Phạm Ngô Ánh Xuân Author/ story summary

Nguyễn Trung Hiếu The Period Time / Theme

Trần Thị Minh Thư Theme/ characters

Figures of speech/ Literary
Đoàn Thị Kim Tài
devices
Lê Thị Kim Anh Point of view/ Literary devices

GROUP 16
SONNET 116
The Period Time
"Sonnet 116' was written at the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign. Elizabeth
supported the arts, literature and poetry Shakespeare was also living and working
through a time of uncommon peace in terms of politics and wars. People, previous
occupied with external turmoil, were for the first time able to begin introspecting
and focusing on matters of the heart, perhaps accounting for the new popularity of
the sonnet forma form synonymous with love poetry
The period of peace was short lived, Elizabeth died in 1603 leaving no heir,
sparking chaos. Her reign, famously known as one of the most glorious', abruptly
came to an end However Sonnet 116 was written before this descent into turmoil
Sonnel 116 was one of 154 sonnets that Shakespeare published in a quarto. They
were published posthumously in 1609 Many critics have split these sonnets into
three groups the Fair Youth sonnets (Sonnets 1-126), the Dark Lady sonnets
(Sonnets 127-152) and the Greek Sonnets (Sonnets 153-154) Sonnet 116 is
considered one of the Fair Youth sonnets, which were addressed to an unnamed
young man, numoured to be either the Earl of Pembroke or the Earl of
Southampton. The poet writes of the young man in romantic and loving language.
This has led several commentators to suggest a sexual relationship between them,
while others have read it as platonic love.
THE AUTHOR: William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare's birthday is traditionally celebrated on April 23, although
there are no records of his birth. The closest researchers have is a baptismal
record from Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, dated April
26, 1564. His 38 plays were likely written between the late 1580s and 1613.
Marriage records show that 18-year-old William married 26-year-old Anne
Hathaway in November 1582. The following year, Anne gave birth to the first of
their children, Susanna. Twins Judith and Hamnet were born in 1585. Tragically,
Hamnet—Shakespeare's only son—died in 1596 at age 11. Critics such as
Edward Dowden and Samuel Taylor Coleridge believed that events in
Shakespeare's life influenced the writing of Hamlet. In particular, they point to
the deaths of his father in 1601 and of his son, whose name some intimate is an
alternate spelling of Hamlet. Whether Shakespeare's grief for his dead father and
son found an outlet in the writing of Hamlet, one pivotal piece of the drama is
very likely based on a historical incident. Claudius's poisoning of King Hamlet
by pouring a vial of "cursed hebona" into his ear and Hamlet's rewrite of The
Murder of Gonzago both echo the 1538 murder of Italy's Francesco Maria Della
Rovere, Duke of Urbino. Marquis Luigi Gonzaga, jealous of the duke's social
status, persuaded the duke's barber to kill his employer by dripping poison into
his ear. The dramatic nature of the crime helped the story spread throughout
Europe and years later gave Shakespeare inspiration for Hamlet's plot. Much of
Shakespeare's life was spent in either Stratford or London. His childhood, early
married life, and later years were centered in Stratford, but his theatrical life was
based in London. By 1592 he had established himself in London and found
success as both actor and playwright with the company Lord Strange's Men.
During the plague outbreaks that shut down many public theaters, Shakespeare
joined a new company, Lord Chamberlain's Men (later called the King's Men).
This company was one of two well-known London companies. The group
performed primarily at the Globe Theater—often for Queen Elizabeth I and later
for King James I. Eventually, Shakespeare would own a share of the theater and
would remain with both the company and the theater for the rest of his career.
Shakespeare died in April 1616. Some sources list the date as April 23, but
others consider that date a guess, romanticized by the idea that he was born and
died on the same day. More than four centuries later, his writing remains one of
literature's greatest influences—read, performed, referenced, and enjoyed by
people of all ages in countries all over the world.
SUMMARY OF SONNET 116
Hamlet’s monologues are primarily meant to expose his character and state of
mind. Most of them also serve as pivotal points for the story, where he makes
decisions that affect the entirety of the plot from that point onward. The prince
ponders on the hardships of existence, contemplates death, both his own and that
of his uncle, and berates himself for cowardice. His mood oscillates, beginning
with violence, then becoming calmer and darker, and finally flaring up again in
the final monologue. They reveal Hamlet as a reflective thinker who spends
more time in reflection than in action. At the same time, he is idealistic and
sometimes impulsive, and at times, he has to keep his anger in check
consciously. The contradictory nature of Hamlet’s character lends depth to
himself and the conflict of his story.
