The Sonnet. Sonnet Origins Originated in Italy in the 13 th century The word sonnet comes from Italian word sonetto meaning “little song” Petrarch,

The SonnetThe Sonnet

Sonnet OriginsSonnet Origins

Originated in Italy in the 13Originated in Italy in the 13thth century century

The word The word sonnetsonnet comes from Italian comes from Italian word word sonettosonetto meaning “little song” meaning “little song”

Petrarch, an Italian poet, perfected Petrarch, an Italian poet, perfected the Italian sonnet; called the the Italian sonnet; called the Petrarchan sonnetPetrarchan sonnet

Sonnet OriginsSonnet Origins

Introduced in England almost 500 years Introduced in England almost 500 years ago by Sir Thomas Wyatt who slightly ago by Sir Thomas Wyatt who slightly modified the Italian formmodified the Italian form

Henry Howard, earl of Surrey, further Henry Howard, earl of Surrey, further modified the rhyme scheme modified the rhyme scheme

The English sonnet ultimately became The English sonnet ultimately became known as the Shakespearean sonnetknown as the Shakespearean sonnet

Shakespeare mastered the sonnet form Shakespeare mastered the sonnet form and broadened its contentand broadened its content

A sonnet isA sonnet is

a lyric poema lyric poem consists of fourteen linesconsists of fourteen lines written in iambic pentameterwritten in iambic pentameter follows a definite rhyme schemefollows a definite rhyme scheme has a definite thought structurehas a definite thought structure

A lyric poemA lyric poem

Focus is on personal Focus is on personal thoughts, emotions, thoughts, emotions, and feelingsand feelings

Central themesCentral themes– Idealized loveIdealized love– Unrequited loveUnrequited love

Used figurative Used figurative language related to language related to naturenature

Iambic pentameter consists ofIambic pentameter consists of

five meters or “beats” in a poetic linefive meters or “beats” in a poetic line

iambsiambs

An An iambiamb is a metrical foot is a metrical foot consisting ofconsisting of

an unaccented syllable an unaccented syllable UUfollowed by an accented followed by an accented

syllable syllable //..

U /U /a gaina gain

U / U / U / U / im mor tal izeim mor tal ize

Iambic pentameterIambic pentameter

U / U / U / U / U /U / U / U / U / U / One day I wrote her name u pon the strand,One day I wrote her name u pon the strand, U / U / U / U / U /U / U / U / U / U / But came the waves and wash ed it a way:But came the waves and wash ed it a way: U / U / U / U / U /U / U / U / U / U / A gain I wrote it with a sec ond hand,A gain I wrote it with a sec ond hand, U / U / U / U / U /U / U / U / U / U / But came the tide, and made my pains his preyBut came the tide, and made my pains his prey

Edmund Spenser, Amoretti, Sonnet 75 Edmund Spenser, Amoretti, Sonnet 75

1 2 3 4 5

Rhyme schemeRhyme scheme

Petrarchan (Italian) rhyme scheme:Petrarchan (Italian) rhyme scheme: abba, abba, cd, cd, cdabba, abba, cd, cd, cd abba, abba, cde, cdeabba, abba, cde, cde

Shakespearean (English or Elizabethan) rhyme Shakespearean (English or Elizabethan) rhyme scheme:scheme:

abab, cdcd, efef, ggabab, cdcd, efef, gg

Spenserian (English) rhyme scheme: interlockingSpenserian (English) rhyme scheme: interlockingabab, bcbc, cdcd, eeabab, bcbc, cdcd, ee

Sonnet 18Sonnet 18Shall I compare thee to a summer's dShall I compare thee to a summer's dayay??Thou art more lovely and more temperThou art more lovely and more temperateate::Rough winds do shake the darling buds of MRough winds do shake the darling buds of Mayay, , And summer's lease hath all too short a dAnd summer's lease hath all too short a dateate::Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shSometime too hot the eye of heaven shinesines, , And often is his gold complexion dAnd often is his gold complexion dimmedimmed,,And every fair from fair sometime declAnd every fair from fair sometime declinesines,,By chance, or nature's changing course untrBy chance, or nature's changing course untrimmedimmed::But thy eternal summer shall not fBut thy eternal summer shall not fadeade, , Nor lose possession of that fair thou Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'stow'st,,Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shNor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shadeade, , When in eternal lines to time thou grWhen in eternal lines to time thou grow'stow'st,,

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can sSo long as men can breathe, or eyes can seeee, , So long lives this, and this gives life to thSo long lives this, and this gives life to theeee..

