Sonnets:Sonnetto meaning little song

Petrarchan, Shakespearean, Modern

Petrarch (1304-1374) background • Italian scholar and poet

• “Father of the Sonnet”

• Gave up his vocation as a priest after sighting Laura

• He had very little contact with Laura as she was already married.

• He channeled his feelings into love poems since he couldn’t express them to her.

Themes expressed in Petrarchan Sonnets• The beloved is ideally beautiful, unattainable, and cruel in

rejecting the poet’s love

• Love is a torment

• The Lover suffers from extremes of feeling

• The God of Love is harsh

• Love is a religion

• The eyes are the window to the soul

• The poem will immortalize the beloved

Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet Structure• Octave: 8 rhyming lines following the iambic pentameter

structure of :• a b b a a b b a or a b a b a b a b

• Sestet: 6 lines that can have either two or three rhyming sound structures of:• c d c d c d

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

• A Petrarchan sestet will never end in a couplet

• A change in rhyming groups (octave and sestet) indicates a change in subject matter

• A “Volta” or turn indicates this shift in tone/attitude at the end of the octave

• The octave introduces the situation/poses a question or presents a problem

• The sestet comments on the situation or answers the problem

Sonnet CIV by Petrarch• Each group must present a dramatic reading of

their lines. You can choral read or act out. You have 10 minutes to prepare.

• Each group must interpret the meaning of their specific section.

• Each group will present their section and then explain the meaning of it.

• The class as a whole will discuss the Volta or shift in tone

Shakespearean Sonnets Background• Collection of 154 Sonnets first published in 1609• The first 17 sonnets called the “procreation

sonnets” are addressed to a young man• They urge him to marry and have children because he is a

beautiful being who should pass on his qualities to a future generation

• The subsequent sonnets discuss the SPEAKER’s love for the young man and ambiguous feelings for the speaker’s mistress

• Main characters are The Fair Youth, The Rival Poet, and The Dark Lady

Sonnet Sequences• Definition: SONNET SEQUENCE: Also called a

sonnet cycle, this term refers to a gathering or arrangement of sonnets by a single author so that the sonnets in that group or arrangement deal with a single theme, situation, a particular lady, or alternatively deal with what appears to be a sequential story. Petrarch, Sidney, Spenser, and Shakespeare all engaged in this practice, or at least the early editors of their works did. Shakespeare's 154 sonnets are best known of any sonnet sequences today. (http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_S.html)

Shakespearean Sonnet Sequence• Sonnets 1-126: The Fair Youth• 126 of the sonnets are dedicated to the mysterious Mr. W.H.

and address The Fair Youth• These poems express the benefits of marriage and procreation

and deal with the ups and downs of the relationship.

• Sonnets 127-152: The Dark Lady• These poems express the difference between spiritual love

and sexual desire.• These poems put an end to the Fair Youth sequence because

the speaker succumbs to the dark haired lady.

• Sonnets 78-86: The Rival Poet• These sonnets express the rivalry for fame and money

• Sonnets 153 and 154 are Allegories for Cupid

Themes expressed in Shakespearean Sonnets• Parody of the Petrarchan LOVE sonnet• Toys with gender roles• Portrays human evils that do not have to do with

love• Comments on political events• Ridicules LOVE• Open dialogue about sexual desires and situations• Parodies beauty

Shakespearean Sonnet Structure• Almost always follows the 14 line structure of:• Three 4 line quatrains• Iambic pentameter rhyming couplet• Follows the rhyme scheme of:• abab cdcd efef gg

• The 3rd quatrain marks the “Volta” or shift in tone of the poem and where the poet expresses a revelation or epiphany• The couplet usually provides the theme of the sonnet

Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?• Read the sonnet in your group.• Label the three quatrains and the rhyme scheme

of each• Label the rhyming couplet• Label the Volta• Locate and explain as many literary terms as

possible• Summarize what each quatrain is expressing• Summarize what the couplet is expressing• Write a paraphrased, modern version of this

sonnet• Share with class• Discuss what the theme of this poem is.

Sonnet 29: When in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes• Read the sonnet in your group.• Label the three quatrains and the rhyme scheme of

each• Label the rhyming couplet• Label the Volta• Locate and explain as many literary terms as possible• Summarize what each quatrain is expressing• Summarize what the couplet is expressing• Write a paraphrased, modern version of this sonnet• Share with class• Discuss what the theme of this poem is.• Write a thesis statement for the poem.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning• Wrote a series of 48 sonnets called Sonnets From

the Portuguese in secret about her love for her intended Robert Browning

• Modeled her sonnets after the Petrarchan form (with some variation of course!)

• She hid her relationship from her disapproving father.

• Elizabeth married Robert Browning and left Italy. She was disowned by the Barrett family.

• Sonnet 28 represents the midpoint of their relationship where she doubts his true intentions.

• Sonnet 43 expresses her love in countless comparisons