ENGLISH ENGLISH SONNETSSONNETSThe RenaissanceThe Renaissance

Years: 449-1066Years: 449-1066Life & CultureLife & Culture: : ►► A time of kings, warriors and self-ruled clans.A time of kings, warriors and self-ruled clans.Warriors and their courage were highly admired Warriors and their courage were highly admired ►► Little by little, Christianism began conquering Little by little, Christianism began conquering the pagan communitiesthe pagan communities►► The language spoken in that time was The language spoken in that time was

referred to asreferred to asOld EnglishOld English

Literature: Literature: ►► Oral traditionOral tradition►► Epic Poetry is the dominant genre Epic Poetry is the dominant genre

Key Literature Works & Authors: Key Literature Works & Authors: Beowulf Beowulf Caedmon’s HymnCaedmon’s Hymn

Old English PeriodOld English Period

First page First page BeowulfBeowulf

Years: 1066-1485 Years: 1066-1485

Life & Culture: Life & Culture: ►► A time where the Catholic church gains ruling A time where the Catholic church gains ruling

power power ►► Population is still largely illiterate Population is still largely illiterate

►► William the Conqueror (from the Norman William the Conqueror (from the Norman peoples) invades Britain and is crowned king peoples) invades Britain and is crowned king

in 1066 in 1066 ►► The language spoken in that time was The language spoken in that time was

referred to asreferred to asMiddle EnglishMiddle English

Literature: Genres/Styles:Literature: Genres/Styles:►► Oral tradition continues, also with Folk ballads Oral tradition continues, also with Folk ballads

►► Collections of talesCollections of tales

Key Literature Works: Key Literature Works: Sir Gawain and the Green KnightSir Gawain and the Green Knight

The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer by Geoffrey ChaucerThe The ChurchChurch

Middle English PeriodMiddle English Period

MonkMonk

Cleric, knight and workmanCleric, knight and workman

Middle Ages sceneMiddle Ages scene

The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

But around 1485 one of the greatest changes in human history happened…

The RenaissanceThe RenaissancePeriod: 1485-1660Period: 1485-1660Life & Culture Life & Culture ►► America is discovered in 1492. Many scientific America is discovered in 1492. Many scientific

advances take placeadvances take place►► World view shifts from religion to human life on World view shifts from religion to human life on

earthearth►► Printing press helps stabilize English as a Printing press helps stabilize English as a

language and allows more people to read language and allows more people to read ►► Theatre becomes widely popular. The Arts of Theatre becomes widely popular. The Arts of

painting, sculpture, music, literature, etc painting, sculpture, music, literature, etc develop greatly and become increasingly develop greatly and become increasingly popular.popular.

►► The language spoken in these times isThe language spoken in these times isreferred to as Modern English.referred to as Modern English.

Literature: Genres/Styles:Literature: Genres/Styles:►► Popular themes: Development of human Popular themes: Development of human

potential, love, etc.potential, love, etc.►► Poetry: The sonnet, Metaphysical poetry Poetry: The sonnet, Metaphysical poetry ►► Drama: Written in verse, supported by royaltyDrama: Written in verse, supported by royalty

Key Literature Works: Key Literature Works: HamletHamletDoctor FaustusDoctor Faustus

Renaissance scene: Renaissance scene: outdoorsoutdoors

The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries are the period of the European Renaissance or New Birth, one of the three or four great transforming movements of European history.

This impulse by which the medieval society of scholasticism, feudalism, and chivalry was to be made over into what we call the modern world came first from Italy.

The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

The intellectual life, also, nearly restricted to priests and monks, had been subjected to the mere authority of the Bible and of a few great minds of the past, such as Aristotle.

To the minds which were being paralyzed under this system, the new study of old Greek literature brought new inspiration.

Renaissance scene: Renaissance scene: TheaterTheater

World view shifts from religion to World view shifts from religion to human life on earth. human life on earth. The word 'human,' indeed, became important and 'humanists' was the title which new intellectuals applied to themselves.

