The Shakespearean sonnet rhyme scheme is abab cdcd efef gg.
#Sonnet examples by students with 14 lines 10 syllables plus#
The structure can be divided into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) plus a final rhyming couplet (two-line stanza). In the Shakespearean or English sonnet, each line is 10 syllables long written in iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme is abba abba the rhyme scheme in the sestet can vary a little but is typically cde cde or cdc dcd.īut it is perhaps famed 16th-century English poet and playwright William Shakespeare who came up with the most well-known and easily recognizable sonnet form. Called the Petrarchan or Italian sonnet, this sonnet structure consists of first an octave (eight lines of verse in iambic pentameter) and then a sestet (six lines). Originating in Italy, the sonnet comes from the Italian word sonetto, meaning "little song" or "little sound." The oldest known sonnet form was invented by Italian poet Francesco Petrach in the 14th century. Now, what about the history of the sonnet? This turn normally happens closer to the end of the sonnet, though precisely when it appears varies depending on the particular sonnet form. In addition, sonnets have something called a volta (twist or turn), in which the rhyme scheme and the subject of the poem suddenly change, often to indicate a response to a question, a solution to a problem, or the resolving of some sort of tension established at the beginning of the poem. We'll also go over all the major types of sonnets, give you examples, and offer a handful of tips for writing your very own sonnet poem.Ī sonnet is a short lyric poem that consists of 14 lines, typically written in iambic pentameter (a 10-syllable pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables) and following a specific rhyme scheme (of which there are several -we’ll go over this point more in just a moment). Read on to learn about the history of the sonnet and the various qualities that make up a sonnet poem, including the traditional sonnet rhyme scheme and meter. But what is a sonnet exactly? Is there just one sonnet form? Did Shakespeare invent it? You’ve likely read at least a few sonnets in English class, perhaps during a Shakespeare unit.