“Little Song”

Basic Construction of the Sonnet

Let’s take a look: Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,I all alone beweep my outcast state

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless criesAnd look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,

Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arisingFrom sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth bringsThat then I scorn to change my state with kings.

So, what is this…thing?

Sonnet comes from Italian and literally translates “Little Song”.

Though the sonnet is a short poem, the specific demands of this form make it a challenging type of poem to write.

There are two primary forms of the sonnet: the Italian form and the English (or Shakespearian) form. We will be looking primarily and the English form.

Key Terms

Couplet: grouping of two lines Tercet: grouping of three lines Quatrain: grouping of four lines Sestet: grouping of six lines Octave: two quatrains; grouping of eight lines Iambic Pentameter: a line of poetry made up of five

iambs. An iamb contains one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

Specifics of the English Sonnet

14 Lines (3 Quatrains and One Couplet) Each line consists of 5 feet of iambic

pentameter (10 syllables per line) End rhyme as follows:

– ABAB (first quatrain)– CDCD (second quatrain)– EFEF (third quatrain)– GG (couplet)

Take another look: stanza setup

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,I all alone beweep my outcast state

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless criesAnd look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,

Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arisingFrom sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth bringsThat then I scorn to change my state with kings.

QUATRAINQUATRAIN

QUATRAINQUATRAIN

QUATRAINQUATRAIN

COUPLETCOUPLET

Take another look: Iambic Pentameter

Remember, Iambic Pentameter: a line of poetry made up of five iambs. An iamb contains one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

Above, you can see the first line of the poem. It contains 10 syllables. Stressed syllables have been boldfaced.

Each of the following lines in the poem follows this same rhythm.

When, inin disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Take another look: rhyme scheme

First Quatrain

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

A (EYES)

B (STATE)

A (CRIES)

B (FATE)

Take another look: rhyme scheme

Second Quatrain

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,

Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

C (HOPE)

D (ESS’D)

C(SCOPE)

D (LEAST)

Take another look: rhyme scheme

Third Quatrain

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

E (ING)

F (STATE)

E (ING)

F (GATE)

Take another look: rhyme scheme

Couplet

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

G(BRINGS)

G(KINGS)

Content Structure

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,I all alone beweep my outcast state

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless criesAnd look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,

Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arisingFrom sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth bringsThat then I scorn to change my state with kings.

11stst QUATRAIN: QUATRAIN:– Introduces the problem Introduces the problem

(dissatisfaction with life/ (dissatisfaction with life/ frustrated with God)frustrated with God)

22ndnd QUATRAIN QUATRAIN– Elaborates on the theme given in Elaborates on the theme given in

the opening stanza (jealous of the opening stanza (jealous of the success he sees others the success he sees others enjoying)enjoying)

QUATRAINQUATRAIN– Continues the theme, but Continues the theme, but

provides a turn (as he provides a turn (as he approaches the lowest point, he approaches the lowest point, he remembers his love)remembers his love)

COUPLETCOUPLET– Provides resolution, a final Provides resolution, a final

thought that brings the topic to thought that brings the topic to a close (because of love in his a close (because of love in his life, he considers himself more life, he considers himself more wealthy than royalty)wealthy than royalty)