Summary:
This poem, also known as Sonnet 116, is one of Shakespeare’s most famous reflections on love. The poet defines true love as unchanging and steadfast, unaffected by time, circumstances, or physical beauty. Love, he argues, is like a guiding star that remains constant even in difficult times. It is not subject to the whims of fortune or the passage of time. The poet concludes by affirming that if his definition of love is wrong, then no one has ever truly loved. The sonnet presents love as eternal and unshakable, making it a timeless meditation on the nature of genuine affection.
MCQs:
- What is the central theme of this poem?
- A) The beauty of nature
- B) The permanence of true love
- C) The unpredictability of life
- D) The sorrow of lost love
- Answer: B) The permanence of true love
- Which literary device is used in “Love’s not Time’s fool”?
- A) Metaphor
- B) Simile
- C) Alliteration
- D) Personification
- Answer: D) Personification
- What does the poet claim true love is not affected by?
- A) Beauty
- B) Time and change
- C) Social status
- D) Distance
- Answer: B) Time and change
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
- What is the poetic form of this poem?
- A) Petrarchan Sonnet
- B) Shakespearean Sonnet
- C) Limerick
- D) Haiku
- Answer: B) Shakespearean Sonnet
- What metaphor does Shakespeare use to describe love?
- A) A guiding star
- B) A strong fortress
- C) A burning flame
- D) A flowing river
- Answer: A) A guiding star
- According to the poem, how does true love behave over time?
- A) It weakens and fades
- B) It changes with circumstances
- C) It remains constant and unshaken
- D) It transforms into friendship
- Answer: C) It remains constant and unshaken
- What does “the edge of doom” refer to in the poem?
- A) The end of a relationship
- B) Judgment Day or death
- C) A tragic event
- D) The edge of a cliff
- Answer: B) Judgment Day or death
- What does the poet say about love and physical appearance?
- A) Love is based on physical beauty
- B) True love does not change even when beauty fades
- C) Love only exists in youth
- D) Love is only about attraction
- Answer: B) True love does not change even when beauty fades
- What challenge does the poet give in the last lines of the poem?
- A) If he is wrong, then no man has ever truly loved
- B) If he is wrong, then love does not exist
- C) If he is wrong, then life is meaningless
- D) If he is wrong, then poetry has no value
- Answer: A) If he is wrong, then no man has ever truly loved
- What is the rhyme scheme of this sonnet?
- A) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
- B) AABB CCDD EEFF GG
- C) ABC ABC DEF DEF
- D) AAB CDD EFF GG
- Answer: A) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
| Question | Answer |
| Poem Name | Let me not to the marriage of true minds |
| Poet | William Shakespeare |
| Year Written | Early 1600s |
| Year Published | 1609 |
| Poem Type | Shakespearean Sonnet |
| Themes | True Love, Constancy, Time, Eternity |
| Rhyme Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG |
| Literary Devices | Metaphor, Personification, Imagery, Symbolism |
| Main Idea | True love is eternal, unchanging, and unaffected by time or external factors. |