Pick up worksheet on your way in & have your Poetry Term Sheet out Objective: 1)Understand the 4 elements of a Sonnet 2)Identify the 4 elements of a Sonnet Agenda: Look at the Prologue of Romeo & Juliet and identify the 4 elements of a Sonnet HW: None

Shakespeare’s Sonnets

4 Elements of a Sonnet 1) About Love 2) Must have 14 lines 3) Written in Iambic Pentameter 4) Rhyme Scheme

14 Lines Count the number of lines in R & J’s Prologue. Are there 14 lines?

Rhyme Scheme: A pattern of rhyme found in a poem. In order to find the pattern, you will assign a (lower case) letter to each line in a poem. Line 1-last word “wood”  a Line 2-last word “both”  b b/c it does not rhyme with wood Line 3-last word “stood”  a b/c it rhymes with line one which was given an a Line 4-last word “could”  a b/c it rhymes with wood and stood

Now Practice: Looking at the Prologue of R & J figure out the rhyme scheme…. Line 1-dignity – a Line 2-scene – b Line 3-mutiny – a because it rhymes with dignity

On your own….. Practice with the rest of the prologue. Watch out for forced rhyme. Words that almost rhyme….we accept it as a rhyme.

Sonnet Rhyme Scheme… ababcdcdefefgg gg – at the end of the poem is called a couplet. They are a couple.

Iambic Pentameter 2 syllables = a foot PENTameter = 5 feet/line Pentameter = 10 syllables per line Lets count the syllables in line 1 of the prologue.

Line 1 Two – 1 syllable House/Holds – 2 syllables Both – 1 syllable A/like – 2 syllables In – 1 syllable Dig/ni/ty – 3 syllables 10 syllables total

Iambic Pentameter Iambic means the syllables are marked as: unstressed, stressed, unstressed, stressed, and so on Look at line 1: Two/house/holds/both/a/like/in/dig/ni/ty In/fair/Ve/ron/a/where/we/lay/our/scene Trochaic-stressed, unstressed

What does this Sonnet mean? Is it about love? 1)Read over once…… 2) Line by Line

Two households, both alike in dignity. Two households  Two families (Capulets & Montagues) Both alike in dignity  Dignity=Respect Both rich and powerful The Montagues & Capulets are both rich and respected

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene Fair =beautiful Where we lay our scene= the setting Verona, Italy is the setting of our play.

From ancient grudge, break to new mutiny Ancient = old Grudge = hatred/ hold something against someone New=new Mutiny=riot/rebellion New fights are breaking out because of an old grudge.

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. Civil Blood = the blood of the civilians Makes civil hands unclean=makes civilized people’s hands dirty (with blood) Civilized people of the town are fighting one another.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes. From forth the loins=body parts that make babies Of these two foes=from the 2 enemies (M&C) Fatal loins of these two foes = two children of the feuding families The only son and the only daughter of these two feuding families

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Star-crossed = not meant to be Take their life=commit suicide Two lovers who were not supposed to be together, take their lives.

Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Misadventured=unfortunate Piteous=arousing pity Overthrows=destruction Pity is brought about by this unfortunate destruction

Do with their death bury their parents’ strife. With their death=with their death Bury=bury Their parents’ strife=their parents’ fighting And the death of their children ends the parents’ feud

The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love, Fearful=sad Passage=story Death marked love=ill-fated Love=love The sad story of these ill-fated lovers

And the continuance of their parents’ rage Continuance=the continuation Of their parents’ rage= parents’ anger And the continuation of their parents’ anger

Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove But their children’s end=children’s death Nought could remove=nothing could end Nothing but their children’s death could end the feud.

Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage; 2 hours=2 hours Traffic of our stage=what will be on the stage Is now what will take place on our stage.

The which if you with patient ears attend, Patient ears=listen carefully Attend=attend If you listen carefully

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. What here shall miss=what you miss here Our toil = our continuous work=our acting out Shall strive to mend=will fill in the rest What details were left out in the prologue, the play will fill in the rest.