shakespearean sonnet essay

For a complete guide to the theme of each group of sonnets, please see the article .





Shakespeare likely did not write his sonnets with a conscious emphasis on literary devices, and early editors of the sonnets paid little attention to such devices (with the exception of metaphor and allusion). However, in the era of postmodern literary theory and close reading, much weight is given to the construction or of the sonnets and Shakespeare's use of figures of speech such as , , , , , , , personification, and internal rhyme. Much modern criticism also places heavy emphasis on the sexual puns and double entendres in the sonnets ( (2.14) being both blood semen, etc). For more on this please see the commentary for .

For examples of Shakespeare's use of antithesis and synecdoche, please see the commentary for and .

For examples of Shakespeare's use of metonymy, please see the commentary for .

For an example of Shakespeare's use of partial alliteration, please see the commentary for . Notice the attention to alliteration and assonance in .

For examples of Shakespeare's use of personification and extended metaphor, please see the commentary for , , , , and .

For an example of Shakespeare's use of an elaborate metaphor known as a , please see .

For an example of what many consider to be one of Shakespeare's rare failed metaphors, please see the commentary for .

Once you have identified such literary devices you can explore both how they contribute to a greater understanding of the theme and how they serve to give the sonnet movement, intensity, and structure.



Researching the history of words Shakespeare used is a sure way to gain a greater understanding of the sonnets and will sometimes lead to new and fascinating commentary. Words that today have a specific meaning, such as (see ) or (see ) often could have multiple meanings as the rapidly-changing language of the time was still heavily influenced by Old French and Middle and Old English. The is available online by subscription, as are a couple of free etymological dictionaries.

Do not be afraid to develop your own thoughts on the sonnets. A persuasive argument, backed by ample evidence, is always the key to a powerful essay.

As Katherine Duncan-Jones points out, "Not until the American Joseph Pequigney's in 1985 was a homoerotic reading of positively and systematically championed" ( , 81).

_____


Mabillard, Amanda. . . 20 Nov. 2009.
Landry, Hilton. . Berkeley: University of California Press, 1963.
Shakespeare, William. . Ed. Katherine Duncan-Jones. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd., 1997. ______






?

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

• You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
• You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
• You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
• A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

Shakespearean Sonnet

shakes-peer-ee-in sah-nit

The Shakespearean sonnet follows a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG and uses iambic pentameter.

E.g. An example of a Shakespearean sonnet is  ' Sonnet 116 '  by William Shakespeare.

Related terms: Sonnet , Petrarchan sonnet , Miltonic sonnet , Curtal sonnet , Spenserian sonnet

A Shakespearean sonnet is one of the best-known sonnet forms. Along with the Petrarchan sonnet, it is the most popular to this day. It is sometimes referred to as “Elizabethan” or “English,” but since Shakespeare used to with so much success in his 154 sonnets published after his death, it has become synonymous with his name.  

Explore the Shakespearean Sonnet

• 1 Structure of a Shakespearean Sonnet 
• 2 Rhyme Scheme and Meter of a Shakespearean Sonnet 
• 3 Examples of Shakespearean Sonnets 
• 4 Other Sonnet Forms  
• 5 FAQs 
• 6 Related Literary Terms 
• 7 Other Resources 

Structure of a Shakespearean Sonnet  

The Shakespearean sonnet is fourteen lines long, as are all traditional sonnets. These fourteen lines are usually seen together in one stanza of text, but throughout time poets have chosen to break the structure up into stanzas . These are generally created with the basic form of the sonnet in mind. Even if the poem is contained within one stanza of text, for the purpose of analyses or simply in order to come to a better understanding of what the poet is saying, it can be separated into three quatrains or sets of four lines. These make up the bulk of the poem. They are then followed by a concluding couplet or set of two rhyming lines.  

Rhyme Scheme and Meter of a Shakespearean Sonnet  

The poem follows a consistent rhyme scheme that conforms to the pattern of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The difference between the three quatrains and the couplet is clear.  

Additionally, as is the case in Petrarchan sonnets , this sonnet form uses iambic pentameter . This means that each line contains five sets of two beats. The first is unstressed, and the second is stressed. It sounds something like da-DUM, da-DUM.

Like all aspects of sonnets, poets have taken liberties with the meter and rhyme scheme. Even Shakespeare was not above changing things (adding a syllable, using an incomplete rhyme) every once in a while, although it was rare.  

Examples of Shakespearean Sonnets  

Astrophil and stella 1 by sir philip sidney  .

This series of poems was composed in the 1580s and contained 108 sonnets and eleven songs. The title of this sonnet, which is used (with changing numbers) for all the sonnets, refers to the two key characters of the sonnets. The first, Astrophil, or Astrophel, is the lover of the stars, and “Stella” is the star that he loves. These two characters were perhaps based on Sidney’s personal relationship with Lady Penelope Deveraux.  

