How to Write a Shakespearean Sonnet Poem

Writing a Shakespearean sonnet takes time to master.

According to Nelson Miller of the Cayuse Press Writers Exchange Board, there are a few different styles of sonnet poems, one of which is Shakespearean, based on the 154 sonnets written by William Shakespeare. This fourteen-line sonnet has a specific rhyme scheme. Most of Shakespeare's sonnets were related to love, although whether that topic is approached negatively or positively in your sonnet is for you to decide .

Things You'll Need

• Notebook
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Write out the structure of the Shakespearean sonnet, which is ABAB for one verse, CDCD for the second, EFEF for the third, and GG for the final, with each letter representing a line of the poem. The last word of each line must rhyme with its corresponding letter; for example, if the one "B" line ends in "start," the other "B" line could end in "heart."

2. Read a few of Shakespeare's sonnets aloud so you understand the concept and rhythm of iambic pentameter, a necessary feature of a Shakespearean sonnet. The iamb is a unit of poetry that follows unstressed syllables with stressed syllables, as in "unstressed-stressed-unstressed-stressed" and so on. As it's a "pentameter," there are five iambs per line, or ten syllables per line. For example: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Say this line aloud, stressing every other syllable and noticing how there are two sets of five syllables.

3. Choose a topic for your Shakespearean sonnet. While the topic is traditionally love, you may choose another topic such as death, the seasons, nature, or some variation or combination of these.

4. Write a first draft of your sonnet. Try to stick to ten syllables per line, but the most important thing is to get the idea of your sonnet written. Do not obsess over the exact number of syllables or correct iambic pentameter just yet; you can rewrite later.

5. Read your sonnet aloud, checking to be sure that the alternating lines on each verse rhyme. This can be very helpful in identifying awkward phrases and too little or too many syllables. Revise your sonnet, searching for words that fit the pentameter while adequately conveying the imagery you want. Feel free to experiment, as inspiration may strike while you are playing with the words.

6. Read the revised sonnet aloud again. This time, focus on the flow and noting whether the sonnet is in iambic pentameter, with a stressed syllable following an unstressed syllable. Revise as many times as needed until your sonnet fits the structure while expressing the themes and thoughts you want.

Tips & Warnings

• Read many Shakespearean sonnets, written both by Shakespeare and other poets. The more you read, the more you will familiarize yourself with the form, and your own sonnets will become more natural.

• Pick up a rhyming dictionary at your local bookstore or library and browse through it for further inspiration while writing your sonnet.

References

• Writing.com: Writing a True Shakespearean Sonnet
• Cumming Study Guides: The Sonnet
• Nelson Miller: Basic Sonnet Forms