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Questions and Answers
What is the total number of lines in a sonnet?
In an English sonnet, how many quatrains are present?
What is the rhyme scheme of an Italian sonnet?
What is the meter commonly used in sonnets?
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What is a common theme explored in sonnets?
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What is the rhyme scheme of the octave in an Italian sonnet?
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Which part of the English sonnet introduces a change in direction or thought?
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Who was instrumental in introducing the Italian sonnet to English literature?
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What is the final part of the English sonnet called?
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What is a common theme explored in many sonnets?
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What event occurred in 1534 that significantly impacted religious beliefs in Europe?
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Which characteristic best defines the Renaissance period?
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Who was the Polish astronomer that published a theory about the Solar System in 1543?
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What was the significance of the English navy defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588?
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Which monarch ruled during the time William Shakespeare was born?
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Which famous painting was created by Leonardo da Vinci in 1503?
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What significant religious document did Martin Luther present in 1517?
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What was published in 1611 that had a major impact on English literature?
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Which literary work is considered a hallmark of John Milton's writing?
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What major cultural movement is characterized by a renewed interest in classical texts and knowledge?
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What is the primary theme of Sonnet 116?
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Which of these descriptions fits the tone of Sonnet 130?
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How does Shakespeare approach the depiction of beauty in Sonnet 130?
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What literary device is primarily used in Sonnet 116 to illustrate true love?
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What structural elements define Sonnet 116?
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What is the primary theme explored in Sonnet 75 by Edmund Spenser?
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In Sonnet 41 by Sir Philip Sidney, what is the true reason for the speaker's success in the jousting match?
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What imagery is used in Shakespeare's Sonnet 73 to represent aging?
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In Sonnet 73, how does the speaker relate to death?
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What is the significance of the volta in Sonnet 41?
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Which definition best describes 'lyric poetry'?
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What does 'blank verse' refer to in poetry?
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Which of the following is an example of alliteration?
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In poetic terms, what is 'metric'?
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What does the term 'carpe diem' mean?
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What is a conceit in literature?
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Which of the following best defines a paradox?
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What does personification do in literary works?
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Which literary device involves addressing an absent person or object?
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What is an epigram?
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Study Notes
Sonnets
- Sonnets became prevalent during the Renaissance era and were not always about romantic love but could also encompass friendship, familial love, and other forms of affection.
- Sonnets have a specific form: 14 lines with 10 syllables per line composed of an alternating pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables known as an iambic pentameter.
- Iambic pentameter consists of 5 iambs per line. An iamb is a metrical foot with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
- There are two main types of sonnets:
- English Sonnet - Structure: 3 quatrains (4-line stanzas) and a couplet (2-line stanza) - Rhyme Scheme: abab cdcd efef gg - Also called Shakespearean sonnet
- Italian Sonnet - Structure: 2 quatrains and a sestet (6-line stanza) - Rhyme Scheme: abba abba cde cde - Includes a "volta" or "turn" where there's a shift in thought or emotion.
- Renaissance Sonnets are traditionally categorized into Italian (or Petrarchan) and English (or Shakespearean) sonnets.
Italian Sonnet
- The octave consists of 8 lines with an abbaabba rhyme scheme.
- The sestet consists of 6 lines with varying rhyme patterns such as cdecde or cdccdc.
- Sir Thomas Wyatt introduced the Italian sonnet to the English language.
English Sonnet
- Consists of three quatrains (each with an abab rhyme scheme) followed by a rhyming couplet (gg).
- The first part often introduces a problem or question that develops throughout the poem.
- A shift in direction, thought, or emotion known as a volta (turn) occurs.
- The final lines, either the sestet in an Italian sonnet or the couplet in an English sonnet, reflect this shift.
British Literature: The Renaissance (1485-1660)
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Key Events:
- 1492: Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas
- 1534: The Protestant Reformation
- 1588: The English navy's defeat of the Spanish Armada
- 1609: Galileo's pioneering use of a telescope for astronomical observations
- 1620: The Mayflower's landing at Plymouth Rock
Characteristics of the Renaissance
- A period of "rebirth" emphasizing learning and a renewed focus on ancient literature and humanistic studies.
- Humanists studied ancient Greek and Roman writings to understand beauty, life's meaning, and the value of the individual.
- The rise of a merchant class fueled the growth of art, literature, and learning.
- Fashion styles were extravagant.
Important People
- Elizabeth I (Queen of England, 1558-1603)
- King James I (King of England, 1603-1625)
- William Shakespeare (born 1564)
- Nicolaus Copernicus (Polish astronomer who published the theory of the planets orbiting the sun in 1543)
- The Globe Theatre (built in London, 1599)
- Guy Fawkes (involved in the Gunpowder Plot, 1605)
Authors, Works, and Literary Traits
- The Sistine Chapel (painted from 1473-1481)
- Leonardo da Vinci (painted the Mona Lisa in 1503)
- Martin Luther (posted 95 theses on a church door in Germany in 1517)
- The King James Bible (published in 1611)
- Newspapers began publication in London (1621)
- John Milton (wrote "Paradise Lost" in 1658)
Why It Matters To You
- The Renaissance marked a shift in how people viewed themselves and the world.
