A type of poetry is sonnets, which is said to be lyrical. Sonnets is a poem of fourteen lines that follows a strict rhyme scheme and specific structure. One of the best sonneteers (sonnet writers) was William Shakespeare who wrote over 154 sonnets. Sonnets contain ten syllables with a pattern of an unemphasized syllable and than a emphasized syllable. (Ex: a-b-a-b) This is repeated 5 times and the last two lines rhyme. Sounds extremly hard to keep track of ! Most sonnets are arranged as three quatrains (stanzas of four lines) followed by a couplet (a two-lined stanza). The theme of most sonnets was love–romantic, passionate, or unrequited love (not a surprise). This is an example of the Shakespearean sonnet form:
So oft have I invoked thee for my Muse, (A)
And found such faire assistance in my verse, (B)
As every Alien pen hath got my use, (A)
And under thee their poesy disperse. (B)
Thine eyes, that taught the dumb on high to sing, (C)
And heavy ignorance aloft to flie, (D)
Have added feathers to the learned’s wing, (C)
And given grace a double majestie. (D)
Yet be most proud of that which I compile, (E)
Whose influence is thine and born of thee, (F)
In others’works thou dost but mend the style (E)
And arts with thy sweet graces graced be. (F)
But thou art all my art, and dost advance (G)
As high as learning my rude ignorance. (G)
Leave a Comment
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
