1. The History of the Form Part Two: Elizabethan Sonnets

2. Over time, Petrarch’s sonnet began to influence English writers…. Thomas Wyatt adapted the Italian form adding a couplet, two rhymed lines, at the end The Earl of Surrey then added more rhymes as the English language has more diverse conjugations therefore providing more potential for rhyme

3. The evolution of the form continued The resulting English, or Elizabethan (named for Queen Elizabeth), form was less intellectual and argumentative than Petrarch’s form, the couplet gave resonance to the ending making it the most important part of the poem The form was adopted and perfected by William Shakespeare (1564-1616) and thus it is often referred to as the Shakespearian sonnet form

4. The Elizabethan Sonnet Form Fourteen line poem (still!) Written in iambic pentameter, five footed lines with an alternating slack-stress rhythm Consists of three quatrains, four line stanzas and one couplet Rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg

5. The Legacy The Elizabethan form allowed a fairly free- association of images to develop lyrically toward a conclusion. Shakespeare’s sonnets in particular helped the sonnet move beyond the scope of love and enter the realm of politics and social commentary.