Sonnets iambic pentameter: This is a rhythmical pattern of syllables; ‘iambic’ means that the rhythm goes from an unstressed syllable to a stressed one. iambic pentameter: This is a rhythmical pattern of syllables; ‘iambic’ means that the rhythm goes from an unstressed syllable to a stressed one. Each iambic part is called a ‘foot’; ‘pentameter’ means that the line has 5 of these ‘feet’ Each iambic part is called a ‘foot’; ‘pentameter’ means that the line has 5 of these ‘feet’ sonnet: is a poem that consists of 14 lines of iambic pentameter. sonnet: is a poem that consists of 14 lines of iambic pentameter. blank verse: unrhymed iambic pentameter blank verse: unrhymed iambic pentameter rhyme scheme: There are a few different types of rhyming schemes, but the English or Shakespearean Sonnet follows this format: rhyme scheme: There are a few different types of rhyming schemes, but the English or Shakespearean Sonnet follows this format: abab cdcd efef gg abab cdcd efef gg

More Sonnet Terms: speaker: point of view from which the poem is told; not necessarily the author speaker: point of view from which the poem is told; not necessarily the author couplet: a pair of lines of verse. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter couplet: a pair of lines of verse. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter quatrain: a stanza consisting of four lines quatrain: a stanza consisting of four lines sectet: a stanza consisting of six lines sectet: a stanza consisting of six lines octet: a stanza consisting of eight lines octet: a stanza consisting of eight lines

Iambic Pentameter Like many of Shakespeare’s plays, Romeo and Juliet is written in a poetic structure known as iambic pentameter. This is a rhythmical pattern of syllables. ‘iambic’ means that the rhythm goes from an unstressed syllable to a stressed one. Examples: divine, caress, bizarre, delight Sounds like a heartbeat: daDUM, daDUM, daDUM

Iambic Pentameter (cont.) The word “divine” is a foot, the phrase “hate thee” is also a foot. Remember we are talking about syllables here, not words.

Examples of Iambic Pentameter I walked, she fled, and day brought back my night -John Milton I walked, she fled, and day brought back my night -John Milton I walked/she fled/and day/brought back/my night I walked/she fled/and day/brought back/my night

More examples: What art thou drawn among these heartless hinds. What art thou drawn among these heartless hinds. But soft! What light through wonder window breaks? But soft! What light through wonder window breaks?

Let’s take a closer look! Sonnet #18 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: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And oft' is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd: 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: So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.