Compare Sonnet 130 by Shakespeare and the Glasgow Sonnet by

Compare Sonnet 130 by Shakespeare and the Glasgow Sonnet by

Edwin Morgan.

Poetry has many forms and styles of which it can be written and

emphasised in. A sonnet is one of these forms. They mainly consist of

fourteen lines, but can be set out in two different ways.

One of two styles of sonnet is Elizabethan. William Shakespeare is an

example of a poet and writer of this time period, and possible one of

the most recognised for his work. William Shakespeare wrote an

astounding 144 sonnets within his life time. The majority of these

sonnets were mainly based upon love or insincere compliments. The

Elizabethan sonnets are usually of the lyrical in content and differ

in structure. This indefinably differs from the modern style of sonnet

that we are use to. This is because the Elizabethan poem contains

three stanzas of four lines and it finishes off with a rhyming couplet

at the end.

The structure of the modern sonnet is a complete anomaly compared with

the Elizabethan sonnets. This is because they have two stanzas, the

first consisting of eight lines and the second consisting of six

lines, they are called the octave and the sestet. The sestet is the

conclusion of a modern sonnet which contains a message whereas the

Elizabethan’s message is held within the couplet. The modern sonnets

usually hold a meaning of poverty and desolation within it and the

tones vary extensively, although a sense of fundamental contentment is

established with the rigidity of the form.

The imagery used in Sonnet 130 is that of always comparing the woman

in which Shakespeare is talking about to natural beauty.

Shakespeare is very strange and different in the way he describes his

mistress in this sonnet.

This is because of ...

... middle of paper ...

...et

is trying to get across to the people out there willing to listen. He

feels that people have been ignoring these situations and the problems

have become increasingly worse. The content of this poem has given a

paradoxical look and it is all a part of social realism.

I feel that Sonnet 130 is very effective in the way Shakespeare puts

his opinion across about his partner. The humour of the sonnet brings

a more appealing feel to it. Although the problem with the sonnet is

that message isn’t clear to see straight away, you have to look at the

sonnet in more depth to see what message Shakespeare is trying to get

across.

The Glasgow Sonnet has a very serious message to it and the way the

writer uses metaphors and similes to describe the area that people

have to suffer living in, is very effective and makes the reader think

about the realities of life.