Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Question

Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds.
Or bends with the remover to remove;
• 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. Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error, and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd. What is the meaning of the extended metaphor in this sonnet?
• 1. Love is beautiful, but it lasts only briefly, like roses that eventually fade on their bent stems.
2. Love is only true if it is unwavering in the face of adversity, like the unmoving position of a star in the sky.
• 3. Love is an obstacle to true happiness, bringing emotional challenges that are difficult to overcome.
• 4. Love leads to doom, so only fools who cannot recognize errors fall in love.

Answer 1

The extended metaphor in the sonnet suggests that 2. Love is only true if it is unwavering in the face of adversity, like the unmoving position of a star in the sky.

In this sonnet, Shakespeare presents love as a constant and unchanging force that remains steadfast regardless of challenges or changes in circumstances. The imagery of the "ever-fixed mark" and the "star to every wandering bark" illustrates love's reliability and consistency, contrasting it with the fleeting nature of physical beauty and time. The idea is that genuine love endures all trials and remains unaltered, serving as a guiding light, much like a star for a ship at sea.