Basic Sonnet Information 1 History of the sonnet

Basic Sonnet Information 1

History of the sonnet • Originally started in Italy in the 13 th Century • The word sonnet means little song • There are two kinds: Petrarchan and Shakespearean – Shakespearean sonnets are written in iambic pentameter (a term for measurement), but the Petrarchan sonnet was not. • William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets 2

Components of a sonnet • 14 lines • Each line consists of 10 syllables – Shakespeare would add or take away a syllable to make the word fit altering the pronunciation of the word; sometimes he would add an 11 th syllable, breaking the rule • Every other syllable in the line is stressed to give it a rhythm that sounds like da-DUM, da-DUM • Written in iambic pentameter (a term for a measurement) • Broken into 3 quatrains – A quatrain is a group of 4 lines • The last 2 lines are called a couplet. These two lines rhyme • Rhyme scheme for a Shakespearean sonnet: abab, cdcd, efef, gg 3

Ideas in Shakespeare’s sonnets • In a sonnet, two related but differing things are shown to the reader in order to communicate an idea about them • Relationships – Range of emotions about love. How great love can be, how bad love can be, and everything in between! • In his sonnets he uses vivid imagery, similes, metaphors etc. to convey his message about love and relationships • Since he is telling a story in each sonnet, he employed the use of a Volta • Volta: a turn or twist • In Shakespeare’s sonnets, there would be a turn/twist in the middle (lines 8 or 9) or at the couplet (the last 2 lines) that would create the tension of ideas; it acts as a surprise ending 4

A (sun) B (red) Quatrain 1 (lines 1 -4) A (dun) B (head) C (white) D (cheeks) Quatrain 2 (lines 5 -8) C (delight) D (reeks) E (know) F (sound) E (go) Quatrain 3 (lines 9 -12) F (ground) G (rare) G (compare) Couplet (lines 13 -44) Volta-look for transition words such as: but, therefore, however, yet, or, so. These words 5 are a good place to start.

Now it’s your turn! You will compose an original sonnet. And yes, you will share this with the class! Requirements: • 14 lines of your best creative writing • 10 syllables per line; however you can have one line with 11 syllables (iambic pentameter: da-DUM, da-Dum, or as close as you can get!) • Follow the rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg • Tackle it in chunks. Do two to four lines at a time. Don’t worry about it all at once. • Must have a Volta. 6

What should you write about? School, your boyfriend/girlfriend, art, spring, rain, snow, a smile, how depressing/exciting the end of the school year will be for you, missing someone, emptiness, metacognition, love, lunch, spaghetti, dogs, homework, water-skiing, Shakespeare, your favorite book, a vacation, childhood…Whatever. Everything’s good. It can be happy, sad, funny, crazy, serious…Just be creative! DUE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HOUR. 20 POINTS. Typed or neatly handwritten. No spiral notebook paper. 7