Sonnet 18

Sonnet 18

Shakespeare

What is a Sonnet?

• A sonnet is written in iambic pentameter.

• An “iamb” is two syllables. The first syllable is unstressed and the second syllable is stressed. (The opposite of iambic is trochaic.)

• When they are sounded together you get a fall and a rise.

• Penta means five, so iambic pentameter is five iambs strung together. 

• This is what it looks like: 

Multiple Choice

What is an IAMB?

• four syllables

• two syllables

• six syllables

• one syllable

Multiple Choice

What does PENTA mean?

• five

• four

• two

• ten

Multiple Choice

What does IAMBIC PENTAMETER mean?

• two iambs strung together

• three iambs strung together

• five iambs strung together

What is a sonnet?

• A sonnet has fourteen lines.

•  A traditional Shakespearean sonnet has three QUATRAINS

• Quatrains:  group of four lines

•  followed by a COUPLET

• Couplet:  a group of two lines

• In the image, your see the three quatrains, and the last two lines are the couplet.

Multiple Choice

QUATRAIN means....?

• group of three lines

• group of two lines

• group of four lines

Multiple Choice

A sonnet has how many lines?

• 14

• 12

• 13

What is a sonnet?

• Most sonnets have a set rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg

• Another might be: ab ab cd cd ef ef gg.

• Yet another might be: abba cddc effe gg

Multiple Choice

What is rhyme scheme?

• A regular use of figurative language in a poem

• A regular pattern of alliteration in a poem

• A regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem

What is a sonnet?

• All sonnets feature a TURN.

• TURN: The turn could be a change in tone, a change in subject, or a change in theme. 

• The turn generally occurs between the second and fourth quatrains. 

• An easy example of a turning point you might see in a sonnet would be that lines 1-8 ask a question or series of questions and lines 9- 14 answer the question or questions. 

• In Sonnet 18, it is indicated with the word BUT

Multiple Choice

What is the TURN in a poem?

• change in tone, a change in subject, or a change in theme.

• change in the wording of the poem

• change in the author's point of view used throughout the poem.

Multiple Choice

When does the TURN happen?

• right at the beginning of a poem

• between the second and fourth quatrains.

• at the start of the final couplet in a poem.

Why would you write something this structured? 

•  For one, humans are hardwired for poetry. We like rhythm and we like rhyme. 

•  Sonnets give us repetition and variety, both of which we like when they are paired together.

•  It gives you a set of boundaries or rules to work with, which we also like. 

•  This isn’t to say that we always have to follow the rules, some poets like to change up the form a bit. 

Sonnet 18

Next slide we will listen to Sonnet 18 and prepare to analyze it!

Now, it is your turn!

Click open the KAMI document on google classroom and analyze this sonnet!