This first poem of the 108 Astrophil and Stella sonnets is written in the form of a Shakespearean or Elizabethan sonnet. Take a look at the first lines:  

Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show, That she (dear She) might take some pleasure of my pain: Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know, Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,

The rhyme scheme of ABAB is immediately evident, signaling to the reader that this poem is going to follow a specific pattern. That is proven by the next lines that rhyme CDCDEFEFGG, the same rhyme scheme as an Elizabethan sonnet. Although not all of Sidney’s poems made use of this pattern, Sonnet 1 is a good example of his utilizing this form. The poem also makes use of themes that were common to the Shakespearean sonnet, love, creation, and dedication.

Discover more Sir Philip Sidney poems .

Sonnet 10: For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any by William Shakespeare  

This sonnet is number ten of 154 sonnets that Shakespeare wrote during his lifetime. It belongs, as do the vast majority of the sonnets, to the Fair Youth sequence. This poem, and 125 others, were dedicated and directed to a young man. This person’s identity remains unknown to this day, although some scholars have made educated guesses. Whoever he was, he was young and beautiful and inspired the poet to some of his best work. This poem is written in the traditional form for which Shakespeare has become known and which is synonymous with his name. Take a look at the first two quatrains:  

For shame deny that thou bear’st love to any, Who for thy self art so unprovident. Grant, if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many, But that thou none lov’st is most evident: For thou art so possessed with murderous hate, That ‘gainst thy self thou stick’st not to conspire, Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate Which to repair should be thy chief desire.

This poem is quite direct. It accuses the Fair Youth of murder because he is unwilling to have children. He’s, therefore, killing his own youth and the only chance he has of renewing his youth within a new body. This sonnet belongs to a series of sonnets that promote procreation. It also follows the rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG and uses iambic pentameter .  

Read more William Shakespeare poems . 

Shakespearean Sonnet by R.S. Gwynn

‘Shakespearean Sonnet’ is a contemporary poem that follows the traditional pattern of an Elizabethan, or as the title reveals, Shakespearean sonnet. The poem is incredibly creative and is intimately based on the works of William Shakespeare. Every line of the poem refers to a different play by Shakespeare. For example, here are the first four lines: 

A man is haunted by his father’s ghost. A boy and girl love while their families fight. A Scottish king is murdered by his host. Two couples get lost on a summer night.

Lovers of Shakespeare’s plays will immediately recognize the references to Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth , and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The lines also follow the rhyme scheme of an Elizabethan sonnet— ABAB. Later, the poet adds in the rest of the pattern as its traditionally used, creating the entire rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG. 

Explore more R.S. Gwynn poems . 

Other Sonnet Forms  

There is more than one sonnet form that you’re likely to come across as a poetry lover. The Elizabethan sonnet is likely the most popular, but there are others to consider. They include:

• Petrarchan sonnet
• Miltonic sonnet
• Curtal sonnet
• Spenserian sonnet

Contemporary poets may use some elements of one sonnet form, like the concluding couplet or the rhyme scheme, and pass on using other elements. 

The Elizabethan sonnet is also known as a Shakespearean or English sonnet . Most examples of the sonnet form come from Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets he wrote about the Fair Youth and the Dark Lady. 

Shakespeare’s ‘ Sonnet 130 ,’ also known as ‘ My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun,’ is an example of a Shakespearean sonnet . It uses the standard rhyme scheme and metrical pattern associated with the form. 

The three main types of sonnets are the Shakespearean, Petrarchan , and Spenserian. They are the three most popular types, with Shakespearean and Petrarchan being numbers one and two. 

Related Literary Terms 

• End Rhyme : a common type of rhyme found in poetry. They occur when the last word of two or more lines rhyme.
• Exact Rhyme : a literary device that’s used in poetry. It occurs when the writer uses the same stressed vowel or consonant sounds.
• Closed Couplet : a pair of lines that are grammatically complete, or at least logically complete, on their own. They also usually rhyme.
• Elizabethan Era : a literary period that lasted through the years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, from 1558 to 1603.
• Syntax : the rules that govern language. It is concerned with various parts of speech and the way that words are used together.
• Volta : a turn or transition in a sonnet’s main argument, theme, or tone . There are Petrarchan and Shakespearean voltas .

Other Resources 

• Read: The Structure of Sonnets
• Listen: Sonnet Types
• Watch: The Elizabethan Era Summary

Home » Poetic Forms » Shakespearean Sonnet

The Definitive Literary Glossary Crafted by Experts

All terms defined are created by a team of talented literary experts, to provide an in-depth look into literary terms and poetry, like no other.

Cite This Page

Baldwin, Emma. "Shakespearean Sonnet". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/poetic-form/shakespearean-sonnet/ . Accessed 6 September 2024.

