Sonnet 116

William Shakespeare wrote “Sonnet 116” between 1592 and 1609, the years during which he composed his 154 sonnets. This lyric poem was published in 1609 by Thomas Thorpe in a manuscript dedicated to “Mr. W.H.,” a man who remains unidentified. This is an English, or Shakespearean, sonnet, from the Elizabethan Era of English literature, which encompasses the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in England. No one knows the precise date that Shakespeare wrote this or any of the sonnets, as the numerical order of the sonnets is not chronological, but scholars believe that he wrote most of the sonnets between 1593-1596.

“Sonnet 116” is a meditation on the enduring nature of love, addressed to the same young man who is the audience for the majority of his sonnets. Love is conceived of as a spiritual and emotional union of kindred souls that remains constant. The transcendent love that Shakespeare is describing does not wither or decay but persists despite life’s challenges. Even time’s cruel march is no match for the powerful nature of this love’s force. This sonnet argues that true love is immortal, persisting even after the lover and the beloved themselves have succumbed to death.