

It was originally intended as a way of expressing romantic love among the upper classes. The poetic form of the sonnet originated in the 13th century in Italy. It mirrors the patterns of everyday talk, which means the words can really flow. It sounds like a beating heart, perhaps it works well for the common theme of love? This pattern is known as iambic pentameter, but it just means that each line has five da-DUMs and the stress is always on the second syllable. Modern sonnets follow the same basic conventions, including the pattern: da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM. Other sonnet forms include the Petrarchan sonnet, which uses a slightly different rhyme scheme, though still uses 14 lines. Īnd Shakespeare used this form for every single one of his 154 sonnets!īut Shakespeare’s sonnets are not the only kind. The quatrains use this rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF followed by the couplet: GG.

Here the poem usually shifts mood or focus.įor his sonnets, Shakespeare used a strict rhyme scheme of three rhyming stanzas of four lines, known as quatrains, and then one rhyming stanza of two lines, known as a couplet. There is usually a turning point at line eight, called a volta. 'Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?' asks Shakespeare.Ī sonnet is usually based on just one idea, so he compares someone to a summer’s day for with incredulity the full 14 lines. This one might be his most famous: Sonnet 18. Try your hand, see how much of this sonnet stuff you want to play with, and no matter what, enjoy the experience of writing poetry.Sonnets are a form of poem that was much loved by William Shakespeare. Final couplet resolves the issue or problem in the sonnet.

Iambic pentameter in some or all of the 14 lines.A turn, or “volta”-some kind of shift in tone or thought.A big idea or feeling or issue (like love, or heartbreak, or a problem to be solved).14 lines (though there are “stretched sonnets” of 15 and 16 lines, too).How fancy you get is up to you! The basics Here’s a quick list to help you get started. Sonneteers have been bending and breaking the sonnet form for ages, so share whatever you’ve got! Shakespearean sonnets use iambic pentameter and an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme, but don’t worry too much about all that. It usually takes a turn, called a “volta,” about 8 lines in, and then resolves the issue by the end. Sonnets have been around for over seven centuries, maybe because they’re so much fun to write! A sonnet is a poem of 14 lines that reflects upon a single issue or idea.