Help Center

Request an Analysis

(not a member? Join now)

Poem PDF Guides

PDF Learning Library

Beyond the Verse Podcast

Poetry Archives

Poetry Explained

Poet Biographies

Useful Links

Poem Explorer

Poem Generator

[email protected]

Poem Solutions Limited, International House, 36-38 Cornhill, London, EC3V 3NG, United Kingdom

(and discover the hidden secrets to understanding poetry)

Get PDFs to Help You Learn Poetry

250+ Reviews

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 Analysis: Tone, Imagery, Symbolism, and More

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Sonnet 18: Introduction

Sonnet 18 analysis: literary devices, sonnet 18: tone and themes, symbolism and imagery in the sonnet 18, literary analysis of sonnet 18: conclusion, works cited.

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? The Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare is one of the most known Shakespeare’s sonnets. Want to learn more about the themes, tone, and imagery in Sonnet 18 ? Read the literary analysis below!

This essay analyzes Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 . The sonnet is a captivating love story of a young man fascinated by the beauty of his mistress and affectionately comparing her to nature. The first stanza, ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ opens the poem with an indication of a young man deeply in love (Shakespeare 1). He envisions her as a beautiful creature and even wonders whether one can compare her beauty to any summer season.

This love sonnet falls under the lyric genre, with the author expressing deep emotional feelings for his mistress throughout the poem. The first stanza gives an assumption to the reader that the poet is not sure of what is more beautiful, a beautiful summer day or his mistress.

However, the air is cleared in the preceding stanzas that see the poet overcome by flamboyant feelings and admits that his lover is even lovelier than the summer itself (Shakespeare 2). The poem embeds an image of an undying and eternal kind of beauty as visualized by the poet.

The poet adopts a thematic structure technique to express his lover’s beauty. A line-by-line analysis of Sonnet 18 shows that the first stanza acts as an eye-opener of the poet’s attempt to compare his lover with summer. He goes on to state why his lover is better. Stanzas 1-6 give a solid reason as to why one cannot compare his lover to summer. Though summer appears to be beautiful, it is not constant and can be very disappointing if solely relied upon. It also does not last as long as his lover’s beauty would.

The stanzas give detailed answers to his rhetorical question posed at the beginning of the poem. The poet’s praises and awe are well expressed in these stanzas by revealing all the beautiful qualities seized by his mistress. Her beauty is constant and can neither be shaken by strong winds nor can it become unpredictable like the hot sun. It doesn’t waiver in the eyes of the beholder like the clouds swallow the summer hence losing its beauty.

Stanzas 7-14 indicates everlasting beauty, which he says cannot be claimed by anything, not even a natural calamity such as death. In the conclusion of the Sonnet 18 , W. Shakespeare admits that ‘Every fair from fair sometime decline,’ he makes his mistress’s beauty an exception by claiming that her youthful nature will never fade (Shakespeare 7). Interestingly, the author takes a different twist in the ending when he no longer compares the beauty to the summer but rather to the immortality of his poems (Shakespeare 14).

The poem features an affectionate mood portrayed by the poet throughout the poem. The tone of the Sonnet 18 is that of the romantic intimacy of a young man intrigued by a woman’s beauty. The mood and the tone, therefore, play a significant role in describing the setting of the poem.

The poet is sitting in a field on a warm summer day (Shakespeare 1). Though the weather seems ideal, it is breezy, with rough winds’ shaking the buds of May’ (Shakespeare 3). That is an indication that the poet is sitting under a tree enjoying the scenery on a hot afternoon. The poet enjoys the unpredictable weather till the clouds swallow the sun, and as he states, ‘By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’ d,’ nature always seems to take its course during sunset and sunrise (Shakespeare 8).

The poet uses metaphor and personification to bring life to the Sonnet 18 . For example, he uses figurative speech to presume change, fate, and immortality. He speaks of how he will internally save his lover’s beauty from fading from the face of the earth (Shakespeare 12). ‘Summer’ as a literary device is used to mean the life of the mistress that should be safe from fate. Fate, in this case, is portrayed by the use of scorching sun and rough winds.

The imagery of the Sonnet 18 includes personified death and rough winds. The poet has even gone further to label the buds as ‘darling’ (Shakespeare 3). Death serves as a supervisor of ‘its shade,’ which is a metaphor for ‘after life’ (Shakespeare 11). All these actions are related to human beings. ‘Eternal lines to lines though growest’ (Shakespeare 12) is a praise of the poet’s poems which he says will last forever so long as ‘men can breathe or eyes can see,’ a metaphor symbolizing ‘poet lovers’ will be there to read them (Shakespeare 13).

