Even if you aren't the next Shakespeare, you can still write
a great sonnet! While you may not be the next Shakespeare,
that doesn't mean you can't write a great sonnet. An
exacting and rhythmical poem, the sonnet has a long
tradition behind it, with many great poets crafting their
own sonnets. Discover the joy of writing your own sonnets by
following these steps.
!! Steps !!
* Understand the purpose of a sonnet. A sonnet is really a poem that
expresses a single, complete thought, idea, or sentiment. A sonnet
must consist of 14 lines, usually in iambic pentameter (see
below), with rhymes arranged according to one of certain definite
schemes.
Learn the basic definitions. Before tackling the sonnet, you'll
need to understand the meaning of some of the elements of a
sonnet. They are:
* Iambic: An "iamb" is a variety of the rhythmic unit called a foot.
It has a single unstressed syllable and a single stressed
syllable.
* Pentameter: This refers to the need to repeat the iamb five times.
* Quatrains: Four lines of a stanza or poem.
* Rhyming couplet: This is two lines together that must rhyme.
Choose your style of sonnet. The two most common kind of sonnets
are the Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet and the Shakespearean
(English) sonnet. In a sonnet, there are set placements for the
quatrains within the total of 14 lines. The sonnet must follow a
standard rhyme scheme:[1] [1]
* The Petrarchan sonnet consists of two quatrains (eight lines or
the octave) and a closing minor group of six lines (the sestet).
The pattern is: ABBA ABBA CDE CDE. The letters represent a rhyme,
meaning that a's should rhyme with a's and b's should rhyme with
b's.
* The Shakespearean style is three quatrains followed by a couplet:
ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. In _The Art of Shakespeare's Sonnets_, Helen
Vendler describes it as Q1, Q2, Q3, and C. The couplet at the end
is usually a very strong rhyme to end it off. This is called a
heroic couplet, rhyming couplet or a couplet in iambic pentameter.
* The quatrains often represent three different stages in the
development of an idea (or argument), while the couplet sums up
the essential premise of the poem.
Understand the rhyme patterns. In order to write the sonnet,
you'll need a good grasp of how to rhyme according to the standard
rhyme scheme you've chosen. Each letter (A or B, for example)
stands for the ending sound of the line. So, the ABAB code means
that the first line and the third line rhyme (A with A) and the
second line rhymes with the fourth line (B with B). CCCC would be
a code for four lines which all rhyme with each other. Let's use
Sonnet 18 as an example, _Shall I Compare Thee To a Summer's Day_:
Use iambic pentameter. Getting used to this style of writing takes
practice, so don't feel bad if you have a hard time at first. It
is where every other syllable is stressed, so that each line ends
with a strong rhythm. There are also ten syllables in each line,
five of which have emphasis (*penta*meter). The ninth line of the
sonnet (Shakespearean/Italian style) usually has a turn or a
change of tone. This image might help – as you read, the
stressed syllables are underlined in blue.
Create the argument. Not only do you need to get the crafting of
the rhyme and rhythm right but there is also a requirement that
your sonnet "builds up" and presents a type of argument that is
resolved by the end. To use the example of a Shakesperean
sonnet, here is what is involved:[2] [2]
* Quatrain 1: Express the main theme and the main metaphor.
* Quatrain 2: Expand both; be imaginative, provide an example
perhaps.
* Quatrain 3: Add a twist or a conflict (peripeteia) which will
often begin with "but", often from the ninth line.
* Couplet: Resolve the theme and leave the reader with a new way of
looking at things, or a "discovery".
Use methods to help you. When writing a sonnet, there are some
techniques you can use to help your planning and writing:
* On a piece of paper draw a straight line. Divide it into five even
portions. Each of those portions can then be filled with one
stressed, one unstressed syllable until you reach the end of the
line. You should find this gives you 10 syllables in iambic
pentameter.
* Continue this process all the way down the sonnet (it will work
for both Italian and Shakespearean styles).
* Whenever you're trying to use a word or concept that upsets the
syllables, use a thesaurus to find a word that will work better.
Keep writing and stay flexible in your attempts. It will probably
take you a few drafts to be happy with your sonnet, but don't get
discouraged. This style of writing is tight, precise, and very
expressive with few words; and with practice, this tends to be a
lot of fun for the poet. Keep the thesaurus by your side and
you'll be fine. And you don't need to feel that it is necessary to
stay within the strict patterns of Shakespearean and Petrarchan
sonnet styles; poetry is a fluid art form, so feel free to alter
the rhyme scheme or shape of a sonnet to suit your vision. For
example, "Sonnet 145'' was in tetrameter. And it's always the
prerogative of the poet to push things to new boundaries.
* Read other poets' sonnets for examples and inspiration. Many poets
have written in this style, including Shakespeare, Elizabeth
Barret Browning, William Wordsworth, John Milton, P. B. Shelley,
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Pablo Neruda, and
more. Many of the sonnets will be available online for you to read
on screen.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Try reading every other syllable louder and harder; it makes it
much easier to write a sonnet.
* If you can't think of something to write about, don't give up.
Look around you, see if anything that you are looking at can spark
an idea. You can find poetry in anything!
* You may have trouble at first but you can achieve this if you try.
Try to find a prompt and then start to brainstorm first. Remember
that Shakespeare's sonnets were not the first, so don't feel
constrained by his influence.
!! Things You'll Need !!
* Classic sonnets for learning from
* Writing materials or computer
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Write a Poem
* How to Write a Haiku Poem
* How to Write a Love Poem
* How to Write a Sonnet Like Shakespeare
* How to Write a Caesar Epitaph Sonnet
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
Links:
------
[1] http://bemoreconfident.info/#_note-0
[2] http://bemoreconfident.info/#_note-1
0 comments:
Post a Comment