Theatre as well as the Arts of Theatre as well as the Arts of painting, sculpture, music, literature, painting, sculpture, music, literature, etc developed greatly and became etc developed greatly and became increasingly popular.increasingly popular.

Renaissance scene: Renaissance scene: musicmusic

The invention of printing brought books in unlimited quantities (before there were only manuscripts) and transformed all the processes of knowledge. It also helped stabilize English as a language and Middle English became what’s today Modern English.

Not much later began the vast expansion of the physical world through geographical exploration. America is discovered in 1492.America is discovered in 1492.

About the year 1540, the Polish Copernicus announced that our world is not the center of the universe, but just a satellite of the sun.

THE REFORMATION

In 1517 Martin Luther, protesting against the immoral practices that were disgracing religion, began the breach between Catholicism and Protestantism (a branch that respected the Bible alone and looked for a more individual judgment on religion).

• In England…

THE ELIZABETHAN PERIOD

Under Elizabeth's wise guidance theprosperity and enthusiasm of the nation hadrisen to the highest pitch, and London inparticular was overflowing with vigorous life.

After a much-anticipated fight against theSpanish Armada in 1588, the releasedenergy of England broke out exultantly andall activities (economy, culture, politics)flourished even more.

Queen Queen Elizabeth IElizabeth I

A NEW POETRY

from Italy to England...

The Italian poetry of the sixteenth centuryBecame the new big thing in Europe, withits superb sweetness and beauty and theclassical lover forever sighing for his lady.

Especially, a new form of poetry becamesuccessful: the Sonnet. Its great masterwas Petrarch, who, in hundreds of poemssang to his beloved Laura.

Renaissance scene: Renaissance scene: poetrypoetry

WHAT IS A SONNET?

An English (or Shakesperean) sonnet consists of:

• 14 lines

• Each line contains ten syllables

• Each line is written in iambic pentameter

• The rhyme scheme in a Shakespearean sonnet is a-b-a-b, c-d-c-d, e-f-e-f, g-g

• From the beginning, the theme of most sonnets was love: romantic, passionate, or unrequited

love.

• A sonnet usually presents a conflict and resolves it in the couplet.

SonnetsSonnets

SIR THOMAS WYATT (1503 –1542)

Introduces the Sonnet in England.

Imitating Petrarch, Wyatt talksabout love, lamenting the

unkindness of ladies.Sir ThomasSir Thomas

WyattWyatt

HENRY HOWARD (EARL OF SURREY) (1516 – 1547)

Improved Sonnet versification

In his sonnets he abandoned the form followed by Wyatt and adopted (still from

the Italian) the one which was subsequently used by Shakespeare, consisting of three

independent quatrains followed by a couplet, thus:

a b a b; c d c d; e f e f; g g.Henry Howard Henry Howard Earl of SurreyEarl of Surrey

Sir Philip Sidney (1554 –1586)

His book “Astrophel and Stella”(1591), is a sequence of sonnetswhich traced an unrequited love

relationship through its stages,that started the English vogue for

sonnet sequences.

Sir Philip Sir Philip SydneySydney

EDMUND SPENSER, 1552-1599.

The first really commanding figure in the Elizabethan period.

In 1594, his marriage produced his sonnet sequence 'Amoretti' (Italian

for 'Love-poems').

He shows a great command of rhythmand of sound and delicate imagination

in all of his sonnets. He alsointroduced the Rhyme Scheme:

abab, bcbc, cdcd, ee

Edmund Edmund SpenserSpenser

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564– 1616)

Perhaps the greatest writer and dramatist in the English language, Shakespeare was widely regarded first as a

playwright, with such works as Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, etc.

But he also wrote sonnets and left a book of 154 pieces.

Shakespeare’s sonnetsShakespeare’s Sonnets feature a number of exceptions to the rule.

1-The arrangement of the sonnets does follow chronology or subject.