He views beauty as an art that cannot diminish despite all the hurdles in life. However, beauty does not apply to everything but only to images that appeal more to the eyes of the beholder than nature itself. That kind of beauty is immortal and surpasses all tribulations caused by nature itself.

This essay on the Sonnet 18 by Shakespeare analyzed the poem’s tone, imagery, meaning, and main themes. In summary, the poet is fascinated by his mistress’s beauty, such that he cannot imagine that very beauty fading from his eyes. He argues that beauty is constant and, unlike a ‘summer day,’ is not affected by any changes or fate at all. He, however, seems to be praising his poem as characterized at the end of the poem, where he only compares the everlasting beauty to his text. The Sonnet eighteen’s conclusion indicates that beauty can only end only when the poem ceases to exist.

Shakespeare, William. “ Shakespeare Sonnet 18. ” Shakespeare Sonnets . 1564. Web.

• Claiming Caliban: "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare
• Why Should Shakespeare Be Taught in School Essay
• Sonnet 71: Shakespeare’s Work
• Renaissance Poetry: Sonnets of William Shakespeare
• My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun by Shakespeare
• Titus Andronicus as a Classic Tragedy
• Gods and Humans in "The Odyssey" by Homer
• Pelasgus’ Conflict in The Suppliants by Aeschylus
• A Midsummer’s Night Dream
• The Story "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, October 11). William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 Analysis: Tone, Imagery, Symbolism, and More. https://ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-sonnet-18/

"William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 Analysis: Tone, Imagery, Symbolism, and More." IvyPanda , 11 Oct. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-sonnet-18/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 Analysis: Tone, Imagery, Symbolism, and More'. 11 October.

IvyPanda . 2018. "William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 Analysis: Tone, Imagery, Symbolism, and More." October 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-sonnet-18/.

1. IvyPanda . "William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 Analysis: Tone, Imagery, Symbolism, and More." October 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-sonnet-18/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 Analysis: Tone, Imagery, Symbolism, and More." October 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-sonnet-18/.

How To Write A Sonnet

Want to know how to write a sonnet like one of Shakespeare’s? There’s good news and bad news when writing sonnets. The good news is that it’s very easy to write a sonnet. The bad news is that your sonnet will unlikely ever be as good as any of Shakespeare’s… but that’s no reason not to try!

Sonnet structure

A sonnet expresses a single idea, but it is generally an idea that develops and expands, with multiple facets, leading to a conclusion – and all within a very specific rhyming scheme. In addition to this structure, all Shakespearean sonnets must have these two things in common:

1. All Shakespearean sonnets have 14 lines

2. All Shakespearean sonnets are written in iambic pentameter

(Find out more about what a sonnet is , and  iambic pentameter , or discover some wonderful sonnet examples from a variety of poets.)

The 14 lines of the sonnet consist of four divisions, known as ‘quatrains’. The first three of the four sonnet divisions/quatrains have the same rhyme scheme, whilst the fourth and last division/quatrain has a different rhyme scheme:

All Shakespearean sonnets follow this 14 line pattern and rhyming structure. So, now you have the basics, here are the three simple steps to have you writing your own sonnet in no time:

1. Think of an idea for your sonnet

Your sonnet must be about one single idea. It could be a feeling, like being in love. It could be some thought you’ve had about life, or about a person or about people in general. It could be about one of your favourite subjects – sport, music, movies, nature, a book you’ve read, etc.

2. Your sonnet must rhyme in a specific pattern

Your 14 line sonnet must be written in three sets of four lines and one set of two lines.

1. The first quatrain will have lines that end in a rhyme scheme like this: ABAB, for example, ‘day’, ‘temperate’, ‘may’, ‘date’.

2. The second quatrain will use different words to rhyme scheme like this: CDCD, for example, ‘shines’, ‘dimmed’, ‘declines’, ‘untrimmed’.

3. The third quatrain needs different words again, to rhyme scheme like this: EFEF, for example, ‘fade’, ‘lowest’, ‘shade’, ‘growest’.

4. You now have your three Shakespearean quatrains – that’s 12 lines. Remember that a Shakespearean sonnet always has 14 lines, so you need two final lines – called a couplet. The rhyme scheme for this is GG, using words you haven’t used in the rhyming so far, for example, ‘see’ and thee’.

The rhyme pattern of your 14 line sonnet should now look like this: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG

Simple, isn’t it?

Let’s look at a Shakespeare sonnet 18 to understand how the rhyming works, and how the message evolves:

First quatrain

A: Shall I compare thee to a Summer’s day? B: Thou art more lovely and more temperate: A: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, B: And Summer’s lease hath all too short a date:

Second quatrain

C: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, D: And oft’ is his gold complexion dimm’d; C: And every fair from fair sometime declines, D: By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d:

Third quatrain

E: But thy eternal Summer shall not fade F: Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; E: Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade, F: When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

G: So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, G: So long lives this, and this gives life to thee .

