The Sonnet The Sonnet GameGame

Or how fashioning poems Or how fashioning poems becomes a metaphor for becomes a metaphor for Early Modern English Early Modern English creative lifecreative life

Key termsKey terms Blank verseBlank verse Common meterCommon meter BroadsidesBroadsides Shaped verseShaped verse CounterfeitingCounterfeiting PastoralPastoral SprezzaturaSprezzatura EnjambmentEnjambment Tottel’s Tottel’s MiscellanyMiscellany Fashioning/ Self-Fashioning/ Self-

FashioningFashioning

SonnetSonnet Italian or PetrarchanItalian or Petrarchan English or ShakespeareanEnglish or Shakespearean SpenserianSpenserian

Octave & SestetOctave & Sestet Quatrains & CoupletQuatrains & Couplet Turn, EpigramTurn, Epigram ConceitConceit Sonnet SequenceSonnet Sequence PersonaPersona

Focusing on lyric poetry means we pay Focusing on lyric poetry means we pay attention to quantitative ANDattention to quantitative ANDqualitative aspects of verse:qualitative aspects of verse:

Poetic forms Poetic forms (e.g. elegy, sonnet, etc.) [B&Y ch. 12](e.g. elegy, sonnet, etc.) [B&Y ch. 12] MeterMeter (the number of syllables and the rhythm they (the number of syllables and the rhythm they

take) [B&Y ch. 12]take) [B&Y ch. 12] Figurative language Figurative language (especially images and (especially images and

metaphors) [B&Y ch. 6]metaphors) [B&Y ch. 6]

The Early Moderns are crazy about meter—The Early Moderns are crazy about meter—

it shows their intellectual creativityit shows their intellectual creativity

Blank verse Blank verse (drama): Unrhymed, enjambed (drama): Unrhymed, enjambed iambic pentameter: think Shakespeare!iambic pentameter: think Shakespeare!

Common meter Common meter (hymns): A closed poetic (hymns): A closed poetic quatrain, rhyming A B A B, in which iambic quatrain, rhyming A B A B, in which iambic tetrameter alternates with iambic trimeter. tetrameter alternates with iambic trimeter. (e.g. “Amazing Grace”)(e.g. “Amazing Grace”)

Ballad meter Ballad meter (popular verse): Common meter (popular verse): Common meter with the rhyme scheme X A X Awith the rhyme scheme X A X A——‘‘broadsides’broadsides’

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.want.

He maketh me to lie down in green He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:pastures:

He leadeth me beside the still waters.He leadeth me beside the still waters.He restoreth my soul:He restoreth my soul:He leadeth me in the paths of He leadeth me in the paths of

righteousness for His name' sake.righteousness for His name' sake.Yea, though I walk through the valley of Yea, though I walk through the valley of

the shadow of death,the shadow of death,I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.Thou preparest a table before me in the Thou preparest a table before me in the

presence of mine enemies;presence of mine enemies;Thou annointest my head with oil; Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.My cup runneth over.Surely goodness and mercy shall follow Surely goodness and mercy shall follow

me all the days of my life,me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the House of the Lord and I will dwell in the House of the Lord

forever.forever. ----King James Bible, King James Bible, 16111611

The Lord to me a shepherd is, The Lord to me a shepherd is, XXWant therefore shall not I, Want therefore shall not I, AA

He in the folds of tender grass He in the folds of tender grass XX Doth make me down to lie Doth make me down to lie AA

To waters calm he gently leads To waters calm he gently leads XXRestore my soul doth he Restore my soul doth he BB

He doth in paths of righteousness He doth in paths of righteousness XXFor his name’s sake lead me. For his name’s sake lead me. BB

Yea though in valley of death’s shade Yea though in valley of death’s shade I walk, none ill I’ll fear, I walk, none ill I’ll fear,

Because thou art with me, thy rod, Because thou art with me, thy rod, And staff my comfort are. And staff my comfort are.

For me a table thou hast spread For me a table thou hast spread In presence of my foes; In presence of my foes;

Thou dost anoint my head with oil Thou dost anoint my head with oil My cup it over-flows. My cup it over-flows.

