All You Need to Know about
the English Sonnet

This article discusses the basic structure of the English Sonnet.

I have heard a lot of hearsay about sonnets. Some of what I have heard is that a sonnet is one of the most exciting poems you can ever write, and I have also heard that everyone should write at least one sonnet in their lifetime.

So I set out to investigate this hearsay, so that I find out what it is about sonnets that is so intriguing. What I found is worth sharing with you.

A sonnet is a very structured poem. It consists of :

1. fourteen lines
2. a set meter that recurs in each line.
3. a recognizable rhyme scheme.

 

There are two types of sonnets. There is the English Sonnet, and the Italian Sonnet. Obviously you are thinking that the difference between these two sonnets is that one is written in English, and the other in Italian. Actually, the difference is in the structure and has nothing to do with language.  We will discuss the Italian sonnet in another article. Let us begin with the English sonnet, which happens to be the most popular one.

The English sonnet is also known as the Shakespearean sonnet. The obvious reason is that Shakespeare used this very pattern to write his sonnets. Make sure you have one of his sonnets nearby as we discuss this.

The following are the characteristics of an Enlish Sonnet:

1. it is written in Iambic pentameter
2. it consisits of three quatrains and one couplet.
3. it follows the Shakespearean rhyme scheme. 

 

Let us consider the first point:The English sonnet is written in iambic pentameter.

I’ve already discussed in a previous article what iambic pentameter means. Check it out:

Rhthm and Meter in poetry

A line written in Iambic pentameter consists of ten syllables. These syllables are arranged in a weak-strong pattern. In other words the line sounds like this:

ta - DA - ta - DA - ta - DA - ta - DA - ta - DA

So that is how a line in an English sonnet should sound. Here is a line from one of Shakespeare’s sonnets (sonnet 29). Can you sense the rhythm of the iambic pentameter in it?

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes

You can’t? Well let me help you out. I have repeated the same line below, but with stressed syllables in bold and uppercase:

When, IN disGRACE with FORtune AND men's EYES

You get that, huh?

We are ready to move on to the second point. I said that it consists of three quatrains and one couplet. Now these words should not scare you. Quatrain is just a fancy name for a verse with four lines, and a couplet is simply a verse with two lines.

Let me get the whole of sonnet 29 and show how the quatrains and couplet are arranged:

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

 

I am sure you can see the arrangement: The three quatrains (in bold) go first, and finally, the couplet goes last. All in all, we have fourteen lines. Pretty neat stuff, huh?

Now let us turn our attention to the rhyme scheme.

It would help to review this article explaining rhyme schemes:

Rhyme Schemes

In an English sonnet, the, rhyme scheme is as follows:

ABAB  CDCD EE

The letters stand for the rhyming elements. For example, ABAB simply means that the first line rhymes with the third, and the second rhymes with the fourth. Take note of the second quatrain and note this particular rhyme scheme.

C. Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
D Featured like him, like him with friends POSSESS'D,
C. Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
D. With what I most enjoy contented LEAST;


In the above quatrain, hope rhymes with scope and possess’d with least.

Alright. You got that in your brain? Good, let us proceed.

A sonnet is not just a matter of writing fourteen lines, following a rhyme  scheme, and arranging the lines into three quatrains and a couplet. No sirree.  There is more to it.

It is the same with writing a short story. Just because you write two thousand words or more does not mean that you have written a short story. You have to build up the setting, introduce the conflict, develop the conflict to it’s climax and finally finish off with a resolution to that conflict.

 Yes, there is a structure.

Here is the structure of the English sonnet: the first quatrain introduces the topic, argument, or conflict. The second quatrain expands this conflict. The third quatrain introduces the turning point whereby the conflict is viewed in a new way. And finally, the couplet at the end is the conclusion to the whole argument.

Let us get back to Sonnet 29, and see if Shakespeare follows this pattern.

Here is the first quatrain again:

When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate

 

Here, he introduces the conflict. And what is the conflict? He is lamenting about his pitiable state of destitution that is frowned upon by his contemporaries. No one pities him except himself, and not even God answers when he cries to him for help.

Now let’s take a look at the second quatrain:

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;

Here Shakespeare expands on the theme he has raised in the first quatrain. He goes on to say that he is always admiring the successes of his fellows, their elevated social status, and their talents.

Next is the third quatrain. Remember what we are looking for? Yes, a turning point.

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

See how he introduces the turning point in the conflict? He uses the word ‘Yet’.  His use of this word clearly shows that he is introducing a different perspective. Instead of going on complaining about his dismal state, he says he happily thinks of someone who causes him to view his state differently. His cogitations on this individual causes a transition in his emotions, from misery to happiness—much the way a lark transits from silence to singing beautiful songs at dawn.

Now let us see his conclusion:

For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

What an apt conclusion he makes! When he remembers the love that the aforementioned individual showers on him, he detests any intentions he has of changing his state.

See what a clever guy Shakespeare was? He wrote perfect sonnets. No wonder the English sonnet is aptly called the Shakespearean Sonnet!

We have pretty much discussed all there is to the English sonnet. Are you now able to write your own? Probably, but most likely you still need more help to get writing your own. It is not so easy a piece of work, but it is worth writing.

Now I agree with the hearsay: everyone should write a sonnet in their lifetime. I am certain that the fulfillment from creating such an intricate, yet beautiful piece of writing is well worth the effort.

I’m cooking up another article which specifically tackles the laborious task of writing a sonnet. Stay tunned!

 

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