The sonnet is about a single idea. Shakespeare is looking at a beautiful summer’s day which, in spite of its beauty, has limitations, and it eventually fades and dies. He’s comparing someone with that beautiful summer’s day but showing that person’s superiority to it. He works the idea through and presents the subject of the poem as having no limitations. Even eventual death won’t interfere with that because the subject will live forever in the poem, which Shakespeare suggests, will be read as long as there are people to read it.

The rhyme scheme is used to change emphasis. Each aspect of the poems’ idea is contained in its own section with its own rhyming word pattern.

Look at the first two quatrains again. The subject is introduced and we are told that he or she is more beautiful than a summer’s day. The defects of the summer’s day are outlined.

Look at the third quatrain. It starts with the word ‘but.’ That marks a shift of emphasis. Now the subject’s eternal beauty is emphasised.

Look at the couplet. It’s a summing up – an assurance that the subject’s beauty will last for as long as there are human beings on Earth. A rhyming couplet in English poetry is always very powerful, and in a sonnet, this couplet sums up and rounds off the poem. It can be used to put emphasis on the main idea, or to undermine it, or to offer a humorous perspective. And in Shakespeare it is quite frequently very personal, in some cases amounting to a personal statement.

3. Your sonnet must have a metrical pattern

The third step in this ‘how to write a sonnet’ guide is to write your sonnet in iambic pentameter . That means that you must use iambus.

Iambus is another word for a two-syllable foot. The first syllable will normally be unstressed and the second stressed. For example, de/ light , the sun , for/ lorn , one day, re/ lease . English is a perfect language for iambus because of the way the stressed and unstressed syllables work.

Every line of your sonnet must have five feet (so 10 syllables). Pentameter means five and iambic pentameter simply means five feet. Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter, not only in the sonnets but also throughout his plays.

Pick up any Shakespeare play and look at it. Choose almost any line, here’s one from Lady Macbeth :

‘But screw your courage to the sticking post’

Read it like this:

But screw / your cour /age to / the stick /ing post

Count the feet – there are five. And they are all unstressed followed by stressed syllables.

Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter because it closely resembles the rhythm of everyday speech and he wants to imitate everyday speech in his plays.

Like Shakespeare you can also trot them out. Try it. If your friend also wants to write a sonnet you can practice talking to each other in iambic pentameter. It comes easily. ‘I wonder what my friends will think of this?’ ‘If I were you I’d watch out what I say.’ ‘He never ever told me what to do.’ ‘It’s easy when you think of it like that.’

You can see from the above sentences that iambic pentameter occurs naturally to English speech . So the first thing to do is practice speaking in iambic pentameter. You’ll see how naturally it comes.

You now have to put the three things together – your idea, your rhyming words and your iambic pentameter.

Things to think about

• Use as many visual images (word pictures) as you can.

• Find the right words.

• Don’t deviate from the iambic pentameter or your sonnet won’t work. You can make slight variations in the stressing for the sake of varying the rhythm so that you don’t get too much of a ‘dedum-dedum-dedum-dedum-dedum’ effect.

For example Shakespeare’s sonnet 116 has the opening line ‘Let me not to the marriage of true minds.’ If you read it like this:

Let me / not to / the mar /riage of / true minds

it sounds unnatural, but it is still iambic pentameter. Shakespeare has used iambic pentameter but he’s varied the meter to create a different rhythm. So although it’s basic iambic pentameter we read it with the stresses that come from natural speech. Notice how the first three words run into each other as though they’re one word: letmenot.

The iambic pentameter can be slightly flexible, but you must stick rigidly to the required line structure for your sonnet. Shakespeare makes these types of variations a lot in his plays, and that’s why you can hear the language as real people speak it but feel the basic meter in your head.

Now you know how to write a sonnet, there’s no excuse: It’s time to start work on your own sonnet! Good luck, and let us know how you get on with writing your own sonnet in the comments below.

Shakespeare pondering how to write a sonnet whilst sat at his desk

• WhatsApp 14
• Pinterest 2

Music (Sonnet)

Being more than just random combined sounds A fusion of instruments and motion Create and produce beauty that surrounds Harmony that expresses emotion Dancing with the influence of the notes Representing along with written tones Known as the art of composing quotes And as the science of performing groans Being based on the lyricist awards And the problems that are noticed around The pleasing harmonious softly chords Mostly being listened on the background Ready to shift the plot of your story With all the ambitions of the glory

Shakspher is awesome!!!!

I’m. . . uh. . . using this for a prophecy in my Warrior Cats fanfiction. . .