Goodness and mercy surely shall Goodness and mercy surely shall All my days follow me; All my days follow me;

And in the Lord’s house I shall dwell And in the Lord’s house I shall dwell So long as days shall be. So long as days shall be.

--Bay Psalm Book--Bay Psalm Book, 1640, 1640

Shaped verseShaped verse: layout of text enhances content : layout of text enhances content (possible with printed texts): Herbert’s (possible with printed texts): Herbert’s Easter WingsEaster Wings

George Herbert, George Herbert, The AltarThe Altar

Poetic poses allow Poetic poses allow counterfeitingcounterfeiting of emotion, of emotion, values, beliefs, stances. Common values, beliefs, stances. Common personae: personae: shepherds, lovers, scholars. Common shepherds, lovers, scholars. Common stancesstances:: The The pastoralpastoral (Marlowe, (Marlowe, The Passionate The Passionate

Shepherd to his LoveShepherd to his Love)) The The wittywitty (Raleigh, (Raleigh, The Nymph’s Reply to the The Nymph’s Reply to the

Shepherd)Shepherd) The The amorous amorous (successful or otherwise(successful or otherwise))

(Sidney, Spenser, Shakespeare, etc.)(Sidney, Spenser, Shakespeare, etc.) The spiritual The spiritual (Donne, Herbert)(Donne, Herbert)

Their Favorite Game: Their Favorite Game: The SonnetThe Sonnet

We can die by it, if not live by love, We can die by it, if not live by love, And if unfit for tomb or hearseAnd if unfit for tomb or hearseOur legend be, it will be fit for verse ; Our legend be, it will be fit for verse ; And if no piece of chronicle we prove, And if no piece of chronicle we prove, We'll build in sonnets pretty rooms ; We'll build in sonnets pretty rooms ; As well a well-wrought urn becomesAs well a well-wrought urn becomesThe greatest ashes, as half-acre tombs, The greatest ashes, as half-acre tombs, And by these hymns, all shall approve And by these hymns, all shall approve Us canonized for love…Us canonized for love…

----John Donne, ----John Donne, The CanonizationThe Canonization

Why sonnets? ‘Pretty rooms’Why sonnets? ‘Pretty rooms’ Display of Display of sprezzaturasprezzatura—art without visible effort, —art without visible effort,

creativity with self-governancecreativity with self-governance TensionTension of expressing an idea about love, politics, or of expressing an idea about love, politics, or

spirituality within a spirituality within a fiercely-regulated form fiercely-regulated form (fourteen (fourteen lines of iambic pentameter)lines of iambic pentameter)

Use of Use of enjambment to fight the rhyme schemeenjambment to fight the rhyme scheme Lots of puns, metaphors, and signs of Lots of puns, metaphors, and signs of verbal verbal

clevernesscleverness Intellectual puzzle as a Intellectual puzzle as a sign of humanist learningsign of humanist learning Art about making art Art about making art (originally circulated among (originally circulated among

courtiers; Tottel’s courtiers; Tottel’s MiscellanyMiscellany (1557) is first print ed.) (1557) is first print ed.)

The types of sonnetsThe types of sonnets

ItalianItalian or or PetrarchanPetrarchan, popularized by Wyatt , popularized by Wyatt and and Songs and SonnetsSongs and Sonnets (a/k/a (a/k/a Tottel’s Tottel’s Miscellany)Miscellany)

EnglishEnglish or Shakespearean, probably invented or Shakespearean, probably invented by Surrey and popularized by guess whoby Surrey and popularized by guess who

SpenserianSpenserian, invented by Edmund Spenser, a , invented by Edmund Spenser, a combination of the two (combination of the two (bravura, sprezzatura)bravura, sprezzatura)