- People were more interested in expanding their knowledge of history, art, science, and classical texts.
- These individuals were pioneers in thought processes, inventions, and lifestyle.
- The term "renaissance" is still used today to describe an energetic, productive, and well-rounded person.
Vocabulary Terms to know
- Meter: A regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.
- Pastoral: A literary style idealizing the simple life and natural world, particularly that of shepherds.
- Lyric Poetry: Poetry that is typically personal or brief; originally, verse intended to be sung with a lyre.
- Sonnet: A lyric poem of 14 lines written in Iambic pentameter with a specific rhyme scheme.
- Blank Verse: Unrhymed iambic pentameter.
- Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet: A type of sonnet with specific rhyming patterns for the octave and sestet.
- English (Shakespearean) Sonnet: A type of sonnet consisting of three quatrains and a couplet with a specific rhyming scheme.
- Iambic Pentameter: Ten-syllable poetic lines made up of five iambs.
- Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhyme sounds within a poem or stanza.
- Carpe Diem: Latin phrase meaning "seize the day."
- Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in a phrase or sentence.
- Conceit: A literary device in which a surprising comparison is made between seemingly dissimilar objects.
- Paradox: A statement that seems contradictory but still makes sense.
- Personification: Giving human qualities to inanimate objects.
- Apostrophe: When a speaker directly addresses an absent person or an inanimate object.
- Epigram: A short poem, often from classical poetry.
Notes on the Sonnets
Sonnet 75 - Edmund Spenser
- Page 189
- Mood: Passionate love
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Theme: Poetry's ability to immortalize people.
- 1st Quatrain: Expresses attempts to preserve love.
- 2nd Quatrain: Acknowledges the inevitability of death but still seeks to immortalize love.
- 3rd Quatrain: States that poetry will immortalize the beloved.
- Couplet: Their love will live on by inspiring others.
Sonnet 41 - Sir Philip Sidney
- Page 188
- Form: Italian Sonnet (abba abba cdcd ee)
- Title: "With How Sad Steps"
- Volta (turn): Last 3 lines
- Discussion: Courtly love, inspired by Stella, who spurred the speaker to win a jousting match. He attributes success to skill, strength, luck, and genetics but the true reason is Stella's admiration.
Sonnet 73 - Shakespeare
- Page 73
- Discussion: Mature love during the speaker's final moments.
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Imagery:
- Autumn transforming into winter (adulthood moving to old age/death)
- Twilight of life (moving towards death)
- Fire of life burning out
- Volta (turn): Couplet at the end (she knows he's dying but reinforces love knowing it will be short-lived)
- Implied Metaphor: Speaker compared to a tree with falling leaves.
- Personification: Death is personified.
- Metaphor: Night is a "second self" like death, and night and death are compared. The speaker's deathbed is likened to fire's ashes.
Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare
- Structure: Traditional sonnet form with three quatrains and a concluding couplet.
- Meter: Iambic pentameter (with some variations)
- Rhyme Scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
- Theme: Arguments for the enduring nature of true love, contrasting it with fickle or superficial affections.
- Imagery & Metaphors: The poem uses metaphors to illustrate the steadfastness of true love, comparing it to a constant star and a ship's guide.
Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare
- Theme/Tone: Challenges traditional depictions of ideal love in other sonnets. Presents a less idealized, more realistic portrait of the speaker's mistress.
- Style of Criticism: Shakespeare uses a humorous and slightly critical tone to describe his mistress's less-than-perfect features.
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Physical Attributes: The speaker lists characteristics considered less appealing by traditional beauty standards:
- Stinky breath
- Wiry hair
- Dull eyes (not bright and shiny)
- Unpleasant voice
- Lips aren't red
- Cheeks aren't rosy
- Walks with a heavy step / not a goddess
- Breasts described as brown or dingy/ "dun"
- Overall Effect: Shakespeare's approach creates a humorous effect, contradicting stereotypical poetic depictions of love, and highlighting the idea of a realistic portrait.
- Hyperbole: The sonnet employs a subtle reversal of the typical hyperbole associated with love poetry. By avoiding idealized descriptions, Shakespeare creates a unique and unconventional tone.
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Description
Test your knowledge of sonnets from the Renaissance era, including their structure, forms, and rhyme schemes. This quiz explores both the English and Italian sonnet forms and their unique characteristics, including iambic pentameter and the concept of the 'volta'.