A cat whose father came from far above Will learn to bear the weight of prophecy The brightest failings of her mother’s love Are paramount to her integrity

There is another, born so long ago To that same father and a mother fierce Her pelt was lily-white and his like snow And her inheritance his heart will pierce

These half-forgotten siblings will no more Be unaware of who they really are Their friendship will persist forevermore Unless the heavens’ fury leaves its scar

Son of flowers, tangled daughter, rise To save the only bird that never flies

Leave a Reply

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Website navigation

Write a sonnet.

Photo by Lloyd Wolf

Step 1: Choose your own sonnet adventure

The world is your oyster! You can write a sonnet…

…on your own. Get typing, or dust off that quill pen.

…with others in your home. Banish boredom around the dinner table or on the couch!

…with friends and family online. Collaborate to write and record yourselves across the miles.

Step 2: Find inspiration

Check out Shakespeare’s sonnets.

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Few collections of poems—indeed, few literary works in general—intrigue, challenge, tantalize, and reward as do Shakespeare’s Sonnets. Almost all of them love poems, the Sonnets philosophize, celebrate, attack, plead, and express pain, longing, and despair, all in a tone of…

More inspiration

• Read a poem that pokes fun at sonnets.
• Read a poem that refers to the film The Matrix .
• Read a poem that plays with pop culture and with Shakespeare, too.
• Listen to poet Terrance Hayes read one of his sonnets.

Step 3: Get writing!

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. It usually takes a turn, called a “volta,” about 8 lines in, and then resolves the issue by the end.

Shakespearean sonnets use iambic pentameter and an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme, but don’t worry too much about all that. Sonneteers have been bending and breaking the sonnet form for ages, so share whatever you’ve got!

Here’s a quick list to help you get started. How fancy you get is up to you!

• 14 lines (though there are “stretched sonnets” of 15 and 16 lines, too)
• A big idea or feeling or issue (like love, or heartbreak, or a problem to be solved)

The next level

• A turn, or “volta”—some kind of shift in tone or thought
• ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme
• 10 syllables in each line

Super-fancy sonneteering

• Iambic pentameter in some or all of the 14 lines
• Final couplet resolves the issue or problem in the sonnet

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.

More about sonnets

Enjoy these selected episodes from our podcast.

All the Sonnets of Shakespeare, with Paul Edmondson

Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 167 Over 400 years after Shakespeare’s sonnets were first published in 1609, what is left to learn? All the Sonnets of Shakespeare, a new edition of the sonnets published in 2020, takes some bold steps to help…

Billy Collins on Writing Short Poems and Reading Shakespeare's Sonnets

Poet Billy Collins talks about humanizing Shakespeare and other literary titans, delves into his own work and inspirations, and reads from his new collection, Musical Tables .

The Early Years of Shakespeare's Sonnets (16th and 17th centuries)

Shakespeare Unlimited:Episode 136 Did Shakespeare intend to publish his sonnets? For whom were they written? What can they reveal about their author? We talk to Dr. Jane Kingsley-Smith about her newest book, The Afterlife of Shakespeare’s Sonnets, published by Cambridge…

The Long Life of Shakespeare's Sonnets (18th century – today)

Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 142 Today, we think of Shakespeare’s Sonnets as a triumph. We read them, puzzle over them, and recite them. We compare our significant others to summers’ days, beweep our outcast states, and never admit impediments to the…

Pop Sonnets

Shakespeare Unlimited: Episode 41 There’s something that never ceases to astound when it comes to Shakespeare – the way he continues to pop up in popular culture. Our guest Erik Didriksen takes hit songs from artists like Taylor Swift and Coldplay and rewrites them as Elizabethan-style sonnets.

Writing a group sonnet

Are you a teacher? Use this lesson plan to have your class write a group sonnet together.

Writing a Group Sonnet: Shakespeare’s Sonnets

• Lesson plan

Stay connected

Find out what’s on, read our latest stories, and learn how you can get involved.

Shakespeare's Sonnets William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Sonnets essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of various sonnets by William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare’s Sonnets Material

• Study Guide
• Lesson Plan

Join Now to View Premium Content

GradeSaver provides access to 2365 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11012 literature essays, 2781 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.

Shakespeare’s Sonnets Essays

Colonial beauty in sidney's "astrophil and stella" and shaksespeare's sonnets theoderek wayne, shakespeare's sonnets.

The unique and extraordinary elements of dark beauty translate to an exotic alterity in the poets' eyes. The more obvious, and traditional, methods bestow the woman with godly attributes. Shakespeare first refutes this resemblance by underscoring...

Beauty, As Expressed By Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 Zachary Pardey

Beauty, irrefutably, is a common theme throughout the Shakespearean sonnets. Generally, Shakespeare's love of beauty is expressed with regard to an undefined person, or muse. Nowhere is the beauty of Shakespeare's muse expressed more strongly than...

