Basic Sonnet Basic Sonnet FormsForms

SonnetSonnetFrom the Italian word From the Italian word sonnettosonnetto, meaning , meaning ““little songlittle song””..

Almost always consists of 14 lines Almost always consists of 14 lines usually printed as a single stanza.usually printed as a single stanza.

Typically follows a specific rhyme Typically follows a specific rhyme pattern.pattern.

Three most popular: Petrarchan, Three most popular: Petrarchan, Spenserian, and English/Shakespearean.Spenserian, and English/Shakespearean.

Love is one of the most common themes Love is one of the most common themes in sonnets.in sonnets.

History of the SonnetHistory of the SonnetThe sonnet began in Italy with Francesco Petrarch The sonnet began in Italy with Francesco Petrarch first established it as a serious form of poetry. first established it as a serious form of poetry. Petrarch addressed his sonnets to a young woman Petrarch addressed his sonnets to a young woman named Laura he saw one afternoon at church. named Laura he saw one afternoon at church. She was not interested, but he didn’t let that stop him, She was not interested, but he didn’t let that stop him, and proceeded to and proceeded to publish some 260 sonnets about herpublish some 260 sonnets about her—followed by another hundred or so after her death. —followed by another hundred or so after her death. Petrarch is, quite possibly, the first recorded literary Petrarch is, quite possibly, the first recorded literary stalker.stalker.

History of the Sonnet History of the Sonnet In these sonnets, Petrarch used witty plays on Laura’s In these sonnets, Petrarch used witty plays on Laura’s name to name to both honor and attack the object of his both honor and attack the object of his affectionaffection. He would praise her for her beauty in one . He would praise her for her beauty in one sonnet, then condemn her as an icy monster who sonnet, then condemn her as an icy monster who rejects his love in another. rejects his love in another.

The Italian (or Petrarchan) The Italian (or Petrarchan) SonnetSonnet

The Italian sonnet is divided into two sections The Italian sonnet is divided into two sections by two different groups of rhyming sounds. by two different groups of rhyming sounds. The first 8 lines are called the The first 8 lines are called the octaveoctave and and rhymes: rhymes:

a b b a a b b aa b b a a b b a

The remaining 6 lines are called the The remaining 6 lines are called the sestetsestet and can have either two or three rhyming and can have either two or three rhyming sounds, arranged in a variety of ways:sounds, arranged in a variety of ways:

c d c d c dc d c d c dc d d c d cc d d c d cc d e c d ec d e c d ec d e c e dc d e c e dc d c e d cc d c e d c

Petrarchan cont.Petrarchan cont.The poem is divided into The poem is divided into two sections by the two two sections by the two differing rhyme groups. differing rhyme groups.

A change from one A change from one rhyme group to another rhyme group to another signifies a change in signifies a change in subject mattersubject matter. This . This change occurs at the change occurs at the beginning of Line 9 in the beginning of Line 9 in the Italian sonnet and is called Italian sonnet and is called the the voltavolta, or "turn"; , or "turn";

the turn is an essential the turn is an essential element of the sonnet element of the sonnet formform, perhaps , perhaps thethe essential element. essential element.

Petrarchan (Italian)ABBA Octave (8 lines)ABBA The

TURN

CDEC Sestet (6 lines)DE

"London, 1802""London, 1802" - Wordsworth - Wordsworth

Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour: Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour:

England hath need of thee: she is a fen England hath need of thee: she is a fen

Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen, Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,

Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower, Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,

Have forfeited their ancient English dower Have forfeited their ancient English dower

Of inward happiness. We are selfish men; Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;

Oh! raise us up, return to us again; Oh! raise us up, return to us again;

And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power. And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power. 88

Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart; Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart;

Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea: sea:

Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free, Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,

So didst thou travel on life's common way, So didst thou travel on life's common way,

In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart

The lowliest duties on herself did lay. The lowliest duties on herself did lay. 1414

Here, the octaveHere, the octavedevelops the ideadevelops the ideaof the decline of the decline

andandcorruption of thecorruption of theEnglish race.English race.

The sestet The sestet opposesopposes

to that loss theto that loss thequalities Miltonqualities Miltonpossessed whichpossessed whichthe race nowthe race nowdesperately desperately

needs. needs.

The Spenserian Sonnet:The Spenserian Sonnet:

The Spenserian sonnet, invented by The Spenserian sonnet, invented by Edmund Spenser as an outgrowth of the Edmund Spenser as an outgrowth of the stanza pattern he used in stanza pattern he used in The Faerie The Faerie QueeneQueene (a b a b b c b c c), has the pattern: (a b a b b c b c c), has the pattern: a b a b b c b c c d c d e ea b a b b c b c c d c d e e

Here, the "abab" pattern sets up distinct four-Here, the "abab" pattern sets up distinct four-line groups, each of which develops a specific line groups, each of which develops a specific idea; however, the overlapping a, b, c, and d idea; however, the overlapping a, b, c, and d rhymes form the first 12 lines into a single unit rhymes form the first 12 lines into a single unit with a separated final couplet. with a separated final couplet.

The three quatrains then develop three The three quatrains then develop three distinct but closely related ideas, with a distinct but closely related ideas, with a different idea (or commentary) in the different idea (or commentary) in the couplet. couplet.

