World Literature – 200
7 February 2019
“Comparing and Analyzing Shakespeare’s and Bozeman’s Views on Love”
Typically a poem which is written in a certain structure about love is called a sonnet. Poems like these can be used to create love songs. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a song is directly defined as “a short poem or other set of words set to music or meant to be sung.” Poems and songs are quite similar due to their similar formatting and techniques. Such as William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 and V. Bozeman song “What is Love” both are written in lines/verses that are perfectly divided into stanzas.
Usually, poems and songs have some form of repetition and/or rhythm, but not always. Shakespeare’s sonnet and Bozeman’s song define love by describing what love is not, comparing love to objects using symbolism, and comparing love to time.
There are many definitions of what love is, but what love is not is wavering. In Sonnet 116, Shakespeare says, “Love is not love / Which alters when it alteration finds, / Or bends with the remover to remove” (2-4). The one thingthing that love will not do is change or fade away, and certainly not when their significant other is not there to be with them all time. Love remains the same whether the significant other is right in front of them or at work. In “What is Love” Bozeman sings “Where you
goin’ Why you leavin’ so soon Is there somewhere else that is better for you”. She begins the song questioning her significant other’s whereabouts; however, this does not change how she feels. Even though the answers to her questions may not be what she wants them to be, she will still love him regardless. Love is not something that is seen, so even when the significant other is in eyesight love does not change when they are not there anymore.
Even though love can not be seen, it can be compared to things that can be seen like an open door. As Shakespeare is talking about love is not changeable he says, “O no! it is an ever-fixed mark / That looks on tempests and is never shaken; / It is the star to every wandering bark, / Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken” (5-8). Shakespeare compares love to a lighthouse, a lighthouse’s jobs it to guide boats and ships. He even says that love is the North Star helping the lost ships
because love is measurable. This is similar to Bozeman saying, “We were supposed to be an empire” in her song. Bozeman is emphasizing how her and her significant other love is supposed to great, and powerful like an empire. Love looks like an empire or even an empire building does, strong. By using symbols, things that can not be seen like love can be compared to objects or things to gain a better understanding.
Understanding takes time to do, and time is something that’s constantly running out. However Shakespeare believes that, “Love’s not Time’s fool” (11). Love is not subject to the hand of time like someone’s beauty because love does not change. It does not fade away in a matter of weeks, months, or years like someone’s physical appearance. Bozeman sings, “I would tell you that I love you tonight But I know that I got time on my side”. She thinks love is endless just like time. Bozeman has all the time
in the world to express her love because it defies the rules of time. Time can affect various things, it can not affect love.
Love can affect various things, but nothing can affect love itself. For example, love will affect how others are treated even when they are not treated right. Love is an action word, and it is not dependent on outside forces. Shakespeare and Bozeman emphasized that love does not fade, love is more than what is seen, and love is more than anything imagined. This work of literature and work of art express their thoughts about love through a poem.
Work cited
Bozeman, V. “What is Love.” Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1, Mosley Music Group, 2015, track 1. https://youtu.be/SRC6NEdSLIA
Shakespeare, William. “Sonnet 116: Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds by William Shakespeare.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, Dec. 2015.