ðŠķLearn the Sonnet Form: Shakespearean and Petrarchan
Draft one Shakespearean and one Petrarchan sonnet on the same subject, scan meter confidently, and place your volta where the poem turns.
Phase 1The Architecture of Fourteen Lines
Map the three sonnets and their architecture
A sonnet is an argument in fourteen lines
6 minA sonnet is an argument in fourteen lines
Rhyme is a floor plan, not a decoration
6 minRhyme is a floor plan, not a decoration
The volta is where the poem changes its mind
7 minThe volta is where the poem changes its mind
Iambic pentameter is a heartbeat, not a metronome
7 minIambic pentameter is a heartbeat, not a metronome
Phase 2Scanning and Locating the Turn
Scan meter and locate the volta in masters
Scan before you scan: pronounce it, then mark it
7 minScan before you scan: pronounce it, then mark it
The inversion is how you say: look here
7 minThe inversion is how you say: look here
Find the turn, and you find the poem
7 minFind the turn, and you find the poem
Enjambment is the form's pressure valve
7 minEnjambment is the form's pressure valve
The Shakespearean couplet is either a seal or a scam
7 minThe Shakespearean couplet is either a seal or a scam
Phase 3The Sonnet After Shakespeare
See how living poets bend the form
You're asked to write a sonnet for a friend's wedding
7 minYou're asked to write a sonnet for a friend's wedding
You read a sonnet that has no rhyme and no iambs
7 minYou read a sonnet that has no rhyme and no iambs
A formal sonnet, in plain contemporary English
7 minA formal sonnet, in plain contemporary English
You have to write one sonnet on loss â which shape do you choose?
7 minYou have to write one sonnet on loss â which shape do you choose?
Phase 4Drafting Twin Sonnets
Draft your first Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnets
Write one Shakespearean and one Petrarchan sonnet on the same subject
8 minWrite one Shakespearean and one Petrarchan sonnet on the same subject
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnet?
- This is covered in the âLearn the Sonnet Form: Shakespearean and Petrarchanâ learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Where does the volta go in a sonnet?
- This is covered in the âLearn the Sonnet Form: Shakespearean and Petrarchanâ learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Do modern sonnets still have to rhyme?
- This is covered in the âLearn the Sonnet Form: Shakespearean and Petrarchanâ learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- How do I write in iambic pentameter without sounding forced?
- This is covered in the âLearn the Sonnet Form: Shakespearean and Petrarchanâ learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- What is a Spenserian sonnet and why is it rare?
- This is covered in the âLearn the Sonnet Form: Shakespearean and Petrarchanâ learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
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