"Sonnet LIV""Sonnet LIV" - Spenser - Spenser

Of this World's theatre in which we stay, Of this World's theatre in which we stay,

My love like the Spectator idly sits, My love like the Spectator idly sits,

Beholding me, that all the pageants play, Beholding me, that all the pageants play,

Disguising diversely my troubled wits. Disguising diversely my troubled wits.

Sometimes I joy when glad occasion fits, Sometimes I joy when glad occasion fits,

And mask in mirth like to a Comedy; And mask in mirth like to a Comedy;

Soon after when my joy to sorrow flits, Soon after when my joy to sorrow flits,

I wail and make my woes a Tragedy. I wail and make my woes a Tragedy.

Yet she, beholding me with constant eye, Yet she, beholding me with constant eye,

Delights not in my mirth nor rues my smart; Delights not in my mirth nor rues my smart;

But when I laugh, she mocks: and when I But when I laugh, she mocks: and when I cry cry

She laughs and hardens evermore her She laughs and hardens evermore her heart. heart.

WhatWhat then can move her? If nor mirth nor then can move her? If nor mirth nor moan, moan,

She is no woman, but a senseless stone. She is no woman, but a senseless stone.

Interestingly, Spenser Interestingly, Spenser often begins L9 of his often begins L9 of his sonnets with "But" or sonnets with "But" or "Yet," indicating a "Yet," indicating a voltavolta exactly where it exactly where it would occur in the would occur in the Italian sonnet. Italian sonnet.

Often one finds that Often one finds that the "turn" here really the "turn" here really isn't one at all, that the isn't one at all, that the actual turn occurs actual turn occurs where the rhyme where the rhyme pattern changes, with pattern changes, with the couplet, thus the couplet, thus giving a 12 and 2 line giving a 12 and 2 line pattern very different pattern very different from the Italian 8 and from the Italian 8 and 6 line pattern (actual 6 line pattern (actual voltavolta marked by marked by italics) italics)

The English (or Shakespearian) The English (or Shakespearian) Sonnet:Sonnet:

The English sonnet The English sonnet has the simplest and has the simplest and most flexible pattern most flexible pattern of all sonnets, of all sonnets, consisting of 3 consisting of 3 quatrains of quatrains of alternating rhyme alternating rhyme and a couplet: and a couplet: a b a ba b a bc d c dc d c de f e fe f e fg gg g

As in the Spenserian, As in the Spenserian, each quatrain each quatrain develops a specific develops a specific idea, but one closely idea, but one closely related to the ideas in related to the ideas in the other quatrains. the other quatrains.

ShakespeareanAB A Quatrain 1BCD Quatrain 2C DE Quatrain 3FE

TURNFG Rhyming

G Couplet

SONNET 130SONNET 130

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;Coral is far more red than her lips' red;Coral is far more red than her lips' red;If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,But no such roses see I in her cheeks; But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delightAnd in some perfumes is there more delightThan in the breath that from my mistress reeks.Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.I love to hear her speak, yet well I knowI love to hear her speak, yet well I knowThat music hath a far more pleasing sound;That music hath a far more pleasing sound;I grant I never saw a goddess go;I grant I never saw a goddess go;My mistress, when she walks, treads on the My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:ground:   And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare   And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare   As any she belied with false compare.    As any she belied with false compare.

English cont.English cont.Not only is the English sonnet the easiest in Not only is the English sonnet the easiest in terms of its rhyme scheme, calling for only terms of its rhyme scheme, calling for only pairs of rhyming words rather than groups of pairs of rhyming words rather than groups of 4, 4, but but it is the most flexible in terms of it is the most flexible in terms of the placement of the the placement of the voltavolta. Shakespeare . Shakespeare often places the "turn," as in the Italian, often places the "turn," as in the Italian, at line 9at line 9

Shakespeare can delay the Shakespeare can delay the voltavolta to the to the final coupletfinal couplet, , as in this sonnet where each as in this sonnet where each quatrain develops a metaphor describing the quatrain develops a metaphor describing the aging of the speaker, while the couplet then aging of the speaker, while the couplet then states the consequence states the consequence

"Sonnet 73""Sonnet 73" - Shakespeare - Shakespeare

That time of year thou mayst in me behold, That time of year thou mayst in me behold,

When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, cold,

Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. sang.

In me thou seest the twilight of such day, In me thou seest the twilight of such day,

As after sunset fadeth in the west, As after sunset fadeth in the west,

Which by and by black night doth take away, Which by and by black night doth take away,

Death's second self that seals up all in rest.Death's second self that seals up all in rest.

In me thou seest the glowing of such fire, In me thou seest the glowing of such fire,

That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,

As the deathbed, whereon it must expire, As the deathbed, whereon it must expire,

Consumed by that which it was nourished by. Consumed by that which it was nourished by.

ThisThis thou perceivest, which makes thy love thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong, more strong,

To love that well, which thou must leave ere To love that well, which thou must leave ere long. long.

• Shakespeare can Shakespeare can delay the delay the voltavolta to to the final couplet, the final couplet, as in this sonnet as in this sonnet where each where each quatrain quatrain develops a develops a metaphor metaphor describing the describing the aging of the aging of the speaker. speaker.

• The couplet then The couplet then states the states the consequence--"Yoconsequence--"You better love me u better love me now because now because soon I won't be soon I won't be here”here”