W. W. ShakespeareShakespeare

ABABCDCDEFEFGG

Thought structureThought structure Italian (Petrarchan) form is octave/ sestetItalian (Petrarchan) form is octave/ sestet

The octave, eight lines, presents a The octave, eight lines, presents a situation or idea.situation or idea.

A volta or turn occursA volta or turn occurs

The sestet (sextet), six lines, The sestet (sextet), six lines, responds, responds, to the situation or idea in to the situation or idea in the octave.the octave.

Thought StructureThought Structure

English (Shakespearean and English (Shakespearean and Spenserian) form is quatrain, Spenserian) form is quatrain, quatrain, quatrain, coupletquatrain, quatrain, couplet

Each quatrain, four lines, describes an Each quatrain, four lines, describes an idea or situation which leads to a idea or situation which leads to a conclusion or response in the conclusion or response in the couplet, two lines.couplet, two lines.

Sonnet 18Sonnet 18

Shall 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 windsRough winds do shake the darling buds of May, do shake the darling buds of May,And And summer's summer's lease hath all too short a datelease hath all too short a date::

Sometime Sometime too hottoo hot the eye of heaven shines, the eye of heaven shines,And often is And often is his gold complexion dimmedhis gold complexion dimmed,,And And every fair from fair sometime declinesevery fair from fair sometime declines,,By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:

ButBut thy thy eternaleternal summer summer shall not fade,shall not fade,Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'stNor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,,Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,When in When in eternaleternal lines to time thou lines to time thou grow'stgrow'st,,

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 So long lives this, and this gives life to theegives life to thee. .

W. ShakespeareW. Shakespeare

Each quatrain describes the ways in which the summer’s day is inferior to the beloved.

The couplet contains the sonneteer’s main message or theme

Sonnet 29Sonnet 29When When in in disgracedisgrace with fortune with fortune and men's eyes and men's eyesI I all aloneall alone beweepbeweep my my outcastoutcast state, state,And And troubletrouble deafdeaf heaven with my heaven with my bootlessbootless criescries,,And look upon myself, and And look upon myself, and cursecurse my fate, my fate,Wishing meWishing me like to one more rich in hope, like to one more rich in hope,Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,With what I most enjoy With what I most enjoy contented leastcontented least;;

YetYet in these thoughts my self almost despising, in these thoughts my self almost despising,Haply Haply I think on theeI think on thee, and then my state,, and then my state,Like to the Like to the larklark at break of day at break of day arisingarisingFrom sullen earth, From sullen earth, singssings hymnshymns at heaven's gate; at heaven's gate; For For thy thy sweet lovesweet love remembered such remembered such wealthwealth brings brings

That That then I scorn to change my state with kingsthen I scorn to change my state with kings. .

W. ShakespeareW. Shakespeare

The diction of the octave implies the speaker’s self-pity and depression.

The sestet’s diction, in contrast, is joyful.

Sonnet 73Sonnet 73

That time of year thou mayst in me beholdWhen yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hangUpon those boughs which shake against the cold,Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.

In me thou see'st the twilight of such dayAs after sunset fadeth in the west;Which by and by black night doth take away,Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.

This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.

W. Shakespeare

1st Quatrain

Year - Fall

2nd Quatrain Day - Twilight

3rd QuatrainFire - Coals

“This” is ll.1-12

Sonnet 73Sonnet 73

The speaker isThe speaker is Part of life livedPart of life lived The whole of lifeThe whole of life

in the in the fallfall of his life of his life the spring and summerthe spring and summer the yearthe year

in the in the twilighttwilight of the day of the day the morning and noonthe morning and noon the daythe day

In the glowing coalsIn the glowing coals The ashes of youthThe ashes of youth hourhour

Q1Q1

Q2Q2

Q3Q3

Year

Day

Hour

Time is rapidly shortening.

That time is running out is what the beloved perceives.

Strategies for ReadingStrategies for Reading

Read the sonnet several times.Read the sonnet several times. Label the rhyme scheme at the end of Label the rhyme scheme at the end of

each line.each line. Identify major thoughts/feelings.Identify major thoughts/feelings. Describe the initial situation in the first Describe the initial situation in the first

part of the sonnet.part of the sonnet. Paraphrase the speaker’s conclusions Paraphrase the speaker’s conclusions

about or reactions to the situation.about or reactions to the situation. Pay attention to imagery and figurative Pay attention to imagery and figurative

language for emotional clues.language for emotional clues.