Understanding & Writing Sonnets

Sonnets follow the these rules: Consist of 14 lines Written in iambic pentameter Written in a standard rhyme scheme (AA, BB, AB,AB etc)

This means that the meter of the poem is unstress, stress What does iambic mean? This means that the meter of the poem is unstress, stress

So for example… The name “Nicole” is iambic because you stress the second part of the name. Names like “Ashley” and “Britney” are not iambic (they are trochaic) because you stress the first part of the name.

Pentameter means 5 meters Pentameter means 5 meters. This means that there will be 10 beats in each line. Count them in “Shall I Compare Thee”!

And what is a rhyme scheme? Here is an example of a basic rhyme scheme you learned when you were little… HUMPTY DUMPTY SAT ON A WALL HUMPTY DUMPTY HAD A GREAT FALL ALL OF THE KING’S HORSES AND ALL THE KING’S MEN COULDN’T PUT HUMPTY DUMPTY BACK TO TOGETHER AGAIN.

Let’s look at the last words in each line… WALL FALL MEN AGAIN What is the rhyme scheme?

Correct! The rhyme scheme is A,A, B,B

And why do we say “lines” of poetry?

Unlike other forms of writing, poetry doesn’t follow the rules of grammar. Often, there ARE NO sentences in poetry. This is why we refer to the lines of poetry instead. For example, a line of poetry is: Humpy Dumpty sat on the wall

Types of Sonnets The Shakespearean Sonnet is one of the most famous. Others include: Italian (or Petrarchan) and Spencerian

Rules of a Shakespearean Sonnet: Fourteen lines Iambic Pentameter – this means it must have 10 beats! Must have the following rhyme scheme: A,B,A,B,C,D,C,D,E,F,E,F,G,G.

Rules for each quatrain (quatrain is four lines) First quatrain: An explanation of the main theme and main metaphor. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day Thou art more lovely and more temperate Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May And summer’s lease hath all too short a date

Second quatrain: Theme and metaphor are extended or complicated; often some imaginative example is given. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed;

Third Quatrain- A twist or conflict. But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest, Nor shall death brag thou wanderest in his shade When in eternal lines to time thou growest

Couplet: Summarizes and leaves the reader with a new, concluding image So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Subjects of Shakespearean Sonnets: Love Friendship Mortality Immortality of poetry

Your Turn! Let’s write a sonnet about a friend. My advice is to write it in iambic pentameter OR follow the rhyme scheme. You may want to try both at home. We will keep the poem 14 lines.

First… Think of a friend that you would enjoy writing about. Write down your friend’s name and think of a a THING that reminds you of your friend.

Write two columns: THINK OF 10 DESCRIPTIONS FOR EACH DESCRIPTIONS OF YOUR FRIEND FUN ALIVE ENERGETIC CRAZY UNEXPECTED & SURPISING AUTHENTIC INSPIRING DESCRIPTIONS OF THE “THING” ALIVE HIGH VOLTAGE HAPPENS RANDOMLY STRIKES ONE PLACE UNPREDICTABLE USUALLY FOLLOWED BY RAIN CAN KILL SOMEONE

Now organize your information into a double-bubble map fun Followed By rain Alive Lightning Friend Unpredict- able

OK! LET’S BEGIN! IN THE FIRST FOUR LINES, EXPLAIN WHAT TWO THINGS YOU WILL BE COMPARING AND WHAT THE THEME OF YOUR POEM WILL BE.

You can cheat a little bit… In my example, I have 10 beats in the first line, 12 in the second, 11 in the third, and twelve in the last. It is also not iambic. It does not matter if it isn’t a perfect Shakespearean Sonnet…Do the best you can do!

Example: No mortal can compare; lightning must do Lightning is but a moment; a blink of the eye Lightning doesn’t do justice to all that’s you To see high voltage magic; don’t look to the sky

Next Quatrain: Continue to explain what is lacking about the “thing.” For my poem, I need to think about how the metaphor of lightning can not compare to my friend.

The Third Quatrain: This part emphasizes the conflict in the poem – why is your friend superior to this “thing” that you are comparing to him or her?

The final two lines leave the reader with a new image. Final Couplet… The final two lines leave the reader with a new image.

Don’t get frustrated! The beauty of poetry is that there are no rules. Even if you don’t create a Shakespearean Sonnet, you have still created a poem.

My E-mail: eblin.valerie@pvbears.org E-mail me poems that you really like! I would like to include them in future presentations… My E-mail: eblin.valerie@pvbears.org