Petrarchan sonnets are one of the oldest forms of a sonnet and come with their own distinct structure and rhyme scheme. The Petrarchan structure and rhyme scheme are key differences to look for when you are comparing Petrarchan, Shakespearean, and Spenserian sonnets. In this article, we will show you some key examples to help you understand the differences between all the different sonnets.Â
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Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenPetrarchan sonnets are one of the oldest forms of a sonnet and come with their own distinct structure and rhyme scheme. The Petrarchan structure and rhyme scheme are key differences to look for when you are comparing Petrarchan, Shakespearean, and Spenserian sonnets. In this article, we will show you some key examples to help you understand the differences between all the different sonnets.
Petrarchan sonnets are defined as a sonnet form named after Francesco Petrarca. Its main characteristic is 14 lines that have been divided into two sections.
The Petrarchan sonnet (sometimes referred to as the Italian sonnet) is the oldest form of the sonnet and was created in Italy. The form was created by Giacomo di Lentini; however, it is named after the Italian poet Francesco Petrarca who popularised this type of poem. Petrarchan sonnets were traditionally written in the Sicilian dialect, which was popular in the thirteenth century.
In the sixteenth century, the Petrarchan sonnet was introduced to English literature through the poet and politician Sir Thomas Wyatt. Wyatt translated many of Petrarca's sonnets into English, and as many of Petrarca's sonnets were about love, this caused the form to become associated with love poetry in English literature.
The Petrarchan sonnet has been popular in English literature since the sixteenth century, with poets such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning and William Wordsworth writing in this style.
An example of a Petrarchan sonnet can be found in multiple literary movements throughout English literature. Some Petrarchan sonnet examples include:
Here are the key characteristics and examples of Petrarchan sonnets, including the stanza structure, meter, rhyme scheme, tone, and themes.
A key way to spot Petrarchan sonnets is to look at how the stanzas are arranged. As said earlier, in a Petrarchan sonnet, there are two stanzas: an octave (a stanza with eight lines) and a sestet (a stanza with six lines).
The poem below shows what this structure looks like when written down:
Earth has not any thing to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!
(William Wordsworth, 'Composed Upon Westminster Bridge', 1802)
Petrarchan sonnets are written in the standard metre for all sonnets, iambic pentameter. Take a look at the Petrarchan sonnet examples of meter below:
Iambic pentameter: a type of meter in which each line consists of five metrical feet (or iambs) that switch between an unstressed syllable and a stressed syllable.
'Open | unto | the fields, | and to | the sky; All bright | and glitte | ring in | the smoke | less air.'
The syllables in bold show the stressed syllables in each line. Together, the unstressed syllable and stressed syllable create one metrical foot. In the passage taken from the Petrarchan Sonnet example above, it is shown that there are five metrical feet in each line. The metrical feet have been separated with a vertical line.
The rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet is usually ABBA ABBA CDE CDE. The octave will be broken into two separate quatrains (a stanza of four lines), and the sestet will be broken into two tercets (three lines). Traditionally, the sestet in a Petrarchan sonnet will provide a different view or idea than the octave – this is why they have separate rhyme schemes.
A key characteristic of Petrarchan sonnets is the presence of a device called a volta.
Volta: sometimes referred to as a 'turn', a volta is used in poetry to signify that the speaker has experienced a change of some kind. Typically, these changes are emotional.
In Petrarchan sonnets, voltas are used as climaxes or epiphanies. They can typically be found at the end of the octave or at the start of the sestet, and the sestet is then used to resolve this climax.
Top tip! You can spot a volta when you look for words like 'but', 'yet', 'O', or 'never'. In the Petrarchan sonnet example given in this explanation, for instance, the word 'never' in the line, 'Never did sun more beautifully steep', signals the volta.
Many of Petrarca's sonnets were written about love. Qhen Wyatt translated Petrarca's sonnets into English, it popularised the idea that Petrarchan sonnets are all about love. This idea has continued throughout the centuries, and the most popular theme of Petrarchan sonnets is love. However, they can be about anything.
Sonnets follow a strict structure, and all of the different types of sonnets share these same three characteristics: they are fourteen lines long with a strict rhyme scheme and written in iambic pentameter. However, in other areas, different types of sonnets will follow different rules. Use the table below to remember the key differences between Spenserian sonnets, Petrarchan sonnets, and Shakespearean sonnets.
Petrarchan Sonnets | Shakespearean Sonnets | Spenserian Sonnets | |
Lines Numbers | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Stanza Structures | One Octave One Sestet | Three Quatrains One Couplet | Three Quatrains One Couplet |
Metre | Iambic | Iambic | Iambic |
Rhyme Scheme | ABBA ABBA CDE CDE | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG | ABAB BCBC CDCD EE |
Volta | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A Petrarchan sonnet is a type of sonnet that is composed of one octave and one sestet.
There are fourteen lines in a Petrarchan sonnet.
To write a Petrarchan sonnet the poem must be fourteen lines long and written in iambic pentameter. The lines must be divided into an octave followed by a sestet, these lines should also follow an ABBA-ABBA-CDE-CDE rhyme scheme. Finally, there must be a volta in the eighth or ninth line.
An example of a Petrarchan sonnet is Elizabeth Barret Browning's 'Sonnet 43'.
Love is a common theme of a Petrarchan sonnet.
What is a Petrarchan sonnet?
A Petrarchan sonnet is a type of sonnet that is composed of one octave and one sestet.
How many lines are in a Petrarchan sonnet?
There are fourteen lines in a Petrarchan sonnet.Â
What is another name for the Petrarchan sonnet?Â
Petrarchan sonnets are sometimes referred to as Italian sonnets.
How many stanzas are there in a Petrarchan sonnet?
2
Who is the Petrarchan sonnet named after?
The Petrarchan sonnet is named after Francesco Petrarca.
True or false: Francesco Petrarch invented the Petrarchan sonnet.
False! It was created by Giacomo di Lentini
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