This sonnet attempts to define love, by telling both what it is and is not. In the
first quatrain, the speaker says that love—” the marriage of true minds”—is
perfect and unchanging; it does not “admit impediments,” and it does not change
when it finds changes in the loved one. In the second quatrain, the speaker tells
what love is through a metaphor: a guiding star to lost ships (“wandering barks”)
that is not susceptible to storms (it “looks on tempests and is never shaken”). In
the third quatrain, the speaker again describes what love is not: it is not
susceptible to time. Though beauty fades in time as rosy lips and cheeks come
within “his bending sickle’s compass,” love does not change with hours and
weeks: instead, it “bears it out even to the edge of doom.” In the couplet, the
speaker attests to his certainty that love is as he says: if his statements can be
proved to be errors, he declares, he must never have written a word, and no man
can ever have been in love.
Characterized:
In Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare, the speaker discusses the nature of love
and its enduring qualities. The poem doesn't explicitly mention personas in the
sense of characters or individuals, but rather presents a philosophical view on
love. The key ideas and personas implied or referenced indirectly in the sonnet
include:
The Lover: The speaker himself represents the persona of someone deeply
convinced of the steadfastness and constancy of true love. This persona is
characterized by its idealistic and unwavering belief in the power of love.
Love itself: Love is personified as an abstract entity throughout the sonnet. It is
described as an unchanging force that is not subject to time or circumstances.
Love's persona is one of strength, reliability, and endurance.
The Beloved: Though not directly present, the beloved is implicitly referenced as
the recipient or object of the speaker's love. The persona of the beloved is that of
someone who is worthy of such steadfast affection and commitment.
While these personas are not distinct characters in a narrative sense, they are
conceptual figures that Shakespeare uses to explore the theme of love's
constancy and enduring nature in Sonnet 116.
THEME
Love as an Unbreakable Bond
In this poem, Shakespeare firmly asserts that love forms an unalterable and
unbreakable bond, implying that if it is true, it should remain untouched by
external influences or impediments. The sonnet opens with the famous words,
“Let me not to the marriage of true minds / Admit impediments,” which
immediately sets the tone for the poem. Shakespeare asserts that love transcends
the physical and temporal obstacles that may arise.
The following sentence in the poem carries a similar meaning: “Love is not
love / Which alters when it alteration finds, / Or bends with the remover to
remove.” If true love can be altered by changing circumstances or in some way
erased, it is not true love, Shakespeare argues. Next, Shakespeare compares life’s
difficulties to a storm: love “looks on tempests and is never shaken.” When the
“tempests” of life arise, love is unmoved.
Shakespeare brings another metaphor to conclude his examination of love’s
unbreaking nature, comparing love to a star that guides “every wand’ring bark.”
Love is fixed in the same way that stars are ever-reliable points of reference for
sailors.
Through several literary devices and across the sonnet’s first two quatrains,
Shakespeare establishes as a core theme that love is steadfast and consistent even
in the face of challenges.
Love’s Endurance Over Time
With the sonnet’s third quatrain, Shakespeare posits the idea that love is not
susceptible to time’s decay, unlike physical beauty or youth. Love is, instead, an
everlasting force that transcends the temporary aspects of life, such as the
imperfections and mortality of human beings. Shakespeare’s use of phrases like
“Love’s not Time’s fool” and “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks”
reinforces the idea that love lasts forever despite the changes brought by time.
Shakespeare also states true love endures “though rosy lips and cheeks / Within
[Time’s ] bending sickle’s compass come.” The image of the “sickle” is no doubt
a nod to the popular personification of death as a figure carrying a sickle or
scythe, and it reinforces the motif of mortality and aging. Though beauty fades
with age, true love remains.
While celebrating the ability of love to endure over time, the sonnet also
implicitly criticizes fickle or superficial love. It suggests that what many people
claim as love may not meet the high standards set by the poem. Shakespeare’s
critique of less substantial forms of love arises from his assertion that true love is
a “marriage of true minds.” In other words, he emphasizes the union of souls and
intellect, suggesting that love should be a significant bond beyond superficial
attractions. This implies that many superficial relationships, driven solely by
physical attraction or short-lived infatuations, do not measure up to the lofty
ideals presented in the sonnet
Point of view
Typically, sonnets have a close first-person point of view and also make use of
second-person. Essentially, they are written as love poems from one person (the
speaker) to another person (the subject).
