Aspects of a Sonnet Essay - 2511 Words

Aspects of a Sonnet Explore aspects of the sonnet tradition through reference to a range of material you have studied? A sonnet is a 14-line poem with each line having 10 syllables. It originated in the 13th century and was introduced into England in the 16th century by Sir Thomas Wyatt. The Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet characteristically consists of an eight-line octave, rhyming abbaabba, that states a problem, asks a question, or expresses an emotional tension, followed by a six-line sestet, of varying rhyme schemes, that resolves the problem, answers the question, or resolves the tension. The rhyme scheme for the sestet is cdecde. For instance, Wilfred Owen uses the first eight-lines to describe how deaths at war†¦show more content†¦The question of whether Shakespeare was a bi-sexual has never been answered. Shakespeare uses very emotive words in his sonnets, which captures you amongst the words and involves the readers mind, body and soul. For instance in his famous sonnet Shall I compare theeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦?, Shakespeare compares someone to the beauty of nature, thus his first line and the title of the sonnet. He uses a rhetorical question to inhibit the fact that he knows the answer himself and needs no one to confirm it. Shall I Compare thee to a summers day? (Sonnet XVl l l, line 1) The sonnet describes of how summer only last for a short time therefore the sonnet could have been implying that the beauty of this person is only temporary. However he crushes this idea with the lines: But thy eternall Sommer shall not fade (Sonnet XVl l l, line 9) Nor loose possession of that faire thou owst (Sonnet XVl l l, line 10) Shakespeare portrays his love in this sonnet by giving it a sense of immortality and suggesting it is eternal. He indicates that the only enemy in love is time therefore why he portrays his love as timeless. Although he is not talking from experience his poems still exert a sense of realism in his words of wisdom. The language and imagery used in many of his sonnets leave an impressionable mark on the reader as his belief in love boils over the top in his sonnet, Shall I compare thee? His exaggeration in theShow MoreRelatedAspects of Poetry931 Words   |  4 Pagesto explain the aspects of poetry to you all, I thought I would break the mini lesson down into two parts. It will help you understand the differences between a poem and a sonnet, and will make it easier to absorb all of the components involved. First we will start with a sonnet. Let’s start by talking about just what a sonnet is. â€Å"Before Shakespeare’s day, the word â€Å"sonnet† meant simply â€Å"little song,† i.e., a short lyric poem† (poetry.about.com, 2010). By the 1200’s, the sonnet had come to be knownRead MoreThe English Sonnet768 Words   |  4 PagesThe English Sonnet The sonnet is the most important, as it is the most perfect, of all modern lyric forms (Reed, 119). Although the sonnet made a relatively late appearance in English literature, it has become a staple in the lyrical expression of private emotions. The sonnet has been used by every poet from Petrarch, who created the original Italian sonnet, to Shakespeare, who reinvented the sonnets form. Because the Italian, or Petrarchan, sonnet is the original form, it is the legitimateRead MoreHoly Sonnet 10 By John Donne1607 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Donne, Holy Sonnet 10 (page 1412) John Donne presented â€Å"Holy Sonnet 10† in a very phenomenal way. Within the fourteen lines, one can really dig deep into the message that Donne is trying to portray. The reader can really read between the lines and receive something different each time this sonnet is read. I believe that is what Donne tried to do when writing â€Å"Holy Sonnet 10.† This is a sonnet that one must read more than once to really become intrigued within the meaning Donne tries toRead MoreEssay about Copmaring Shakespeares Sonnets 116 and 1471489 Words   |  6 PagesCopmaring Shakespeares Sonnets 116 and 147 Light/Dark. Comfort/Despair. Love/Hate. These three pairs of words manage to sum up William Shakespeares Sonnet 116 and Sonnet 147, while also demonstrating the duality of Shakespeares heart. Sonnet 116 reveals to a careful reader the aspects of Shakespeares concept of what ideal love is. However, Sonnet 147 shows the danger of believing in this ideal form of love. These two sonnets perfectly complement and clarify each otherRead MoreMessages Of Charlotte Turner Smith1476 Words   |  6 PagesJaquelin Govea Professor Patterson English IV DC 7 25 March 2015 Messages of Charlotte Turner Smith Charlotte Turner Smith was a poet and novelist during the time of English Romanticism. She began the revival of the English sonnet and wrote political novels of deep feeling. Smith was a successful writer, publishing ten novels, three books of poetry, four children s books, and other assorted works, over the course of her career. She always felt poetry was her calling although she excelled inRead MoreEdna St. Vincent Millay s Sonnet Iv1122 Words   |  5 PagesEdna St. Vincent Millay’s â€Å"Sonnet IV† is a sonnet spoken from the point of view of a woman who is permitting herself to remember an old lover over the duration of her cigarette. The poem is set up through the classical structure of a Petrarchan sonnet and shares the topic of a lost lover. The octave follows the course of the dream, which takes the form of smoke and shadows. The volta marks the end of the cigarette and the dream, but the speaker still continues her memories in the sestet to followRead MoreS hakespearen Sonnets Essay883 Words   |  4 PagesShakespearen Sonnets William Shakespeare is one of the most famous authors of all times. His works span a wide range of formats, styles, and themes. While best known for plays, such as the tragedy Romeo and Juliet, he was also a composer of poetry. To many people, these poems constitute the greatest of Shakespeares accomplishments. They were often highly emotional in nature, and dealt with timeless ideas such as beauty, love, and death. Each one of the poems is unique. Yet for allRead MoreAnalysis Of Poem Anthem For Doomed Youth By Wilfred Owen And Trench Duty927 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout history, wars have been an important factor affecting many people’s lives. The two sonnets â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† by Wilfred Owen and â€Å"Trench Duty† by Siegfried Sassoon are two tales inspired by their experiences fighting in WW1 and all the horrors that war made them experience. Both poets use different sonnet structures, yet convey quite similar messages. In addition, th ese poets develop powerful images and metaphors, but in subtly different ways. Sassoon and Owen use structure, imageryRead MoreA Comparison of Shakespeares Sonnets 116 and 1301354 Words   |  5 PagesComparison of Shakespeares Sonnets 116 and 130 Shakespeare examines love in two different ways in Sonnets 116 and 130. In the first, love is treated in its most ideal form as an uncompromising force (indeed, as the greatest force in the universe); in the latter sonnet, Shakespeare treats love from a more practical aspect: it is viewed simply and realistically without ornament. Yet both sonnets are justifiable in and of themselves, for neither misrepresents love or speaks of it slightingly. IndeedRead MoreThe Significance of Shakespeares Regards Toward His Mistress in Sonnet 130918 Words   |  4 PagesThe Significance of Shakespeares Regards toward his Mistress in Sonnet 130 Sonnet 130 compares William Shakespeare’s mistress to typical, natural beauty; each time drawing attention to his mistress’ obvious imperfections. He addresses her as if she cannot compare to the ideal appearances women are expected to look like in that of the natural world. The comparisons Shakespeare addresses highlight aspects of nature, such as snow (3)or coral (2) yet; each comparison proves to be unflatteringly