Romantic love in Shakespeare's sonnets: imagery and metaphor

Shakespeare and Romantic Love

Clearly one of the most influential writers in the English language that has survived and prospered in contemporary times is William Shakespeare. Despite some of the controversy of whether he actual wrote what is attributed to him, or the other theories of the origination of his writing, no one can deny that he holds a place in literature that few, if any, have attained. The classic stories and phrases of Shakespeare permeate contemporary society -- young love epitomized by Romeo and Juliet, treachery and false betrayal in Othello, and even the way the universe and nature conspire against the human condition in The Tempest. To begin to understand Shakespeare, though, it is first necessary to have a basic understanding of his time period -- Elizabethan England (roughly 1558-1603). Also called the "Golden Age" in English history, this time period was the height of the English Renaissance and English poetry, literature, and theater. The importance of this time period comes due to its many contrasts, however, and although one looks back at it as a relatively calm period, it was filled with intrigue, concern about invasion, court issues, religious war and strife. Clearly, though, one of the major themes that pervades much of Elizabethan literature is the contrast within the human psyche that takes form in romance, reality, fate and free will, insanity or psychosis, and even the way humans deal with one another. Romance, in the sense of courtly love, reality in the sense of the tawdry life of most people, fate and free will as human choice, and insanity or psychosis as creative entertainment or an expression of the times.

It was in his poetry, though, that Shakespeare seemed to focus more clearly upon romantic love -- the courtly effervescence that holds the love of the soul and heart above the physical need. Courtly love, for instance, was seen as one of the highest forms of art, but the humanity and sometimes not so covert sexuality moved through much of the literature, disguised at times to pass the muster of the censors and other prim and proper government servants, but nevertheless clear enough for the contrast to emerge.

Love to Shakespeare is pure, it is courtly, and it is the highest calling for humans, "Let me not to the marriage of true minds…. Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds" (1). And yet, despite the regaling of the feminine, love is never common, in fact, it is quite rare, "And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare" (2). And yet, it also seems that Shakespeare, while acknowledging that love blooms ever brightly for the young, does not die with age or maturity, but instead evolves from a more mirthful to a more celestial or ethereal love -- youth escapes with the passage of time, love becomes more fervent, "What is love? 'Tis not hereafter…. In delay there lies not plenty; & #8230; Youth's a stuff will not endure" (3).

However, Shakespeare is a true master of metaphorically describing how very important love was (to him) and likely to the Elizabethan Court; there is nothing in nature that can even come close to the way love colors the perception of another person, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate…. So Long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee" (4). This poem is probably one of the finest examples of personification for almost every element in nature is portrayed in some way with the sacred feminine beauty.

And yet, he does acknowledge that the flesh can burn with love as well, "If the dull substance of my flesh were thought, Injurious distance should not stop my way… But ah, thought kiss me, that I am not thought, To leap large length of miles when thou art gone," (5). Indeed, in this sonnet Shakespeare mentions earth and water as heavy elements that represent how very sad he was; "heavy tears," are produced by humans (made of Earth if we think Genesis), and certainly water can wash away and burden earth. This use of simile, for how can tears be heavy, conveyed far more meaning in this context -- profound sadness.