Definition of Sonnet
The word sonnet is derived from the Italian word “sonetto”. It means a small or little song or lyric. In poetry, a sonnet has 14 fourteen lines and is written in iambic pentameter. Each line has 10 syllables. It has a specific rhyme scheme and a “volta” or a specific turn.
Generally, sonnets are divided into different groups based on the rhyme scheme they follow. The rhymes of a sonnet are arranged according to a certain rhyme scheme. The rhyme scheme in English is usually abab-cdcd-efef-gg and in Italian abba-abba-cde-cde.
Types of Sonnet
The sonnets can be categorized into six major types:
- Italian Sonnet
- Shakespearean Sonnet
- Spenserian Sonnet
- Miltonic Sonnet
- Terza Rima Sonnet
- Curtal Sonnet
Function of Sonnet
The sonnet has become popular among different poets because it has a great adaptability to different purposes and requirements. Rhythms are strictly followed. It could be a perfect poetic style for elaboration or expression of a single feeling or thought with its short length in iambic pentameter. In fact, it gives an ideal laboratory to a poet for exploration of strong emotions. Due to its short length, it is easy to manage for both the writer and the reader.
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THE PUZZLE
Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye,
When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,
Serving with looks his sacred majesty;
Or else receiv'st with pleasure thine annoy?
The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell,
For where is she so fair whose uneared womb
Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,
Sap checked with frost, and lusty leaves quite gone
Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crown'd
And Time that gave doth now his gift confound
Thou hast passed by the ambush of young days
Yet this thy praise cannot be so thy praise,
And yet to times in hope, my verse shall stand
Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand.
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