The Sonnet

Definition, structure, sound, & figurative devices

Sonnet

A lyric poem of fourteen lines, commonly written in iambic pentameter

Petrarchan (Italian) Petrarch 14th C. Italian poet

ElizabethanShakespearean, English

Spenserian

Petrarchan Sonnet

Octave: first eight linesabbaabbapresents a problem

Sestet: the last six linescdecde, cdccde, or a similar variationresolves or comments on the problem

Elizabethan Sonnet

3 quatrains and a final coupletAbab cdcd efef gg

The final rhyming couplet provides final commentary on the subject developed in the 3 quatrains.First 3 quatrains present

Problem/metaphor

Sonnet Stanzas:

1: establish subject2: develop theme 3: round off the theme4: act as a conclusion

Spenserian Sonnet

Edmund Spenseradapted quatrains of the Elizabethan sonnet

abab bcbc cdcd ee

Sonnet sequences

also called sonnet cyclesA series of related sonnets on the same subject… love for a beautiful and unattainable womanFashionable in the late 15th C.

Structure of Poetry: E.11.10.01

Verse, Stanza, and Quatrain

POETRY

composition in verse; The words in poetry are arranged in lines that have rhythm and, sometimes, rhyme.

THE SPEAKER

The speaker is not the same as the poetThe speaker=The narratorPoems can be written from first-person, third-person limited, or third-person omniscient points of view.

THE WORDS OF A POEM

Every word is critical in a poemIn order to understand a poem, you must understand every word: use dictionaries and encyclopedias as necessary.

Stanza

An arrangement of lines of a unit of poetry.The stanza is comparable to the paragraph in prose.Often indicate separate thoughts and are separated from each other by spaces.

Stanza

Couplet (2-line stanza)Tercet (3-line)Quatrain (4-line)Quintet (5-line)Sestet (6-line)Septet (7-line)Octet (8 line)

Quatrain

A stanza of four lines of approx. the same metrical length.Common in English poetryShakespearean sonnet is composed of three quatrains and a couplet.

Sound in Poetry:E.11.10.01

Rhythm,Rhyme, Repetition,Onomatopoeia,

Euphony,Cacophony, Assonance,and Consonance

Rhythm

RHYTHMThe arrangement or pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds in writing and speech. Rhythm of a poem reflects the mood.Rhythm can emphasize certain words.

Rhythm

Many poems do not have rhyme, but all poems have rhythm because some words are stressed more than others. Even our daily language has rhythm—the beat of our conversations.

FREE VERSE

A type of poetry that is “free” from a fixed pattern of rhythm or rhyme.

Rhyme

The repetition of syllable sounds. End words that share a particular sound are called end rhyme. The pattern of end rhymes in a poem is called a rhyme scheme.

REPETITION

A word or phrase used over and over again form emphasis.

alliteration: repeated consonant sounds

tongue twisters

Assonance

The repetition of identical vowel sounds in different words in close proximity

deep, green sea

Consonance

Repetition of identical consonant sounds that are preceded by different vowels.

ONOMATOPOEIA

Words used to imitate the sound of a thing.

Hiss, smack, buzz, hum

BANG!!

EUPHONY

sounds pleasant to the ear; “good sound”

CACOPHONY

Sounds unpleasant to the ear; “bad sound”choppy; difficult to say

Figurative Devices in Poetry:

E.11.10.01

imagery, symbolism, allegory, allusion, metonymy, and

synecdoche

Imagery

Concrete words or details that appeal to the senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, or to internal feelings.

Imagery

examples include personification, simile, and metaphor.Symbolism: using something concrete to stand for an idea, emotion,etc.

Allegory

A complete narrative that can also be applied to a parallel set of situations that may be political, moral, religious, or philosophical

Star WarsLord of the Rings

Allegory

Star Wars: allegory b/t good and evil; Obi Wan Kenobi (intelligence) assists Luke Skywalker (heroism, goodness) and instructs him in “The Force” (moral or religious faith). Skywalker is therefore able to defeat Darth Vader (evil).

Allegory

Lord of the Rings: allegory b/t good and evil; Frodo (heroism, boldness, righteousness) is guided by King Aragorn, Gandalf (intelligence) on his journey through Middle Earth (journey of faith) in order to defeat the powers of Mordor (evil).

Allusion

A reference to something with which the reader is already familiar. Usually a literary or historical person, place, event, or some other aspect of cultural significance.

Metonymy

A figure of speech that substitutes for a word something closely associated with that word.

The pen is mightier than the sword.Hollywood values beauty, fame, and money.The White House stated its policy on interrogation techniques.

Metonymy

“London, 1802” pg. 894

Find the metonymyWhat is the tone in the poem?

Synecdoche

A device in which a part stands for the whole or a whole for a part; literally: “taking one thing out of another”

All hands on deck“London, 1802” pg. 449“To Autumn” pg. 491

Sonnets come to alive!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6FFtq5CEoM&feature=player_embedded (29)http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=H-_QlzUJBbUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P-jEiMu8Yao

Your Project

Create your own sonnet

You will be writing your own Shakespearean Sonnet!

Don’t fret … it’s not as hard as it sounds!Using the rhyme scheme, write your own sonnet about new love, lost love, a beautiful day, or a topic of your choice!Use the handout to help you plan & organize

Don’t be Afraid to break the rules…

One of the beautiful things about poetry is that it is a personal expression for every poet. For some poets following such a rigid format might become discouraging, but there is a simple rule that writers and poets share: you have to know the rules before you can break them. Once you understand the basics of the sonnet, such as structure, meter, rhythm and rhyme you can get creative and really make a statement.Shakespeare liked to bend the rules in his sonnets all the time. For example, Sonnet 145 is written in iambic tetrameter (eight syllables), instead of pentameter (ten syllables).Modern sonnet writers often leave the rhyme out, but maintain the meter and line structure.

Reviewing the Writing Process

Choose a subject to write about.Break the subject into two parts: a proposition/dilemma and a solution.While writing, count out the beats of each line and pay close attention to the rhythm.In the first quatrain, lay the subject out for the reader, following an a-b-a-b rhyme pattern.The second quatrain is a deeper look into the subject. This stanza is written in a c-d-c-d end-rhyme patternTurn everything around with the "volta" in line nine of the third quatrain.

Often the word "but" is employed to signal the turning point.Follow the e-f-e-f end-rhyme pattern in this quatrain.

The couplet is comprised of two lines and concludes with a solution to the issue explored through the body of the poem. Both lines end on the same rhyme represented by g-g.

Once you write your sonnet…

You will be creating a “sonnet” book using Storybird.