How to Write Sonnets
A sonnet is a specifically structured poem that originated in Europe. The sonnet -- from the Italian word "sonetto," meaning "little song" -- gets its name from the musical rhythm of the form's structure. The subject matter of a sonnet can be anything, but typically revolves around love and loss. Shakespeare's "Sonnet 18," with the famous opening line, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" is a solid example of a sonnet.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Write fourteen lines for your sonnet; this is one of the distinct features of a sonnet. The lines should be unbroken, meaning they have no separation into verses. For this reason, the text for the fourteen lines will typically express a single thought or a situation at a specific time, rather than a story-form poem that may change scenes drastically in each verse.
-
2
Develop your sonnet generally into thirds, presenting the main idea of the sonnet in the first third (four lines), then building on the main idea using figurative language such as similes and metaphors to expound on the main theme. If the main theme is "love eventually dies," you might use the changing of the seasons as a metaphor to illustrate this. The final two lines of are a couplet that you may use to summarize the sonnet or make a point.
-
-
3
Write the sonnet in iambic pentameter. The meter, or rhythm, of a poem is measured in feet. In iambic pentameter, each line has five feet. this case, each foot consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Each of your fourteen lines will need to have ten syllables following this pattern.
-
4
Choose language that expresses the sentiment you want to express. Just as classic sonnets by Shakespeare and others use the language of the time, you can choose to use modern words and phrases. Each sonnet is written on an individual basis, with the writer's thoughts and emotions shining through. No one can tell you the subject matter that is worthy of immortalizing in a poem.
-
1
