12 Questions
What is the theme of the poem 'When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes'?
The speaker's depression and self-loathing
What is the sequence of poems that Sonnet 29 is part of?
The Fair Youth sequence
What is the effect of the speaker's love on their mood?
It elevates them higher than a king
How many lines does the poem 'When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes' have?
14 lines
What is the speaker's attitude towards their fate in the first half of the poem?
They are despairing and self-loathing
What is the total number of sonnets that Shakespeare wrote during his lifetime?
154 sonnets
What is the structural pattern of the poem 'When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes'?
Three quatrains and a concluding couplet
What is the effect of enjambment in the poem?
It creates a sense of urgency and forces the reader to move forward
What is the purpose of the final couplet in the poem?
To summarize the speaker's attitude
What is the poetic device used when words are used in succession and begin with the same sound?
Alliteration
What is the comparison made in the sestet of the poem?
The speaker's rising mood to a lark taking off from the sullen earth
What is the speaker's attitude towards his fate in the first lines of the poem?
He curses his fate
Study Notes
Poem Structure
- The poem consists of three quatrains and one concluding couplet.
- It follows a consistent rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
- The poem is written in iambic pentameter, with five sets of two beats (metrical feet) per line.
Poetic Techniques
- The poem uses alliteration, simile, and enjambment.
- Alliteration occurs when words with the same sound are used in succession, such as "all alone" and "hymns" and "heaven".
- Enjambment is used to force the reader to move forward, creating a sense of continuity between lines.
- Simile is used to compare two unlike things, such as the speaker's mood rising like a lark taking off from the earth.
Sonnet Analysis
- The first four lines describe the speaker's feelings of despair and being disconnected from heaven.
- The speaker feels terrible and curses their fate.
- The second quatrain expresses the speaker's dissatisfaction with their life and wishing to be like others.
- The third quatrain shifts the focus to the speaker's love, which brings them joy and elevates them above their despair.
Context
- The poem is part of the "Fair Youth" sequence, which expresses the speaker's love and adoration for a young man.
- The sequence consists of sonnets 1-129 out of Shakespeare's 154 sonnets.
- The poem is a traditional Shakespearean sonnet, consisting of 14 lines.
Explore the themes of love, isolation, and mortality in Sonnet 29, a poem from the 'Fair Youth' sequence. Understand the speaker's emotions and Shakespeare's literary techniques in this quiz.
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