The SonnetThe Sonnet

A sonnet isA sonnet is

a lyric poema lyric poem consisting of fourteen linesconsisting of fourteen lines written in iambic pentameterwritten in iambic pentameter with a definite rhyme schemewith a definite rhyme scheme and a definite thought structureand a definite thought structure

A lyric poemA lyric poem

Deals with Deals with emotions, emotions, feelingsfeelings

Iambic pentameter consists ofIambic pentameter consists of

five measures, units, or meters, offive measures, units, or meters, of iambsiambs

An An iambiamb is a metrical foot is a metrical foot consisting ofconsisting of

an unaccented syllable an unaccented syllable UUfollowed by an accented followed by an accented

syllable syllable //..

U /U /a gaina gain

U / U / U / U / im mor tal izeim mor tal ize

Iambic pentameterIambic pentameter

U / U / U / U / U /U / U / U / U / U / One day I wrote her name u pon the strand,One day I wrote her name u pon the strand, U / U / U / U / U /U / U / U / U / U / But came the waves and wash ed it a way:But came the waves and wash ed it a way: U / U / U / U / U /U / U / U / U / U / A gain I wrote it with a sec ond hand,A gain I wrote it with a sec ond hand, U / U / U / U / U /U / U / U / U / U / But came the tide, and made my pains his preyBut came the tide, and made my pains his prey

Edmund Spenser, Amoretti, Sonnet 75 Edmund Spenser, Amoretti, Sonnet 75

1 2 3 4 5

Rhyme schemeRhyme scheme

Petrarchan (Italian) rhyme scheme:Petrarchan (Italian) rhyme scheme: abba, abba, cd, cd, cdabba, abba, cd, cd, cd abba, abba, cde, cdeabba, abba, cde, cde

Shakespearean (English, or Shakespearean (English, or Elizabethan) rhyme scheme:Elizabethan) rhyme scheme:

abab, cdcd, efef, ggabab, cdcd, efef, gg

Sonnet 18Sonnet 18

Shall I compare thee to a summer's dShall I compare thee to a summer's dayay??Thou art more lovely and more temperThou art more lovely and more temperateate::Rough winds do shake the darling buds of MRough winds do shake the darling buds of Mayay, , And summer's lease hath all too short a dAnd summer's lease hath all too short a dateate::Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shSometime too hot the eye of heaven shinesines, , And often is his gold complexion dAnd often is his gold complexion dimmedimmed,,And every fair from fair sometime declAnd every fair from fair sometime declinesines,,By chance, or nature's changing course untrBy chance, or nature's changing course untrimmedimmed::But thy eternal summer shall not fBut thy eternal summer shall not fadeade, , Nor lose possession of that fair thou Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'stow'st,,Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shNor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shadeade, , When in eternal lines to time thou grWhen in eternal lines to time thou grow'stow'st,,

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can sSo long as men can breathe, or eyes can seeee, , So long lives this, and this gives life to thSo long lives this, and this gives life to theeee..

ABABCdCDEFEFGG

Thought structureThought structure

Octave/ sestetOctave/ sestetThe octave, eight lines, presents a The octave, eight lines, presents a

situation or idea.situation or idea.The sestet (sextet), six lines, responds, The sestet (sextet), six lines, responds,

to the situation or idea in the octave.to the situation or idea in the octave.

Quatrain, quatrain, quatrain, coupletQuatrain, quatrain, quatrain, coupletEach quatrain, four lines, describes and Each quatrain, four lines, describes and

idea or situation which leads to a conclusion idea or situation which leads to a conclusion or response in the couplet, two lines.or response in the couplet, two lines.

Sonnet 18Sonnet 18

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough windsRough winds do shake the darling buds of May, do shake the darling buds of May,And And summer's summer's lease hath all too short a datelease hath all too short a date::Sometime Sometime too hottoo hot the eye of heaven shines, the eye of heaven shines,And often is And often is his gold complexion dimmedhis gold complexion dimmed,,And And every fair from fair sometime declinesevery fair from fair sometime declines,,By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:

ButBut thy thy eternaleternal summer summer shall not fade,shall not fade,Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'stNor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,,Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,When in When in eternaleternal lines to time thou lines to time thou grow'stgrow'st,,

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,So long lives this, and this So long lives this, and this gives life to theegives life to thee..

The octave describes the ways in which the summer’s day is inferior to the beloved.

The sestet describes the ways in which the beloved is superior to the summer’s day.

Sonnet 29Sonnet 29When When in in disgracedisgrace with fortune with fortune and men's eyes and men's eyesI I all aloneall alone beweepbeweep my my outcastoutcast state, state,And And troubletrouble deafdeaf heaven with my heaven with my bootlessbootless criescries,,And look upon myself, and And look upon myself, and cursecurse my fate, my fate,Wishing meWishing me like to one more rich in hope, like to one more rich in hope,Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,With what I most enjoy With what I most enjoy contented leastcontented least;;

YetYet in these thoughts my self almost despising, in these thoughts my self almost despising,Haply Haply I think on theeI think on thee, and then my state,, and then my state,Like to the Like to the larklark at break of day at break of day arisingarisingFrom sullen earth, From sullen earth, singssings hymnshymns at heaven's gate; at heaven's gate; For For thy thy sweet lovesweet love remembered such remembered such wealthwealth brings brings

That That then I scorn to change my state with kingsthen I scorn to change my state with kings. .

The diction of the octave implies the speaker’s self-pity and depression.

The sestet’s diction, in contrast, is joyful.

Sonnet 73Sonnet 73

That time of year thou mayst in me beholdWhen yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hangUpon those boughs which shake against the cold,Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.In me thou see'st the twilight of such dayAs after sunset fadeth in the west;Which by and by black night doth take away,Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,As the death-bed, whereon it must expire,Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.

1st Quatrain

Year - Fall

2nd Quatrain Day - Twilight

3rd QuatrainFire - Coals

“This” is ll.1-12