‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare - Teachit English · AQA Moon on the Tides (Poetry Anthology), relationships cluster ‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare © 2010 14242

AQA Moon on the Tides (Poetry Anthology), relationships cluster

‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare

© www.teachit.co.uk 2010 14242 Page 1 of 4

Objective: to explore a variety of ways that love can be defined, to help explore Shakespeare’s poem ‘Sonnet 116’.

Forrest Gump said “I’m not a smart man … but I know what love is.”

One definition is that it is a ‘profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.’ It is a very subjective thing – people view love (which is an abstract concept) in different ways.

Write your own definition of love below. As a starting point, you may wish to consider: how long it lasts, whether it can be overcome or prevented, how important it is in life, how many different forms in can take.

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Love can be seen in many different ways. Match these definitions with the ‘types’ of love. Talk to one another and use a dictionary.

Type of love Definition Match i.e. ‘1D’

Extension activity ‘code’

1. Unrequited love

a) Fondness for the other person, but these days, usually referring to a watered down version of the real deal!

2. Infatuation b) Love that is, for some reason, frowned upon or not allowed. This can sometimes make the love all the more alluring.

3. Affection c) A purely spiritual love, the type of love explored in the teachings of Plato.

4. Filial love d) Loving someone, but not being loved back.

5. Platonic love e) Obsessive, foolish and all absorbing love that is often unrealistic.

6. Friendship f) The love of a child for a parent or carer.

7. Romantic love

g) Where one person promises to always love the other, to stand by them, whatever happens.

8. Committed love

h) The love that someone can feel for a buddy, like being best friends.

9. Courtly love i) Loving someone passionately; being attracted to that person.

10. Forbidden love

j) A traditional way for a man to behave when he loves someone, which comes from the medieval period and was used a lot in Shakespeare’s plays, like in Romeo and Juliet – the man must pledge his undying love, and the woman must pretend to not be interested!

Extension: For each ‘type’ of love, use the column to the right to ‘code’ it, using the following key. You may use more than one, as appropriate:

i) This is rarely seen/experienced. ii) Common or easily acquired. iii) Much sought after. iv) Undervalued.




Look at these common ideas about love – discuss them with a partner.

Famous quotations:

Extension – How many of these quotations use figurative language? Look for similes, metaphors, or imagery. Why do people use figurative language when talking about love? (You could even say ‘ ‘resort to’ using it …’).

I love him, but I’m not in love with him

anymore.

I cannot choose to love you. It’s not my decision! Love has a

mind of its own.

If you don’t water the flower of love,

it dies.

Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.

St Augustine

I grew to love him because we were compatible and wanted the same things. I made myself fall in love with him.

You have to love yourself first, before you can properly

love someone else.

Love is all there is!

The Beatles

The course of true love never did run smooth.

William Shakespeare

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness that nothing else can bring.

Oscar Wilde

Marriage is not a noun, it’s a verb. It isn’t a thing you get. It’s something you do. It’s the way you love your partner every day.

Barbara De Angelis




Now read Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 116’. Discuss the poem with a partner and see if you can jot down some of its main ideas.

The prompts below should give you some ideas and help you to get started …

Love doesn’t change when it encounters change.

Love is like a star which guides every lost ship at sea. Summarise what you think Shakespeare is trying to tell us about love.

Discuss: is his message something that we already know? Do you think the message is still important these days?

Documents

‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare - Teachit English · AQA Moon on the Tides (Poetry Anthology), relationships cluster ‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare © 2010 14242