Shakespearean sonnets have four stanzas (groups of lines). The way the 14 lines are arranged into stanzas 2. Also called “English” and “Italian” sonnets, there are two main differences between them:ġ. The two styles became known as Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnets. Shakespeare eventually wrote more than 150 of these newfangled poems, but in a slightly altered style. Then, in the 16th century, the sonnet was brought to England, where it was embraced by dramatist William Shakespeare. Petrarch, began writing sonnets of his own.
Not long after they were invented by poet Giacomo da Lentini, fellow Italian Francesco Petrarca, a.k.a. The 14 lines are divided into groups called stanzas, which means “rooms” or “stations” in Italian.Īnd with stanzas, we come to the two main types of sonnets … Shakespearean vs. Sonnets are brief: just 14 lines long (that’s a grand total of 140 syllables, for those keeping count). In other words, each line of a poem written in iambic pentameter is 10 syllables long and sounds like this famous line from Romeo and Juliet when read out loud: And what’s an iamb, you ask? An iamb is a group of two syllables that has the following pattern: Each line of a poem written with this kind of rhythm (that’s the “meter” part) has five (that’s the “penta” part) iambs.
That rhythm is known as iambic pentameter. The word “sonnet” comes from the Italian word “ sonetto,” or “little song.” Invented in Italy way back in the 13th century, sonnets are short poems written with a specific, regular rhythm.