From Autumn to Ash: Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 Theoderek Wayne

The swelling energy and particularization of imagery of season, time, and light both complement and counter the speaker's fading body in Shakespeare's Sonnet 73. Moving from metaphors of abstract bleakness to those of specific vitality and passion...

Dark Beauties in Shakespeare's Sonnets and Sidney's "Astrophil and Stella" Theoderek Wayne

Germinating in anonymous Middle English lyrics, the subversion of the classical poetic representation of feminine beauty as fair-haired and blue-eyed took on new meaning in the age of exploration under sonneteers Sidney and Shakespeare. No longer...

Human Discrepancy: Mortality and Money in Sonnet 146 Natasha Rosow

In sonnet 146, Shakespeare presents the battle between depth and surface in different ways. The theme and message of the poem point consistently to a contradictory and difficult relationship between the inner and outer realms of a human being. The...

Shakespeare's Sonnet 130: His Not So Fair Lady Leah Acker

Many men in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries composed sequences of sonnets about women whom they loved. William Shakespeare's incomplete sonnet sequence is among the genre's most acclaimed. Most authors embellished their women's...

Theme Analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnet #29 Anonymous

This sonnet is narrated by a man whose emotions are completely at the mercy of another. Its theme involves the vulnerability of the narrator's disposition and the power of love. Just when he reaches the lowest point of his depression, the...

Two Faces Seen as One Terry Leung

Innumerable poems address the concept of love, with the written battle between positive love and negative love continuing to be waged today. Not surprisingly, there are not, nor would we expect many future poets to write, many poems that juxtapose...

Glass in Shakespeare's Sonnet #3 Adam Trimble

The careful craft and design of poetry condenses the amount of text needed to convey information. This is true of all art, in that pieces are often qualitatively judged by how much they "say." Good works may carry one or two levels of meaning...

Shakespeare's sonnets 138 and 147: The sado-masochism of love Meghann E. Stubel

Shakespeare's sonnets 138 and 147 read like before and after accounts of a man's experience in leaving an unfaithful woman. Shakespeare's narrator first describes the almost masochistic way in which his speaker remains in a relationship with this...

Variations of Love in Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" and Shakespeare's "Sonnet 116" Anonymous

In Octavio Paz's book The Double Flame, he describes three different categories of love that can arise between partners: sexuality, eroticism, and Love. The first category, sexuality, refers to the biological and instinctive urge to reproduce,...

Let Me Not To the Marriage of True Minds Anonymous

The theme of Love’s constancy and everlasting nature permeates each line of Shakespeare’s 116th sonnet. Sonnet 116 “is about love in its most ideal form, praising the glories of lovers who have come to each other freely, and enter into a...

True Love in Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 and Adrienne Rich's "Living in Sin" Shreya Sanghani

Both Rich and Shakespeare address the theme of true love in their respective poems Living in Sin and Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds. The subject matter of both poems deals with the nature of true love, various implications of which are...

A Clockwork Shakespeare: Analysis of Time in Sonnet 12 Nicholas J. Apke

William Shakespeare’s take on the passage of time seems consistently concentrated on its most destructive effects on the body. He obsesses over this ineluctable force across several of his sonnets, couching the passage of time with almost...

A Comparison of "Uncle Time" by Dennis Scott and Shakespeare's Sonnet 19 Anonymous

The subject of both Dennis Scott’s poem “Uncle Time” and Shakespeare’s Sonnet 19 is time and its erosive quality. Both refer to the concept as a capitalized entity, emphasizing its powerful and often destructive nature primarily by way of vivid...

The Rejection of Petrarchan Blazon Rhetoric in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 Yang Bai College

Sonnet 130 By William Shakespeare is a rejection of the Petrarchan blazon rhetoric, made popular by Italian poet Petrarch in his Canzoniere, in which Petrarch idealizes the beauty of his love subject Laura through an anatomical analysis of her...

Weaving Together Wit: Striking Similarities in “The Canonization” and Sonnet 55 Anonymous College

William Shakespeare’s 55th Sonnet and John Donne’s “The Canonization” are both poems that possess the same themes, anxieties, and cultural practices, thus illuminating the two poets’ experiences in early modern Britain. According to Sasha Roberts,...

A Close Reading of Shakespeare's Sonnet 147 Rachel Clifford College

In William Shakespeare's Sonnet 147, the speaker addresses his beloved using a metaphor, stating that his love is like an illness. However, he longs for the thing that keeps him ill, or in love. The fact that he compares his love to an illness...

Shakespeare's Definition of Love David James Niichel College

William Shakespeare puts forth his definition of what makes love true in his untitled sonnet beginning with “Let me not to the marriage of true minds.” Shakespeare does not deny other views of love, but instead insists on a certain characteristic...

