The english sonnet

The sonnet is a lyrical form of poetry, it talks about personal feeling, emotions and douts.

In Europe it was first used by Francesco Petrarch in Italy, the Petrarch’s sonet became the model for all future soneteers. As the word shows, the sonnet have realized on sound devices. Therefore in the analysis of a sonnet is really important to consider the level of sound, that, with the others levels of sound largely contributes to the meaning. He sonnet form is organized/ arranged into 14 lines.

The English sonnet is the result of the gradual transformation from the Petrarchan model to the English model, which is generally code either the Shakesperian sonnet or Elizabethian sonnet because it develop during the Elizabethian age.

Later he, or she can choose between the Petrarchan or Elizabehian model, the best known italian soneteers were Dante and Petrarch. Of the two, Petrarch proved most influential on the sonnet’s subsquent.

The privileged theme of the sonnet is love, not religious as soon.

Gradual transformation of the English sonnet

Thomas Wyatt, who live in the first half of the 16th century, follows the Petrarchan model, mainly translated Italian sonnets into Englis, but soon the poets realize that the English language wasn’t suitable to the Italian model. Indeed, while the Italian language rhytm is based on syllabes.

This made the translation from Italian into Englishvery difficoult and it made not suitable to the English language. Therefore Mr. Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, decided to modify the sonnet’s structure: the Elizabethian model was born. He transformed the Petrarchan model into a structure arranged/ organized into three quatrains and a rhyming Iambic pentametre, the most used.

Sonnets by William Shakespeare

When a sonnet’s title is composed by a numberit means it is a part of a collection, as the case of sonnet 18 by Wiliam Shakespeare it belongs to the marriage sonnet where the writer invites his lover to get married and to have children together.

Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets: the first part are the marriage sonnets dedicated to his lover.

All his collection is dedicated to the Fair Young or Mr. W.H. whose identity is mysterious.

With the Dark Lady sonnet (sonnet 130) wants to make a parody of the courteens model.