Differences in The Attitudes To Love Expressed in the Poems To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell, The Good Morrow by John Donne and Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare
Sonnet 116 is an Elizabethan sonnet written by William Shakespeare It is one of his most popular sonnets and is often regarded as a model of true love. The poem follows an ABAB rhyme scheme and is written in iambic pentameter.
The poem begins with the speaker proclaiming that love is an “ever-fixed mark” and “star to every wandering bark”, meaning that love is unshakeable and serves as guidance during difficult times. The speaker then goes on to proclaim that love is not affected by time or change, as it “bears it out even to the edge of doom”. The couplet brings the poem to a conclusion, with the speaker declaring that love will remain true even in death.
The beauty and timelessness of this poem has caused it to inspire many essay topics. Here are five of the best topics to explore:
1. The Power of Love in Sonnet 116: An exploration of how Shakespeare uses imagery to illustrate the enduring power and strength of love in Sonnet 116.
2. Romanticism as Represented in Sonnet 116: An analysis of the Romantic elements found in the poem, such as the use of idealized love and the speaker’s faith in the power of love.
3. The Formal Structure of Sonnet 116: A study of the formal elements of the poem, such as the rhyme scheme, meter, and line structure.
4. Meaning of the Final Couplet: An exploration of the implications of the final couplet of the poem and its effect on the overall meaning of the poem.
5. Love as an Imperishable Force: An essay examining the use of metaphor in Sonnet 116 to illustrate the power of love to transcend physical and temporal boundaries.