Italian (Petrarchan) SonnetsItalian (Petrarchan) Sonnets Only Only fivefive rhyming sounds allowed (Italian has rhyming sounds allowed (Italian has

more words ending in vowels—it’s easier!)more words ending in vowels—it’s easier!) Structure is an Structure is an octaveoctave rhyming ABBAABBA rhyming ABBAABBA

followed by a followed by a sestetsestet with several possible with several possible arrangements of the C, D, & E sounds arrangements of the C, D, & E sounds

There is a There is a turnturn of thought after the octave so that of thought after the octave so that the sestet answers, completes, and/or releases the sestet answers, completes, and/or releases the tension of the octavethe tension of the octave

Lines are Lines are enjambedenjambed to fight the sense of to fight the sense of couplets: syntax vs. meter creates tensioncouplets: syntax vs. meter creates tension

Big names: Wyatt & SurreyBig names: Wyatt & Surrey

Example of Italian SonnetExample of Italian Sonnet

My mouth doth water, and my breast doth swell, A My tongue doth itch, my thoughts in labor be; B Listen then, lordings, with good ear to me, B For of my life I must a riddle tell. A Toward Aurora's court a nymph doth dwell, ARich in all beauties which man's eye can see; B Beauties so far from reach of words that we B Abase her praise saying she doth excel. A

Rich in the treasure of deserved renown, CRich in the riches of a royal heart, DRich in those gifts which give th' eternal crown; CWho, though most rich in these and every part DWhich make the patents of true worldly bliss, E Hath no misfortune but that Rich she is. E --Sir Philip Sidney

English (Shakespearean) SonnetsEnglish (Shakespearean) Sonnets Uses Uses sevenseven sounds in a sounds in a strictstrict rhyming pattern: rhyming pattern:

ABAB CDCD EFEF GGABAB CDCD EFEF GG Three Three quatrainsquatrains and one and one coupletcouplet Final couplet is usually Final couplet is usually epigrammaticepigrammatic (a (a

summing up, the sonnet’s sound bite)summing up, the sonnet’s sound bite) Sense of build-up through the three quatrains, Sense of build-up through the three quatrains,

then a conclusion or release in the coupletthen a conclusion or release in the couplet

Example of English SonnetExample of English SonnetA witless gallant, a young wench that wooed A(Yet his dull spirit her not one jot could move), B Entreated me, as e'er I wished his good ATo write him but one sonnet to his love; B When I, as fast as e'er my pen could trot, CPoured out what first from quick invention came, D Nor never stood one word thereof to blot, CMuch like his wit, that was to use the same; D

But with my verses he his mistress won, EWho doted on the dolt beyond all measure. FBut see, for you to heav'n for phrase I run, E And ransack all Apollo's golden treasure; F

Yet by my froth this fool his love obtains, GAnd I lose you for all my wit and pains. G ---Michael Drayton

Spenserian sonnetsSpenserian sonnets

Written by Edmund Spenser and very few Written by Edmund Spenser and very few other people because they are other people because they are soso difficult difficult technicallytechnically

Only Only allows 5 rhymes allows 5 rhymes (from Italian) but (from Italian) but uses uses quatrain/couplet structurequatrain/couplet structure (from English)— (from English)—interlaced stanzasinterlaced stanzas

Looks like this:Looks like this:ABAB BCBC CDCD EEABAB BCBC CDCD EE

Example of Spenserian SonnetExample of Spenserian Sonnet

Obscurely yet most surely called to praise, AAs sometimes summer calls us all, I said BThe hills are heavens full of branching ways A Where star-nosed moles fly overhead the dead; B I said the trees are mines in air, I said B See how the sparrow burrows in the sky! CAnd then I wondered why this mad instead B Perverts our praise to uncreation, why C Such savour's in this wrenching things awry. C Does sense so stale that it must needs derange DThe world to know it? To a praiseful eye C Should it not be enough of fresh and strange D That trees grow green, and moles can course in clay, E And sparrows sweep the ceiling of our day? E ---Richard Wilbur

