How To Write a Sonnet (A Guide to Know)

In this blog, I share my thoughts and opinions about writing the best poem that will impress the audience. My blogs are always helpful in any genre of poetry and sonnet writing.

Tuesday, May 31, 2009, The art of poetry writing is a skill that every poet should possess. The best poems always have a strong narrative line. Narrative poems are very different from descriptive poems. In narrative poems, the writer tries to develop a story and then tell it to the reader. This makes the reading more interesting. Writing a good narrative poem is not easy. You need to have a clear plot. In this post, I will give tips on writing the best narrative poem that will impress your readers.

What Is A Sonnet?

Poetry often takes the form of sonnets, usually in the English language, but also in other languages. A sonnet is a poem that was written by a romantic poet, such as Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Pablo Neruda, as well as by a contemporary poet, such as Maya Angelou, in “Harlem Hopscotch” in her poem. Sonnets are 14-line poems with a rhyming couplet at the end. In some sonnets, the imagery is conveyed through literature, while in others, the sound of language dominates.

The word “sonnet” derives from the Italian sonetto, which means “little song.” Sonnets were originally sung to music; for example, the famous Petrarchan sonnet form was used as an accompaniment to the music. History Sonnets date back to the 13th century, but it is not clear when they were first written. Dante Alighieri may have invented them in the early 14th century, but there are many theories about their origin.

How To Write a Sonnet

You need to keep several rules in mind when writing a sonnet in the Shakespearean style. There are specific requirements for this type of poetry, such as length, rhythm, and rhyme scheme. You should follow the following steps when writing a sonnet:

  • Write about a subject you are passionate about (Shakespearean sonnets are traditionally loved poems).
  • You should write your lines in iambic pentameter (duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH).
  • Using one of the various standard rhyme schemes available (Shakespearean, Petrarchan, or Spenserian) is a good idea.
  • It would help if you formatted the sonnet using three quatrains followed by one couplet.
  • As you move from one metaphor to the next, compose your sonnet as an argument.
  • Make sure your poem is exactly 14 lines long.

Types of Sonnets

There are 4 primary types of sonnets:

  • Petrarchan: The Petrarchan Sonnet is named after the Italian poet Francesco Petrarch, a lyrical poet from the fourteenth century. It is not Petrarch who invented the poetic form that bears his name. Sonnets are generally credited to Giacomo da Lentini, who composed poetry in the literary Sicilian dialect in the thirteenth century. Fourteen lines are divided into two subgroups: an octave and a sestet. There are two rhyme schemes used in Petrarchan sonnets, ABBA ABBA for the octave and CDE CDE scheme for the sestet. Find out more about Petrarchan sonnets here.
  • Sonnets that are based on Shakespeare’s plays are called Shakespearean sonnets. Around the time of the Elizabethan era, the form evolved in England. Elizabethan sonnets or English sonnets are sometimes referred to as these sonnets. In total, there are 14 lines divided into 4 subgroups: 3 quatrains and a couplet. The lines are usually ten syllables long and are written in iambic pentameter. You can learn more about Shakespearean sonnets here. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

The Shakespearean Rhyme Scheme

Those writing Shakespearean sonnets generally follow this rhyme scheme:

  • A B A B
  • C D C D
  • E F E F
  • G G

The letter A rhymes with the letter A, the letter B rhymes with the letter B, etc. This type of sonnet is composed of three quatrains (four lines of verse that make up a stanza or division of lines in a poem) and one couplet (two lines of verse that rhyme).

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The first line of the couplet is identical to the last line of the stanza; the second line is identical to the second line of the stanza, and so on. When you’re writing your own, there’s no reason to stick to the form of a sonnet. It’s just a fun way to write. Here are some examples of sonnets: Sonnet: I love you, dear heart, because you are a woman and you have beautiful hair.

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