Theme Of Love In Sonnet 116

The theme of love is presented in different ways by the poets to express strong viewpoints on love. Many poets, including Shakespeare, believe that love is spontaneous and immeasurable. However, other poets such as Carol Ann Duffy display the negatives of love. She emphasises the intimidating and overpowering aspect of love. On the other hand, Browning conveys the message that love is dangerous and revenge can be murderous. I believe, love is an incredibly complex concept, where there is a range of different emotions. Love is like a rollercoaster; there are numerous ups and downs. Overall, the poets present many focal aspects of love, however, I will be focusing on the definition of love, separation, and betrayal. In the poem ‘Sonnet 116’, Shakespeare explores the theme of love through the use of linguistic techniques such as structure and metaphorical language. Shakespeare structures his poem using iambic pentameter; 10 syllables per line, which mimics the rhythm of a heartbeat, symbolising the

John Keats structures his ballad using the ballad stanza, a quatrain in alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter lines. John Keats uses the impact of separation to highlight women as being manipulative. He accentuates the manipulative mindset of women by stating “And there she lulled me asleep, And there I dreamed- ah! woe betide” this use of emotive language shows he was enchanted by his lover as if she has some magical or supernatural powers. The choice of diction “lulled” is ambiguous and can be interpreted as if she has created a false sense of security and manipulated him into falling asleep. The caesura combined with the exclamation marks further emphasise John Keats frustration. Throughout the quotation, Keats uses simples diction, such as “asleep...dreamed” to be adequate to all