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Edmund Spenser. 1552 - 1599. Education and Work. Cambridge University Personal secretary to the Earl of Leicester Studied several poets Inspired by Chaucer Wrote first work in 1579 – Shepheardes Calender, a set of twelve poems, one for each month. Personal Life.
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Edmund Spenser 1552 - 1599
Education and Work • Cambridge University • Personal secretary to the Earl of Leicester • Studied several poets • Inspired by Chaucer • Wrote first work in 1579 – Shepheardes Calender, a set of twelve poems, one for each month.
Personal Life Married “Rosalind” believed to be named Rose – 1580 In 1591 – he relocated to Kilcolman 1594 – he married Elizabeth Boyle Much of his poetry written between 1591 and 1599 was thought to be in honor of his wife.
Types of Sonnets Petrarchan – fourteen lines of rhymed iambic pentameter, organized in two stanzas, one of eight lines (an octave) and one of six lines (a sestet). The octave rhyme is abbaabba and the sestet rhyme is usually cdecde Octave describes a situation and sestet describes a change in the situation; sometimes the octave presents a problem and the sestet a solution or another viewpoint (called a turn)
Types of Sonnets Continued • English Sonnet • Shakespearean and Spenserian- use iambic pentameter, but have 3 four line stanzas (quatrains) and a concluding couplet. • Rhyme scheme is abab bcbc cdcd ee • 4 line stanzas seem to pose the problem and the couplet answers or gives another point of view
Iambic Pentameter • Stressed syllable followed by unstressed • 5 feet (da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM) • To be, or not to be: that is the question • (da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da) • My love is like to ice, and I to fire • (da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da DUM)
Write your Own Poem Choose either the Petrarchan or English Sonnet to pattern your poem after Most often sonnets are written about love; however, you may choose to write about any topic Use the idea of presenting a problem and then offering a solution Try hard to stay to true to iambic pentameter and correct rhyme scheme