The Sonnet and Form

an essay about how the form and sound devices effect a sonnet. based on "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" by Shakespeare -

Each format greatly affects ones poem and the chosen theme. The sonnet has clear thought divisions and the theme of love is a good choice for a short poem. Shakespeare uses good sound devices to epitomize the theme and form. This Shakespearean sonnet by William Shakespeare is a good example of how the sonnet form is complimentary to the theme.

In this Shakespearean sonnet, the form conforms to the original format. Both the original and this poem have three quatrains and a concluding couplet and have a clear thought division about half way through the sonnet.

'And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd.

But thy eternal summer shall not fade' (lines 7-9)

This type of poetry suites the subject Shakespeare has chosen to write about because each quatrain has a different means to compare the subject to a summer's day and about half way through, Shakespeare changes and decides that the subject is better than a summer's day.

English: William Shakespeare statue in Lincoln Par...

Sonnet Cap

English: Shakespeare's sonnet 1

The sonnet is essentially made up of two different parts, the first being the problem and the second part being an answer. The theme that Shakespeare has chosen is love and this theme works well with the sonnet format. The first half of this sonnet is written about how the subject is like a summer's day, for example: 'Thou art more lovely and more temperate:' (line 2) and after line eight, Shakespeare concludes that the subject cannot be a summer's day because they are more beautiful and will last longer than summer itself. The sonnet form is suitable for this theme because it allows the direct comparison...