The Sonnet

“little song”

Definition

• A 14 line lyric poem in iambic pentameter• Originated in the 13th century in Italy• Modified by Shakespeare in the 16th century• Very tough to write due to short length and

rigid rhyme scheme• Most common topic is love

I. Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet

• Developed in the 13th century in Italy• Petrarch perfected it – he wrote 317 sonnets

to a woman named Laura whom he loved

Petrarch

Petrarch’s Laura

Structure

• Organized into 2 partsOctave: first 8 lines (abba abba)

• Establish theme• Poses a problem

Volta: turning pointSestet: remaining 6 lines

• There may be variations of the rhyme scheme• Anwers the question• Resolves the problem

III. Shakespearean Sonnet (English)

• Written by Shakespeare in the 16th century• Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets

Shakespeare’s Sonnet Cycles

• The first 126 sonnets are addressed to a young man of great beauty and promise

• Sonnets 127 to 152 are addressed to a lady with dark hair, eyes, and complexion

Structure

• Three quatrains (abab cdcd efef) followed by a concluding couplet (gg)

• The couplet is often an epigram summing up the problem or concern developed in the quatrains

• There is a different idea presented in each quatrain; each grows out of the one preceding it;

• The argument / theme is concluded in the binding end couplet

Sonnet 18