Sonnets

1. Sonnets

2. What is a Sonnet? • A sonnet is a 14 line lyric poem, usually written in iambic pentameter, that has a set rhyme scheme.

3. Petrarchan/Italian Sonnet • Francesco Petrarch created poetry that was the origin of later forms of sonnets.

4. Two Parts of the Petrarchan Sonnet • Part One An 8 line octave which presents a problem, question, or idea. Rhyme scheme: abbaabba

5. Two Parts of the Petrarchan Sonnet • Part Two A 6 line sestet which resolves, answers or drives home the idea (sometimes referred to as the “turn” of the sonnet). Rhyme scheme: cdecde

6. Shakespearian/English Sonnet • William Shakespeare’s sonnets focus mainly on love, but they also discuss othercommon themes such as life, old age, conformity, and immortality through poetry and beauty.

7. Shakespearian Sonnet Parts • Three 4 line quatrains • The first quatrain expresses the theme. • The second and third quatrains develop the theme by varying or extending it.

8. Shakespearian Sonnet Parts (Cont’d) • The couplet either summarizes or reverses the theme. Sometimes this is referred to as a “turn.” • Rhyme scheme : • abab cdcd efef gg

9. Spenserian Sonnet • Edmund Spenser was one of the earliest writers to master the sonnet. • The Spenserian sonnet has the same set-up as an English sonnet.

10. Spenserian Sonnet (Cont’d) • The main difference between the Spenserian sonnet and other sonnet forms is the rhyme scheme: • abab bcbc cdcd ee