The Two Types of Sonnet: Shakespearean and Petrachen

The Two Types of Sonnet: Shakespearean and Petrachen

A sonnet is usually a poem with fourteen lines, which deals with one

idea or emotion. The rhyming pattern is usually ABBA ABBA ABBA and

then a rhyming couplet at CC. It has ten syllables per line. There are

two main types of sonnet Shakespearean (English) and Petrachen

(Italian). Sonnet means ‘Little song’ in Italian. Sonnets originated

in Italy during the Italian renaissance by a man called Pertrach

however they only became popular in England during the 14th century.

The real meaning of writing a sonnet is to create beauty and

communicate meaning within a tightly structured format. It is to work

within self-imposed restrictions to discover just how much one can

accomplish. Some famous sonneteers include William Shakespeare, who

wrote in the Elizabethan period, Michael Drayton, who wrote in the

Jacobean times, and Christina Rosseti who wrote much later in the 19th

century.

The first poem that I’m going to examine is by Elizabeth Barrett

Browning. It is called “How do I love thee”. The rhyming pattern is

what is known as Petrarchan i.e. ABBA ABBA CDCDCD. It’s made up of two

quatrains and a sextet. Every single line has ten syllables. The

whole poem is based around the opening rhetorical question:

“How much do I love thee?”

It then proceeds to answer the question using extreme language while

continuing to make it seem like a conversation. We are not told whom

it is exactly about but we can only assume that it is about her lover.

The poem is about how great her love is for her lover, it is more of a

spiritual love then a physical one.

She constantly links back to idea of God;

“If God chooses”

This shows love is eternal, pure and spiritual. It is also handing

control over to god; acknowledging his omnipotence. Elizabeth

Barrett-Browning uses a lot of beautiful imagery in this poem.