What is a Sonnet? Understanding the forms, meter, rhyme, and other aspects of the sonnet.

Sonnet Form A sonnet has 14 lines. It was created around the 13th century in Italy and mean “little song” A sonnet must be written in iambic pentameter A sonnet must follow a specific rhyme scheme, depending on the type of sonnet. A sonnet can be about any subject, though they are often about love or nature. A sonnet introduces a problem or question in the beginning, and a resolution is offered after the Volta. The Volta is a term meaning “the turn” or a change in the poem where the poet is about to close the dilemma

Iambic Pentameter A line of Iambic Pentameter is a line with ten beats. An “Iamb” is two beats, or one “foot.” “Penta” is five (line has five “feet”). “Meter” is the rhythm of the poem. A “foot” is made of an unstressed syllable and a stressed syllable (in that order).

English Sonnet An English Sonnet is also called a Shakespearean Sonnet because it was popularized by William Shakespeare It includes three quatrains (groups of four lines) and a couplet (two lines). The rhyme scheme is often abab cdcd efef gg. The volta is either on the eighth line (Italian) or thirteenth line (Shakespearian).

Shakespearian/English Sonnet My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun (Sonnet 130) by William Shakespeare My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress when she walks treads on the ground. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

Shakespearian/English Sonnet Notice the 3 quatrains and last couplet My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress when she walks treads on the ground. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

Shakespearian/English Sonnet The rhyme scheme is abab cdcd efef gg My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; a Coral is far more red than her lips' red; b If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; a If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. b I have seen roses damasked, red and white, c But no such roses see I in her cheeks; d And in some perfumes is there more delight c Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. d I love to hear her speak, yet well I know e That music hath a far more pleasing sound; f I grant I never saw a goddess go; e My mistress when she walks treads on the ground. f And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare g As any she belied with false compare. g

Shakespearian/English Sonnet Notice that the volta happens in the couplet First the poet goes on about how “his love” can not compare to the natural beauties of nature Yet at the very end he states that even though she is plain his love for her is not

Italian Sonnet An Italian Sonnet is also called a Petrarchan Sonnet because it was invented by Francesco Petrarca known in English as Petrarch It includes an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines). The rhyme scheme must begin with abbaabba, and can conclude with any variation of c, d, and e (cdecde or cdcdee). The volta must occur between the octave and the sestet.

Italian Sonnet What the Sonnet Is? by: Eugene Lee-Hamilton Fourteen small broidered berries on the hem Of Circe’s mantle, each of magic gold; Fourteen of lone Calypso’s tears that rolled Into the sea, for pearls to come of them; Fourteen clear signs of omen in the gem With which Medea human fate foretold; Fourteen small drops, which Faustus, growing old, Craved of the Fiend, to water Life’s dry stem. It is the pure white diamond Dante brought To Beatrice; the sapphire Laura wore When Petrarch cut it sparkling out of thought; The ruby Shakespeare hewed from his heart’s core; The dark, deep emerald that Rossetti wrought For his own soul, to wear for evermore.

Italian Sonnet Octave Sestet Lines are in an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines). Fourteen small broidered berries on the hem Of Circe’s mantle, each of magic gold; Fourteen of lone Calypso’s tears that rolled Into the sea, for pearls to come of them; Fourteen clear signs of omen in the gem With which Medea human fate foretold; Fourteen small drops, which Faustus, growing old, Craved of the Fiend, to water Life’s dry stem. It is the pure white diamond Dante brought To Beatrice; the sapphire Laura wore When Petrarch cut it sparkling out of thought; The ruby Shakespeare hewed from his heart’s core; The dark, deep emerald that Rossetti wrought For his own soul, to wear for evermore. Octave Sestet

Italian Sonnet Fourteen small broidered berries on the hem a Rhyme scheme is abbaabba cdcdcd. Fourteen small broidered berries on the hem a Of Circe’s mantle, each of magic gold; b Fourteen of lone Calypso’s tears that rolled b Into the sea, for pearls to come of them; a Fourteen clear signs of omen in the gem a With which Medea human fate foretold; b Fourteen small drops, which Faustus, growing old, b Craved of the Fiend, to water Life’s dry stem. a It is the pure white diamond Dante brought c To Beatrice; the sapphire Laura wore d When Petrarch cut it sparkling out of thought; c The ruby Shakespeare hewed from his heart’s core; d The dark, deep emerald that Rossetti wrought c For his own soul, to wear for evermore. d

Italian Sonnet The volta in this sonnet is between the octave and the sestet, or after eight lines. The period at the end of line eight is a clue that this is the turn, especially because it is one of only two periods in the sonnet. Before the volta, the speaker is telling of groups of fourteen; after the volta, he tells of who wrote the sonnets.