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 13th 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, Astrophil 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 • Rhyme Scheme • Iambic Pentameter • Italian: (Shakespearean) – ABBAABBA / CDCDCD • Italian: – ABBAABBA / CDECDE – Octave • Shakespearean: – Volta -- (the ‘Turn’) – ABAB / CDCD / EFEF / GG – Sestet • Shakespearean: • Hint: the couplet is the easiest way to identify the – Three Quatrains form of the sonnet – Couplet 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. A 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. A I love thee to the level of every day's A 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. A 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. A 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. A I love thee to the level of every day's A 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. A 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. A 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. A I love thee to the level of every day's A 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. A 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 Admit 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 A Admit impediments. Love is not love B Which alters when it alteration finds, A 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 A Admit impediments. Love is not love B Which alters when it alteration finds, A 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.