The SonnetThe SonnetHonors English 9Honors English 9

Forsyth & BernsteinForsyth & Bernstein

Bear Creek High SchoolBear Creek High School

What do you remember about What do you remember about sonnets?sonnets?

14 line poem14 line poem iambic pentameteriambic pentameter specific rhyme scheme (ababcdcdefefgg)specific rhyme scheme (ababcdcdefefgg) archaic languagearchaic language usually about loveusually about love

I bet you didn’t know that …I bet you didn’t know that … The word “sonnet” means “little sound” or “little song.”The word “sonnet” means “little sound” or “little song.” The sonnet originated in Italy and had 14 lines, but had a The sonnet originated in Italy and had 14 lines, but had a

different rhyme scheme than what we study.different rhyme scheme than what we study. All of Shakespeare’s sonnets were connected by theme.All of Shakespeare’s sonnets were connected by theme. Of the 154 sonnets, #s 1-126 are addressed to a young Of the 154 sonnets, #s 1-126 are addressed to a young

man expressing the poet’s love for him, and #s 127–152 man expressing the poet’s love for him, and #s 127–152 are written to the poet’s mistress expressing strong love are written to the poet’s mistress expressing strong love for her. for her.

The English version (Shakespearean sonnet) consists of The English version (Shakespearean sonnet) consists of four parts: three quatrains and a couplet.four parts: three quatrains and a couplet.

Look at the Prologue for Act I in Look at the Prologue for Act I in Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet for for example…example…

Two households both alike in dignity, Two households both alike in dignity, AA

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene. In fair Verona, where we lay our scene. BB

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, AA

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. BB

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes From forth the fatal loins of these two foes CC

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, DD

Whose misadventure piteous overthrows Whose misadventure piteous overthrows CC

Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife. Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife. DD

The fearful passage of their death-marked love, The fearful passage of their death-marked love, EE

And the continuance of their parents’ rage, And the continuance of their parents’ rage, FF

Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, EE

Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage, Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage, FF

The which if you with patient ears attend, The which if you with patient ears attend, GG

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. GG

1st Quatrain

2nd Quatrain

3rd Quatrain

Couplet

The Sonnet FormThe Sonnet Form

The form into which a poet puts his or her words The form into which a poet puts his or her words is always something of which the reader ought to is always something of which the reader ought to take conscious note. And when poets have take conscious note. And when poets have chosen to work within such a strict form, that chosen to work within such a strict form, that form and its strictures make up part of what they form and its strictures make up part of what they want to say. In other words, the poet is using the want to say. In other words, the poet is using the structure of the poem as part of the language structure of the poem as part of the language act: we will find the "meaning" not only in the act: we will find the "meaning" not only in the words, but partly in their pattern as well. words, but partly in their pattern as well.

Consider the following when Consider the following when interpreting a sonnet …interpreting a sonnet …

The sonnet can be thematically divided The sonnet can be thematically divided into two sections: into two sections:

The first presents The first presents the themethe theme, raises an , raises an issue or doubt, issue or doubt,

The second part The second part answers the questionanswers the question, , resolves the problem, or drives home the resolves the problem, or drives home the poem's point. poem's point.

This change in the poem is called This change in the poem is called thethe turnturn and helps move forward the emotional and helps move forward the emotional action of the poem quickly. action of the poem quickly.

The SonnetThe Sonnet

The Shakespearean sonnet has a wide The Shakespearean sonnet has a wide range of possibilities. One pattern range of possibilities. One pattern introduces an idea in the first quatrain, introduces an idea in the first quatrain, complicates it in the second, complicates it complicates it in the second, complicates it still further in the third, and resolves the still further in the third, and resolves the whole thing in the final couplet.whole thing in the final couplet.

Each sonnet functions as it’s own short Each sonnet functions as it’s own short story in a way.story in a way.

Iambic PentameterIambic Pentameter Iambic Pentameter is the rhythm and Iambic Pentameter is the rhythm and

meter in which poets and playwrights meter in which poets and playwrights wrote in Elizabethan England. It is a wrote in Elizabethan England. It is a meter that Shakespeare uses.meter that Shakespeare uses.

Quite simply, it sounds like this: dee Quite simply, it sounds like this: dee DUM, dee DUM, dee DUM, dee DUM, DUM, dee DUM, dee DUM, dee DUM, dee DUM. It consists of a line of five dee DUM. It consists of a line of five iambic feet, ten syllables with five iambic feet, ten syllables with five unstressed and five stressed syllables. unstressed and five stressed syllables. It is the first and last sound we ever It is the first and last sound we ever hear, it is the rhythm of the human hear, it is the rhythm of the human heartbeat.heartbeat.

