth of his words.
        • He's challenging the reader to disagree with him - completely convinced by his words.
    • Imagery
      • Sailing
        • True love is shown to be reliable - it guides us in an uncertain and stormy world.
        • Uses seafaring imagery - this makes the poem a more sensuous experience than just writing out its message.
        • It suggests that love guides us in an uncertain and dangerous world.
      • Time and ageing
        • When we get older, people look different but love isn't tricked by the effects of Time - it stays the same.
        • Love isn't at the mercy of Time.
        • Time is given a traditional personification - of an old man with a "sickle" to harvest corn. This links time with ideas of death.
        • Supports the  representation of true love as being able to transcend time - "Love's not Time's fool"
        • There is no time limit on love.
      • Stars
        • Love's eternal  nature and independence from the world is emphasised when compared to a star.
        • Love is bright, celestial.
    • Tone
      • Devotion
        • The voice in the poem is declaring a love which will not change.
      • Constancy
        • He sees love as fixed and eternal, something which won't change even when the object of his love changes.
      • True love
        • Is not shallow, superficial love.
        • Is not based on what people look like.
    • Compare with...
      • 'To His Coy Mistress" - both poems deal with the idea of the effects of ageing on love, although from different angles.
      • 'Sonnet 43' - both poems deal with an ideal version of what love should be like.
      • 'Sister Maude' -contrasts in intense feelings that are felt.
      • 'Born Yesterday' - both suggest that the usual celebrations of love surrounding outward beauty are not what's really important
      • 'The Manhunt' - in 'The Manhunt', love continues in difficult times, which is like the ideal love described in Sonnet 116.
      • 'Hour' - both describe an idealised view on love - not realistic.
      • 'Quickdraw' - Sonnet 116 shows idealistic view on love and Quickdraw shows how this cannot work.
    • Themes
      • The effects of ageing on a relationship
        • True love doesn't change, even when people get old and lose their "rosy lips and cheeks". He sees these physical attributes as unimportant.
        • True love can survive until "the edge of doom" - the very last day at the end of the world.
        • A sonnet form is used, which is often for love poetry, to express his belief in undying love.
      • Love carrying on beyond Death
        • The poet knows that life will eventually end - "Within his bending sickle's compass come".
        • Time is personified and only gives us "brief hours and weeks".
        • It is acknowledged that love isn't always easy, and describes these difficulties as "tempests".
        • True love will survive beyond the grave until the very last day of earth - "even to the edge of doom".
  • Poem dictionary
    • impediment - something that stops something or holds it up
    • bark - small ship with sails
    • sickle - a sharp, curved tool for cutting corn always used on pictures of Old Father Time and Death
    • compass - reach
    • doom - doomsday: the very last day at then end of the world
    • Sonnet 116
      • Quotes
        • "Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments"
          • He believes that nothing can stop true love from lasting.
          • "impediments"- noun is used in traditional marriage services, reminds the reader of weddings.
        • "love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds"
          • True love doesn't change when faced with difficult or unexpected circumstances.
        • "remover ... remove"
          • Near repetition suggests that love is constant - it won't change the way appearances do.
          • "bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken."
            • The star's height can be mathematically measured, but its value to the ship it guides is immeasurable.
          • "Time's fool ... bending sickle's compass ... brief hours and weeks ... edge of doom"
            • Time is personified, dramatising the battle between time and love.
            • It's within Time's power to take away youth and beauty, but cannot change love.
            • Any measure of time is short for love, because love lasts till the end of time.
          • "If this be error upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved."
            • The poet guarantees us that what he is saying is true.
        • What is the poem about?
          • Shakespeare is writing about how constant true love is. It can't be shaken.
          • If love is genuine, it doesn't change as circumstances change.
        • Structure
          • Sonnet
            • A popular form of poetry in Shakespeare's time.
            • Were used for writing about love.
            • Regular rhyme structure suggests that like this structure, love is ordered and complete.
            • A poetic form that has been written for hundreds of years.
            • Has 14 lines and is usually written in iambic pentameter.
            • Keeps ideas focused; every word has to be carefully chosen and placed within the constraints of the 14 lines.
          • Quatrains
            • All discuss the same idea of love being unchanging.
            • First quatrain is about how love will never change, second uses the image of the Pole Star and the third uses the personification of Time.
          • Final rhyming couplet
            • Guarantees the truth of his words.
            • He's challenging the reader to disagree with him - completely convinced by his words.
        • Imagery
          • Sailing
            • True love is shown to be reliable - it guides us in an uncertain and stormy world.
            • Uses seafaring imagery - this makes the poem a more sensuous experience than just writing out its message.
            • It suggests that love guides us in an uncertain and dangerous world.
          • Time and ageing
            • When we get older, people look different but love isn't tricked by the effects of Time - it stays the same.
            • Love isn't at the mercy of Time.
            • Time is given a traditional personification - of an old man with a "sickle" to harvest corn. This links time with ideas of death.
            • Supports the  representation of true love as being able to transcend time - "Love's not Time's fool"
            • There is no time limit on love.
          • Stars
            • Love's eternal  nature and independence from the world is emphasised when compared to a star.
            • Love is bright, celestial.
        • Tone
          • Devotion
            • The voice in the poem is declaring a love which will not change.
          • Constancy
            • He sees love as fixed and eternal, something which won't change even when the object of his love changes.
          • True love
            • Is not shallow, superficial love.
            • Is not based on what people look like.
        • Compare with...
          • 'To His Coy Mistress" - both poems deal with the idea of the effects of ageing on love, although from different angles.
          • 'Sonnet 43' - both poems deal with an ideal version of what love should be like.
          • 'Sister Maude' -contrasts in intense feelings that are felt.
          • 'Born Yesterday' - both suggest that the usual celebrations of love surrounding outward beauty are not what's really important
          • 'The Manhunt' - in 'The Manhunt', love continues in difficult times, which is like the ideal love described in Sonnet 116.
          • 'Hour' - both describe an idealised view on love - not realistic.
          • 'Quickdraw' - Sonnet 116 shows idealistic view on love and Quickdraw shows how this cannot work.
        • Themes
          • The effects of ageing on a relationship
            • True love doesn't change, even when people get old and lose their "rosy lips and cheeks". He sees these physical attributes as unimportant.
            • True love can survive until "the edge of doom" - the very last day at the end of the world.
            • A sonnet form is used, which is often for love poetry, to express his belief in undying love.
          • Love carrying on beyond Death
            • The poet knows that life will eventually end - "Within his bending sickle's compass come".
            • Time is personified and only gives us "brief hours and weeks".
            • It is acknowledged that love isn't always easy, and describes these difficulties as "tempests".
            • True love will survive beyond the grave until the very last day of earth - "even to the edge of doom".

    Comments

    No comments have yet been made

    Similar English Literature resources:

    See all English Literature resources »See all Sonnets resources »