The Eternality of Love in “Sonnet 116”

In Shakespeare’s poem entitled “Sonnet 116”, the definition of true love is argued in only 14 lines. Detailed in iambic pentameter, with intentional variations in meter that impact the content, “Sonnet 16” attributes to the eternal state of real love. Shakespeare articulates that, “Love is not love / Which alters when it alteration finds” (2-3), a testimony to the validity of only sturdy love. One such alteration is found in line 2: a trochee foot among iambs. Though common when following a caesura, the trochaic meter, “Love is”— in which “love” is stressed and “is” is unstressed— is accompanied by irony. Supported by the content which states that love does not alter, a sudden metric alteration contrasts what Shakespeare considers to be love with what is not. However, metric anomalies are not always necessary to prove a point. Line 7 is the perfect example of steady iambic pentameter (the standard for sonnets), which states, “It is the star to every wand‘ring bark”. Considering the use of the “star” as a metaphor for love, the use of consistent meter attests to the reliability and implies the never-changing nature of true love. That being said, a break in the metric structure contributes potent emphasis, as seen in Line 12, which reads, “But bears it out even to the edge of doom.” The key word here is “even”, not only because of its position in the verse, but also its metric foot. Found directly in the middle of the sentence, “even” acts as a barrier separating two distinct parts of Line 12. On the left are the words, “But bears it out”. This portrays a positive, hopeful mood in the poem, one that vouches for the resilience of love. On the right: “to the edge of doom”. This offers a negative perspective to the transcendent quality of love in an effort to emphasize its incessant battle against death. In addition, “even” is a part of the dactyl foot “even to”, which successfully alters the rhythm of Line 12 and the couplet that follows it (contributing to the effect of the Volta found in the transition between Lines 12 and 13). Therefore, as told through meter and syllable, love lives on.

Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 116."