It is percussive and It is percussive and attractive to the ear and attractive to the ear and has an effect on the has an effect on the listener's central listener's central nervous system.nervous system.

U U // U U / / U U // U U / / U U //ButBut,, softsoft!! what what lightlight throughthrough yonyonderder winwindowdow breaksbreaks??  

There are other types of meter…There are other types of meter…

Trochee (Dum Da) ( / U) Trochee (Dum Da) ( / U) ShouldShould you you askask me, me, whencewhence these these storstories?ies?

Anapestic (da da dum) ( U U / )Anapestic (da da dum) ( U U / ) I am I am outout of huof humanmanity's ity's reachreach II must must finfinish my ish my jourjourney aney alonelone

Dactylic (Dum da da) ( / U U )Dactylic (Dum da da) ( / U U ) PicPicture yourture yourself self in a in a boatboat on a on a rivriver wither with tantangerine gerine treetree-ees and -ees and marmarmalade malade skiiskii-ii-es.-ii-es.

Your turn to practice …Your turn to practice … In a small group of 3-4, read and discuss In a small group of 3-4, read and discuss Sonnet 18Sonnet 18.. Read it a few times to get a sense of what the poem is Read it a few times to get a sense of what the poem is

about.about. Identify the rhyme scheme and label it on the right side Identify the rhyme scheme and label it on the right side

of the poem.of the poem. Count the meter and label it on the left side of the poem.Count the meter and label it on the left side of the poem. Read each syllable closely and determine where there is Read each syllable closely and determine where there is

iambic pentameter. Label the stressed and unstressed iambic pentameter. Label the stressed and unstressed syllables.syllables.

On the reverse side of the paper, write an explication of On the reverse side of the paper, write an explication of the sonnet.the sonnet.

Sonnet 18Sonnet 18Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date: And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines,And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;But thy eternal summer shall not fadeBut thy eternal summer shall not fade

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou growest: When in eternal lines to time thou growest: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long lives this and this gives life to thee.So long lives this and this gives life to thee.

Your explication should include…Your explication should include…

A theme statement. “Beauty” is not a A theme statement. “Beauty” is not a theme. What is the author saying about theme. What is the author saying about beauty?beauty?

Discuss the three quatrain and the Discuss the three quatrain and the couplet. How does the poet introduce the couplet. How does the poet introduce the problem and how is it solved?problem and how is it solved?

What figurative language is used to What figurative language is used to convey the meaning in the poem?convey the meaning in the poem?

TranslationTranslation Shall I compare you to a summer's day? You are more Shall I compare you to a summer's day? You are more

lovely and more moderate: Harsh winds disturb the lovely and more moderate: Harsh winds disturb the delicate buds of May, and summer doesn't last long delicate buds of May, and summer doesn't last long enough. Sometimes the sun is too hot, and its golden enough. Sometimes the sun is too hot, and its golden face is often dimmed by clouds. All beautiful things face is often dimmed by clouds. All beautiful things eventually become less beautiful, either by the eventually become less beautiful, either by the experiences of life or by the passing of time. But your experiences of life or by the passing of time. But your eternal beauty won't fade, nor lose any of its quality. And eternal beauty won't fade, nor lose any of its quality. And you will never die, as you will live on in my enduring you will never die, as you will live on in my enduring poetry. As long as there are people still alive to read poetry. As long as there are people still alive to read poems this sonnet will live, and you will live in it. poems this sonnet will live, and you will live in it.

The SonnetThe Sonnet

You can see how this form would attract You can see how this form would attract writers of great technical skill who are writers of great technical skill who are fascinated with intellectual puzzles and fascinated with intellectual puzzles and intrigued by the complexity of human intrigued by the complexity of human emotions, which become especially emotions, which become especially tangled when it comes to dealing with the tangled when it comes to dealing with the sonnet's traditional subjects, love and sonnet's traditional subjects, love and faith. faith.

Other MetersOther Meters

Trochee (Dum Da) ( / U)Trochee (Dum Da) ( / U) Anapestic (da da dum) ( U U / )Anapestic (da da dum) ( U U / ) Dactylic (Dum da da) ( / U U )Dactylic (Dum da da) ( / U U )

Sonnet 116Sonnet 116Let me not to the marriage of true mindsLet me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not loveAdmit impediments. Love is not loveWhich alters when it alteration finds,Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:Or bends with the remover to remove:O no! it is an ever-fixed markO no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;That looks on tempests and is never shaken;It is the star to every wandering bark,It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose Worth's unknown, although his height be Whose Worth's unknown, although his height be taken.taken.Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeksLove's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come;Within his bending sickle's compass come;Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom:But bears it out even to the edge of doom:If this be error and upon me proved,If this be error and upon me proved,I never writ, nor no man ever loved.I never writ, nor no man ever loved.