Sonnets History and Form
Review: history The word sonnet comes from the Italian word sonnetto, meaning little song The sonnet, as a poetic form, was created in Italy in the early 13 th Century Petrarch was the most well-known Italian poet of sonnets Thomas Wyatt first brought the sonnet form to England in the 16th Century (copied Petrarch) Philip Sidney s book of sonnets, strophil and Stella, made the sonnet popular in England
Shakespeare s Sonnets Wrote 154; published in 1609 (possibly without his involvement) Sonnets 1-17 were written to a man ( procreation sonnets) 18-126: the fair youth 127-152: the dark lady 152-154: allegorical (original published in another book of poetry)
The Form 14 Lines Iambic Pentameter (Shakespearean) Italian: Octave Volta -- (the Turn ) Sestet Shakespearean: Three Quatrains Couplet Rhyme Scheme Italian: BBBB / CDCDCD BBBB / CDECDE Shakespearean: BB / CDCD / EFEF / GG Hint: the couplet is the easiest way to identify the form of the sonnet
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43) -Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43) -Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43) -Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height B My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight B For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. B I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. B
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43) -Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height B My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight B For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. B I love thee freely, as men strive for right. B I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use C In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. D I love thee with a love I seemed to lose C With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, D Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, C I shall but love thee better after death. D
Sonnet 116 Let me not to the marriage of true minds dmit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wandering bark, Whose worth s unknown, although his height be taken Love s not Time s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle s compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Sonnet 116 Let me not to the marriage of true minds dmit impediments. Love is not love B Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: B O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wandering bark, Whose worth s unknown, although his height be taken Love s not Time s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle s compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Sonnet 116 Let me not to the marriage of true minds dmit impediments. Love is not love B Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: B O no! it is an ever-fixed mark C That looks on tempests and is never shaken; D It is the star to every wandering bark, C -- (ship) Whose worth s unknown, although his height be taken D Love s not Time s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks E Within his bending sickle s compass come: F Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, E But bears it out even to the edge of doom. F If this be error and upon me proved, G I never writ, nor no man ever loved. G