Taking them to the next levelTaking them to the next level Sonnet Sonnet sequencessequences link a group of sonnets together to link a group of sonnets together to

tell a story, usually of a courtshiptell a story, usually of a courtship The poet may give himself and his lovers classical The poet may give himself and his lovers classical

psuedonymspsuedonyms (e.g. (e.g. Astrophil and StellaAstrophil and Stella), pretend they ), pretend they are all shepherds or pastoral characters, and otherwise are all shepherds or pastoral characters, and otherwise counterfeitcounterfeit the relationships the relationships to each other to show off to each other to show off the author’s persona (the author’s persona (self-fashioning)self-fashioning)

The challenge in a sequence is to use the same form The challenge in a sequence is to use the same form without becoming repetitive (i.e. a challenge of without becoming repetitive (i.e. a challenge of fashioningfashioning) ) and Shakespeare’s sonnet sequence has and Shakespeare’s sonnet sequence has plots and subplots, characters, and contains 154 plots and subplots, characters, and contains 154 sonnetssonnets

When reading sonnetsWhen reading sonnets

Read them Read them aloudaloud. There’s a music in the . There’s a music in the rhythm, and part of the fun is finding the rhythm, and part of the fun is finding the variations.variations.

Look for the Look for the conceitsconceits, the central ideas or , the central ideas or metaphors with which the writer is playingmetaphors with which the writer is playing

Watch the tension of Watch the tension of enjambmentenjambment vs. vs. rhymerhyme as as the writer tries to cram a big idea in this very the writer tries to cram a big idea in this very tiny spacetiny space

Shakespeare, Sonnet 73Shakespeare, Sonnet 73

              That time of year thou mayst in me behold               When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang               Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,               Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.

              In me thou see'st the twilight of such day               As 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

VerbalVerbal display displayWhoever hath her wish, thou hast thy Will, And Will to boot, and Will in overplus;More than enough am I that vex thee still,To thy sweet will making addition thus.

Wilt thou, whose will is large and spacious,Not once vouchsafe to hide my will in thine?Shall will in others seem right gracious,And in my will no fair acceptance shine?

The sea all water, yet receives rain stillAnd in abundance addeth to his store;So thou, being rich in Will, add to thy WillOne will of mine, to make thy large Will more.

Let no unkind, no fair beseechers kill;Think all but one, and me in that one Will.

--Shakespeare, Sonnet 135

Sonnets Everyone Must Know…Sonnets Everyone Must Know… Wyatt, “The Long Love,” p. 420Wyatt, “The Long Love,” p. 420 Spenser, Spenser, AmorettiAmoretti #75, p. 580 #75, p. 580 Donne, Donne, Holy SonnetsHoly Sonnets #10, p. 815 #10, p. 815 Shakespeare, Sonnet #18, p. 737Shakespeare, Sonnet #18, p. 737 Shakespeare, Sonnet #60, p. 739Shakespeare, Sonnet #60, p. 739 Shakespeare, Sonnet #73, p. 739Shakespeare, Sonnet #73, p. 739 Shakespeare, Sonnet #130, p. 741Shakespeare, Sonnet #130, p. 741 and…….and…….your table’s sonnetsyour table’s sonnets..

So when you study So when you study youryour sonnet sonnet Figure out which of the three kinds of sonnets it is Figure out which of the three kinds of sonnets it is

(when in doubt, look at the beginnings of lines 5, 9, (when in doubt, look at the beginnings of lines 5, 9, and 13)and 13)

Figure out the rhyme scheme (remember that Figure out the rhyme scheme (remember that pronunciations have changed over 400 years—use the pronunciations have changed over 400 years—use the OED))

Figure out the conceit the writer is playing withFigure out the conceit the writer is playing with Practice reading it to emphasize the enjambment—Practice reading it to emphasize the enjambment—

don’t read it like Dr. Seuss!don’t read it like Dr. Seuss! Check the Check the OED for help with word meanings for help with word meanings andand

Above all, have fun! Writing sonnets, then reading them aloud, was a game that people in the Early Modern period enjoyed as a way to show off their intellect and creativity. Just as modern musicians want to create lyrics that sound spontaneous but that they have worked on for many hours, sonneteers used these forms to express many of the same emotions and feelings.