Sonnet Form Spencerian & Shakepearean Sonnets

Overview of the Sonnet 14 Lines Lyric Poem A brief melodic & imaginative poem that expresses private thoughts and emotions by a single speaker who speaks in the first person Originated in Italy in the 13 th century Means “little song” in Italian

Italian Sonnet Also called the “Petrarchan Sonnet” After the great Italian poet Petrarch Lived Wrote over 300 sonnets

English Sonnet Sir Thomas Wyatt Brought this form to the English language by translating Petrarch’s love sonnets Poetry was encourage by Henry VIII Henry Howard (Earl of Surrey) Changed the rhyme scheme of the sonnet form to adapt to the English language

The Shakespearean Sonnet The English sonnet style donned this title because Shakespeare use it se effectively. Shakespeare used Surrey’s rhyme scheme to write with more freedom.

Shakespeare’s Focus Not a divinely beautiful woman, but one with human defects. Did not limit himself to love Introduced deep philosophical issues Perplexing ironies Due to his mastery of the sonnet form & broadening of its content this form has been named for him.

The Structure of a Sonnet Length14 Lines SubjectLyrical- a focus on personal feelings and thoughts MeterIambic pentameter lines Structure & rhyme Scheme Either Petrarchan or Shakespearean

The Petrarchan Form Two-Part Structure An Octave Rhyme scheme usually abbaabba Establishes the speaker’s situation Followed by a Sestet The last six lines with the rhyme scheme cdcdcd or cdecde Resolves, draws conclusions about or expresses a reaction to that situation.

English Poets who use Petrarchan Style John Milton William Wordsworth John Keats

The Shakespearean Form The English Sonnet is Divided into three quatrains Groups of four lines Each quatrain elaborates on a particular image and a rhyming couplet Two lines The couplet is a concise statement that pulls the sonnet together Think of it as a “punchline”