Love in Sonnet 29 Anonymous 12th Grade

Shakespeare’s iconic sonnet 29 is a sonnet that embodies the superficial nature of humanity, both intrinsically and extrinsically. The sonnet begins with the speaker denouncing his current state, which is quite unfavorable, as he “beweep[s] [his]...

Romantic Language Comparison: How do I Love Thee? and Sonnet 116 Ella Rhys-Jones 12th Grade

Both ‘How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 116’ explore the ideas of love and romance in the traditional form of a sonnet. Whereas Browning writes about the intense love she felt towards her...

Loving Reflections: The Effects of Mirroring in Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Plato’s Phaedrus Taylor Elizabeth Daly College

Though they were written centuries apart and in completely different societal conditions, Plato’s Phaedrus and several of William Shakespeare’s sonnets share distinct similarities. The more obvious, surface correlation is that they each describes...

Petrarch and de la Vega’s All-Encompassing Passion Taylor Elizabeth Daly College

“Love found me altogether disarmed,” declares Francis Petrarch in one of his highly acclaimed sonnets, referring of course to his dearly beloved yet unattainable Laura (Petrarch 2068). This is perhaps a bit of an understatement. Both Francis...

Honorable Mentions Anonymous College

Honorable Mentions

The characters Prince Hal and King Henry in William Shakespeare’s drama Henry IV portray an unlikely father-son relationship. Shakespeare demonstrates Prince Hal's fate by associating him with consistent approaches of...

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Literary Criticism — Sonnet 130 Analysis

Sonnet 130 Analysis

• Categories: Literary Criticism

About this sample

Words: 457 |

Published: Mar 13, 2024

Words: 457 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 951 words

3 pages / 1418 words

3 pages / 1542 words

3 pages / 1286 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Literary Criticism

The poem “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe tells the story of a young man who loses the woman he loves due to the envy of angels, and he claims to hold onto his feelings for her forever (Poe). The main character concludes that [...]

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a timeless play that has captivated audiences for centuries. One of the key elements that contributes to the enduring appeal of the play is the effective use of dramatic irony. Dramatic irony [...]

In the milieu of literary compositions that scrutinize the human condition, few delve into the intricate interplay of vanity, materialism, and the socioeconomic constructs with the profundity observed in Guy de Maupassant's "The [...]

David Foster Wallace's "Consider the Lobster" is a thought-provoking essay that delves into the ethical and moral questions surrounding the consumption of lobster. The essay is a literary critical essay, a genre of writing that [...]

Irshad, A., & Ahmed, M. (2015). THE STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF “TAKE PITY”: A SHORT STORY BY BERNARD MALAMUD. European Journal of English Language, Linguistics and Literature, 26-31.Persulessy, S. I., Emzir, & Rahmat, A. (2018). [...]

Faulkner, W. (1930). A Rose for Emily. The Forum, 84(1), 37-40.Blotner, J. L. (1974). Faulkner: A biography. University of Mississippi Press.Brooks, C. (1963). The formalist critics. In The critical tradition: Classic texts and [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Ask the publishers to restore access to 500,000+ books.

Can You Chip In? (USD)

Internet Archive Audio

• This Just In
• Grateful Dead
• Old Time Radio
• 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
• Audio Books & Poetry
• Computers, Technology and Science
• Music, Arts & Culture
• News & Public Affairs
• Spirituality & Religion
• Radio News Archive

• Flickr Commons
• Occupy Wall Street Flickr
• NASA Images
• Solar System Collection
• Ames Research Center

• All Software
• Old School Emulation
• MS-DOS Games
• Historical Software
• Classic PC Games
• Software Library
• Kodi Archive and Support File
• Vintage Software
• CD-ROM Software
• CD-ROM Software Library
• Software Sites
• Tucows Software Library
• Shareware CD-ROMs
• Software Capsules Compilation
• CD-ROM Images
• ZX Spectrum
• DOOM Level CD

• Smithsonian Libraries
• FEDLINK (US)
• Lincoln Collection
• American Libraries
• Canadian Libraries
• Universal Library
• Project Gutenberg
• Children's Library
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Books by Language
• Additional Collections

• Prelinger Archives
• Democracy Now!
• Occupy Wall Street
• TV NSA Clip Library
• Animation & Cartoons
• Arts & Music
• Computers & Technology
• Cultural & Academic Films
• Ephemeral Films
• Sports Videos
• Videogame Videos
• Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

• Wayback Machine (iOS)
• Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

• Explore the Collections
• Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

• Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

SHAKESPEARE On The Sonnets

Bookreader item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

• Graphic Violence
• Explicit Sexual Content
• Hate Speech
• Misinformation/Disinformation
• Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
• Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

2 Favorites

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

For users with print-disabilities

IN COLLECTIONS

Uploaded by δημιοργός on July 28, 2024

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)