Literary devices
PERSONIFICATION
Deaf Heaven: In the third line of the poem, heaven is personified by linking the
quality of deafness with it. This device brings the effect of creating an image of
an indifferent god. In this way, the speaker attains the empathy of the readers.
Sullen Earth: In the twelfth line of the poem, the earth is personified by
linking the quality of being morose with it. This device is employed to create a
vivid image of the morose mental state of the speaker.
METAPHORS
In the thirteenth line of the poem, the word wealth stands for the happiness and
love of the speaker. This device makes the happiness of the poem relevant to the
context of the poem.
SIMILE
In the eleventh line of the poem, the speaker compares the shift in his mental
state with the morning songs of a lark by using the phrase “Like to the lark.”
This simile creates the image of a lark singing in the morning, which enhances
the effect of the poem.
HYPERBOLE
Outcast State
In the second line of the poem, the speaker describes his lack of social
connection by using the phrase “my outcast state.” This phrase is clearly
exaggerated as the speaker is not an outcast but just not contented with the
friends he has. This device is employed in the poem so that the miseries of the
speaker are highlighted.
Change my state with kings
In the last line of the poem, the speaker claims that he is so proud of his beloved
thought that he will not be ready to let it go in return for a whole kingdom. This
is clearly an exaggeration as no king will want to give his state in return for just
a thought. This device intensifies the speaker’s claim that he considers the
thought of his beloved better than anything.
ASSONANCE
Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sound in a sentence in a poem. In
the following line of the poem, sound /i/ is repeated:
“Wishing me like to one more rich in hope.”
Similarly, the sound /e/ is repeated in the following line: “Haply I think on thee,
and then my state”
Such repetition of sounds makes the poem more rhythmic and conveys the
urgency of the speaker.
CONSONANCE
Consonance is the repetition of the same consonant sound in a line in a poem. In
the poem, the sound /s/ is repeated in the following line:
“Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising”
ALLITERATION
The repetition of the same starting sounds in a line is called alliteration. In this
poem, alliteration is found in the following line:
Haply I think on thee, and then my state
The sound /th/ is repeated in this line, which reflects the abrupt change in the
tone of the speaker. He is overjoyed by the thought of his beloved and utters
rhythmic words as a result.
ENJAMBMENT
Enjambment is a literary device in which the thought in one line is continued
into another line. In this poem, both the lines of the couplet continue the same
thought. This device implies the mental communion of the speaker and the
beloved joining the two lines in the poem.
Figures of speech
Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare is rich with various figures of speech that
contribute to its poetic depth and impact. Here are some prominent figures of
speech found in the sonnet:
 Metaphor:
"Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,"
Here, love is metaphorically compared to something that remains unchanged
despite encountering changes or challenges. This metaphor emphasizes the
steadfast and enduring nature of true love.
 Personification:
"Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;"
Time is personified as having the power to affect physical beauty ("rosy lips and
cheeks") with its "bending sickle," emphasizing the inevitable passage of time
and its impact on outward appearances.
 Alliteration:
"But bears it out even to the edge of doom."
The repetition of the "b" sound in "bears it out" emphasizes the strength and
endurance of love, drawing attention to this pivotal assertion in the sonnet.
 Assonance:
"That looks on tempests and is never shaken;"
The repetition of the short "e" sound in "tempests" and "never" creates a
harmonious effect, emphasizing the idea that true love remains steadfast even in
the face of difficulties.
 Antithesis:
"Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,"
This is a direct contrast between two ideas: true love remains unchanged ("not
love / Which alters") versus love that changes when faced with alteration. This
antithesis reinforces the poem's central argument about the constancy of genuine
love.
Rhetorical Question:
"O no! it is an ever-fixed mark"
The rhetorical question serves to emphasize the speaker's certainty about the
nature of love. The answer is implied in the subsequent lines that define love as
unchanging and reliable.
These figures of speech enhance the sonnet's exploration of the theme of love's
constancy and enduring nature, making it both emotionally resonant and
intellectually engaging for the reader.