Sonnet Cheats

Question 1

Italian Sonnet – Petrarchan (1st sonnet writer)

Answer 1

• octave - sestet
• octave had a FIXED Rhyme Scheme: abba, abba
• sestet: no fixed Rhyme Rhyme, but NO FINAL COUPLET.
• turn after Octave (traditional/ line 9)

Question 2

English Sonnet – Shakespearean or Elizabethan

Answer 2

• 3 quatrains - final couplet
• FIXED Rhyme Scheme keep quatrains INDEPENDENT: abab, cdcd, efef, gg
• Final Heroic Couplet
• turn of 9th or 13th line (traditional)

Question 3

English Sonnet – Spenserian (sub- sonnet)

Answer 3

• 3 quatrains - final couplet
• FIXED Rhyme Scheme LINKS the quatrains: abab, bcbc, cdcd, ee
• Final Heroic Couplet
• Turn at 9th or 13th (less common) line (traditional)

Question 4

Sonnets

Answer 4

• the most popular “fixed form” in history
• fixed form:
  
  • 14 lines
  • Iambic pentameter (traditional)
• 3 types:
  
  • Petrarchan/ Italian
  • Elizabethan/ Shakespearean/ English
  • Spenserian/ English