2- Many of the sonnets are addressed to an unnamed young man rather than a lovely lady.

3- The poet has a "black" mistress, which can mean an African woman or English non-blonde. This figure is

conventionally known as The Dark Lady.

RHYME SCHEME: abab, cdcd, efef, gg.

WilliamWilliamShakespeareShakespeare

WHAT IS A SONNET?

An English (or Shakesperean) sonnet consists of:

• 14 lines

• Each line contains ten syllables

• Each line is written in iambic pentameter

• The rhyme scheme in a Shakespearean sonnet is a-b-a-b, c-d-c-d, e-f-e-f, g-g

• From the beginning, the theme of most sonnets was love: romantic, passionate, or unrequited

love.

• A sonnet must present a conflict and resolve it in the couplet.

SonnetsSonnets

Sonnets are short poems which usually express feelings but they can also present reflections or thoughts on many issues of life.

Virtually, sonnets can be written about anything.

During the Renaissance, however, there were some major themes:

Sonnets ThemesSonnets Themes

► Passionate Love ► Unrequited love ► Praising a lady’s qualities ► Protecting a lady or love against Time ► Invocation to sleep

SONNET 55 – WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Not marble, nor the gilded monuments Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme; But you shall shine more bright in these contents Than unswept stone, besmear'd with sluttish time. When wasteful war shall statues overturn,And broils root out the work of masonry,Nor Mars his sword, nor war's quick fire shall burnThe living record of your memory. 'Gainst death, and all-oblivious enmityShall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room,Even in the eyes of all posterityThat wear this world out to the ending doom.

So, till the judgment that yourself arise,You live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes.

ExampleExampleRhyme Scheme

ABABCDCDEFEFGG

Not marble, nor the gilded monuments Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme;

Meter

1 unstressed syllable + 1 stressed syllable, Repeated 5 times: IAMBIC PENTAMETER

1) Identify the Rhyme Scheme for this sonnet.

2) Is the sonnet written in iambic pentameter?

3) Identify one case of:• Alliteration

• Metaphor or simile

4) What is the theme of this sonnet? How does the poet develop it?

Support your answers with evidence.

ActivityActivity

I - William Shakespeare – Sonnet XXVII (27)

Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,The dear repose for limbs with travel tired; But then begins a journey in my headTo work my mind, when body's work's expired:

For then my thoughts--from far where I abide--Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee, And keep my drooping eyelids open wide, Looking on darkness which the blind do see:

Save that my soul's imaginary sightPresents thy shadow to my sightless view, Which, like a jewel hung in ghastly night, Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new. Lo! thus, by day my limbs, by night my mind, For thee, and for myself, no quiet find.

II - Edmund Spenser - "Amoretti: Sonnet 64“

Coming to kisse her lyps (such grace I found)Me seemd I smelt a gardin of sweet flowersThat dainty odours from them threw around,For damsels fit to decke their lovers bowres. Her lips did smell lyke unto Gillyflowers, Her ruddy cheeks lyke unto Reses red;Her snowy browes lyke budded Bellamoures,Her lovely eyes like Pincks but newly spred, Her goodly bosome lyke a Strawberry bed,Her neck lyke to a bounch of Cullambynes;Her brest lyke lillyes, ere theyr leaves be shed,Her nipples lyke yong blossomd Jessemynes. Such fragrant flowers doe give most odorous smell,But her sweet odour did them all excell.

"One day I wrote her name upon the strand" Edmund Spencer

One day I wrote her name upon the strand, But came the waves and washed it away: Again I wrote it with a second hand, But came the tide, and made my pains his prey. Vain man, said she, that dost in vain assay A mortal thing so to immortalize! For I myself shall like to this decay, And eek my name be wiped out likewise. Not so (quoth I), let baser things devise To die in dust, but you shall live by fame: My verse your virtues rare shall eternize, And in the heavens write your glorious name; Where, whenas death shall all the world subdue, Our love shall live, and later life renew.