Shakespearean Sonnet Sonnet: The sonnet traditionally has 14 lines. Three verses of four lines with a couplet at the end. The rhyme pattern in abab/cbcd/efef/gg Each line is in iambic pentameter. There are different types of sonnets: Italian, Shakespearean among others.

The Volta In sonnets the volta, or turn, is a rhetorical shift or dramatic change in thought and/or emotion. Turns are seen in all types of written poetry. Sometimes a sonnet is set up with a volta or turn. That means that the author is talking about something then there is a turn, change, and the author changes his mind, changes the subject or gives you more information. It is like the climax of the poem. The volta may be signified with a word like: yet, still, but. Understanding this helps you to understand the topic of the sonnet. EX: but thy eternal summer shall not fade

Iambs! Iambic Pentameter Rhythm in a line of poem. Iambic pentameter can fit almost any beat. It is the way in which words are organized to give the line an internal beat. Shakespearean sonnets are written in iambic pentameter. Iambic Foot: an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

The beat Let’s try to hear the iambic pentameter in the following line.: When I do count the clock that tells the time The scansion can be notated like this: Or like this: when I do COUNT the CLOCK that TELLS the TIME.

The beat It helps if you drum out the beat while reading the line. Remember the sound of a heart beat. Then CAPS all the stresses syllables. Remember we are looking for syllables not words, so occasionally the same word has both stressed and unstressed syllables. Let’s do these ones together: beHAVE yourSELF unTIL you LEAVE my SIGHT get OUT of HERE; you MAKE me FEEL quite ILL. i LOVE the WAY you SHINE your LIGHT on Me Try this next one on your own. Write the stressed syllables in CAPS. Into the void the heroes venture forth. How would you like to go and dance with me? inTO the VOID the HERoes VENture FORTH. How WOULD you LIKE to GO and DANCE with ME?

Define Assailed, spat, survey, kin Is this a Shakespearean type sonnet? How do you know? What is the speaker talking about? What story is he/she telling? Does it follow Iambic Pentameter? Map out a line. Who is the author?

Define donned, subdued, churlish, boorish, refute, Is this a Shakespearean type sonnet? What is the speaker talking about? What story is he/she telling? Does it follow Iambic Pentameter? Map out a line. Who is the author?

Define bereft, estranged, sordid Is this a Shakespearean type sonnet? How do you know? What is the speaker talking about? What story is he/she telling? Does it follow Iambic Pentameter? Map out a line. Who is the author