Sonnet

Short Note- Sonnet

A sonnet is usually defined as a lyric of fourteen lines of iambic pentameter. The word ‘sonnet’ is derived from the Italian word ‘sonetto’ which means “a little sound or song”.

It was originated in Italy in the 13^th century, was developed by the Italian poet Petrarch and was brought to

England by Sir Thomas Wyatt. There are three main types of sonnets: Italian or Petrarchan, Shakespearean or English, and Spenserian. The Italian sonnet is the combination of an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the last six lines). The octave proposes a problem or question, and the sestet generally proposes the solution. The rhyme scheme is ABBA ABBA for the octave and either CDE CDE or CD CD CD for the sestet. The Shakespearean sonnet consists of three quatrains and a rhymed couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The Spenserian sonnet, developed by Edmund Spenser is like the Shakespearean one. Its rhyme scheme is ABAB BCBC CDCD EE.