Shakespeare and Sonnets, plus "Sonnet 71"

I'm hoping you remember from last week that a sonnet is "a fourteen-line poem in iambic pentameter with a specific rhyme pattern."  Shakespeare popularized the sonnet form, and so we actually refer to a specific kind of sonnets as Shakespearean or English sonnets.  They have the form abab cdcd efef gg, which is simply a way to explain how they rhyme. It might be easier to visualize this way:

a

b

a

b

c

d

c

d

e

f

e

f

g

g

While it may sound weird, writing a poem with a strict rhyme scheme and format like that actually can make it easier to organize your thoughts while you're writing.  Rather like how the size and shape of the piece of paper you're going to draw a picture on can help you decide what to focus on.  If you only have a 3"x5" notecard, you aren't going to paint a detailed depiction of the Last Supper, for instance.  You'll have to focus on something that fits.  The same goes with sonnets -- you have to focus on something that fits.

Shakespeare's sonnets also generally use iambic pentameter, which I also defined last week.  That means the lines each have about ten syllables and follow a daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM rhythm.  Like a heartbeat.  Maybe that's why iambic pentameter is so easy to remember -- it has a cadence like our heartbeats.

We don't entirely know what order Shakespeare wrote his 150+ sonnets in.  We have them all numbered because of a collection of them published shortly before Shakespeare's death, but we don't know if they are in that order because they were written in that order, or for some other reason.  We also don't know if Shakespeare wrote them as love poems from himself to specific people, or if he wrote them as sort of generally cool poems that lovers might exchange.  They do seem to have been more privately shared than his plays, and not necessarily written for public consumption, but they don't have any clear identification as to who they were for.  And they don't seem to have been completely private, but shared amongst his family and friends.  None of them have titles, so we generally just refer to them by number.

Anyway, here is his "Sonnet 71" -- see if you can see how the rhyme scheme and rhythm play out in it!  You might find the iambic pentameter easiest to notice if you read it out loud.

"Sonnet 71"

by William Shakespeare

No longer mourn for me when I am dead --

Then you shall hear the surly sullen bell 

Give warning to the world that I am fled 

From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell: 

Nay, if you read this line, remember not 

The hand that writ it; for I love you so 

That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot 

If thinking on me then should make you woe. 

O, if, I say, you look upon this verse 

When I perhaps compounded am with clay, 

Do not so much as my poor name rehearse,

 But let your love even with my life decay, 

     Lest the wise world should look into your moan 

     And mock you with me after I am gone.

Discussion Questions:

1. Tell me two poetic devices (check the lingo list) you can spot used in this sonnet.

2. Would you call this a love poem?  Why or why not?