How to Graph the Rhythm of a Sonnet
Developed in Europe several centuries ago, a sonnet is a type of poem that consists of a set number of lines, usually 14, within a fixed rhyme scheme and meter. Many sonnets also have a fixed pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in each line. This pattern is what is referred to as a poem's rhythm. The most well-known type of poetic rhythm is iambic, which is a an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable; iambic meter is easily recognizable in Shakespearean sonnets and plays.
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Instructions
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Use a pencil to write symbols for stressed and unstressed syllables over the words in the poem, on a copy of the poem or on a blank sheet of paper. When readers scan a poem, they usually use a 'u','v', or a '^' symbol for unstressed syllables and a '/' or '\' for stressed syllables. In this manner, the beginning line of Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130"--"My Mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun"--can be graphed: v \ v \ v \ v \ v \.
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Read difficult words out loud to yourself if you are having trouble determining which syllable is stressed. Practice saying the word in different ways. If, for example, you had trouble graphing the word 'mistress' from the verse above, say it out loud with stress on the first syllable ('MIStress") and then say it again with stress on the second syllable ('misTRESS'). This way, you can hear that 'MIStress', with stress on the first syllable, sounds more natural and can graph it accordingly.
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Identify the pattern of the graphed rhythm. In almost all cases, English sonnets follow an iambic meter (the 'v \' pattern). Different forms, like the Italian/Petrarchan and Spenserian sonnets have more variation. Besides iambic, other popular rhythms include anapestic (v v \, like the word 'underneath'), trochaic (\ v, like the name 'Mona'), and dactylic (\ v v, like the word 'mockingbird').
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Tips & Warnings
Because the genre's focus is usually on the rhyme scheme, not every sonnet has a discernible rhythm. Modern sonnets often have a less-distinguishable rhythm.
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Resources
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