Sonnets

Teacher's Notes: This lesson can be used to introduce sonnets or review student knowledge. Sonnets are a very useful poetic form to introduce to students. With its basis in the lyric, with which most students are very familiar, and it's strong cultural history, it is ideal as a segue into poetic forms that are more complex than haiku's , cinquains and shape poems. The lesson provides a model of parody or imitation where a famous sonnet is appropriated to create a contemporary poem. Some students really enjoy the mental challenge of creating a sonnet with such a tight form and every time I've used it all students like to feel they are learning 'secret adult business'.

Sonnets are special.

Although short, they have a very effective way of expressing human thoughts and feelings. If you worked through the Internet Quiz, you will know that sonnets:

are 14 line poems

have a rhyme scheme

can be broken into a octave and a sestet

use sound in patterned and rhythmic ways

have three main traditional forms

have many modern adaptations

Did you have a look at the Sonnet site?

Sonnets are also great to write. Start by using a sonnet as a model. I like using "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" by Will Shakespeare. It never fails to give me an idea. All you need is something that you can compare to something else. Do look at the original and then have a go at writing your own using this model or any other sonnet that takes your fancy.

The Beach

Shall I compare thee to a slice of melon?

Thou art riper and no less sweet

Rough waves carve patterns in your skin

And summer sun soaks sands in heat.

Sometimes your surface glistens smooth as glass

And often stars upon your surface gleam

And sometimes, too, you let no person pass

As wind and water sweep your surface clean

But always you return, renewing pledges,

endless days of warmth and laughter,

At year's end we gather round your edges

Forget what came before and might come after

So long as you are there, not out of reach

We have our holidays at the beach.

by Lyn Tiernan with a nod to Will.