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Elizabethan Sonnets and Sonneteers

Introduction

The Elizabethan era (1558–1603) is considered one of the most fertile periods in English literature, particularly known for the flourishing of poetry. The sonnet, a poetic form originating in Italy, became immensely popular in England during this period. Elizabethan sonneteers transformed the sonnet form to suit English tastes, focusing on themes such as love, beauty, time, and nature. This assignment explores the development of the Elizabethan sonnet, the innovations brought by major poets, and the contributions of key sonneteers.

1. Origins of the Sonnet

The word “sonnet” comes from the Italian word sonetto, meaning “little song.” The sonnet originated in Italy in the 13th century, with poets like Petrarch perfecting the form. A typical Petrarchan sonnet consists of 14 lines divided into two parts: the octave (eight lines) and the sestet (six lines), with a rhyme scheme of abbaabba for the octave and various patterns for the sestet (such as cdecde or cdcdcd).

Introduction to England: The sonnet was introduced to England by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey in the early 16th century. Wyatt translated Petrarch’s sonnets into English, and Surrey modified the Italian form, giving rise to the English (or Shakespearean) sonnet structure.

2. Characteristics of the Elizabethan Sonnet

During the Elizabethan period, poets made significant innovations to the traditional sonnet form to fit the English language and aesthetic. Key characteristics of the Elizabethan sonnet include:

Structure: Typically 14 lines, divided into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) followed by a rhyming couplet (two lines).
Rhyme Scheme: The most common pattern was abab cdcd efef gg.
Meter: Written in iambic pentameter, where each line consists of 10 syllables, alternating between unstressed and stressed beats.
Themes: Love, beauty, mortality, time, unrequited affection, and the fleeting nature of life were prominent themes.

The concluding couplet often served as a resolution, twist, or commentary on the preceding quatrains, a feature that became a hallmark of the English sonnet.

3. Major Elizabethan Sonneteers

3.1. Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586)

Major Work: Astrophel and Stella (published in 1591).
Sidney’s Astrophel and Stella is considered the first fully developed sonnet sequence in English. It consists of 108 sonnets and explores the speaker’s love for Stella (modeled on Penelope Devereux, Sidney’s real-life muse).
Themes: The sequence reflects the speaker’s inner conflict between idealized love and sensual desire. Sidney also experiments with different meters and explores the interplay between emotion and reason.

Sidney’s contribution lies in introducing the sonnet sequence to England, paving the way for later poets to explore love and personal conflict through interconnected sonnets.

3.2. Edmund Spenser (1552–1599)

Major Work: Amoretti (1595).
Spenser’s Amoretti is a sonnet sequence of 89 poems that chronicles his courtship of Elizabeth Boyle, whom he later married. Unlike other Elizabethan sonnets, Amoretti emphasizes the purity of marital love rather than unattainable or unrequited love.
Structure and Innovation: Spenser developed the Spenserian sonnet with the rhyme scheme abab bcbc cdcd ee. This interlocking rhyme scheme created a musical quality and enhanced the flow between quatrains.
Themes: Spenser’s poems reflect themes of spiritual and romantic love, contrasting earthly beauty with divine grace.

3.3. William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

Major Work: Shakespeare’s Sonnets (1609).
Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets are among the most celebrated in English literature. They explore themes of love, beauty, betrayal, time, and mortality, addressing two main figures: the Fair Youth and the Dark Lady.
The Fair Youth Sonnets: (Sonnets 1–126) These poems express the speaker’s admiration and affection for a young man, urging him to marry and preserve his beauty through children.
The Dark Lady Sonnets: (Sonnets 127–154) These poems portray the speaker’s complex relationship with a mysterious woman, marked by desire, jealousy, and emotional turmoil.
Themes and Style: Shakespeare’s sonnets explore the power of art to immortalize beauty and love. His mastery of metaphor, wordplay, and imagery distinguishes his sonnets from those of his contemporaries. Notable examples include:
Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”): Celebrates the beloved’s eternal beauty.
Sonnet 116 (“Let me not to the marriage of true minds”): Reflects on the constancy of true love.
Sonnet 130 (“My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun”): A witty critique of traditional poetic idealization of beauty.

Shakespeare’s sonnets are remarkable for their psychological depth and exploration of human emotions.

4. Other Prominent Elizabethan Sonneteers

Henry Constable: Known for Diana, a sonnet sequence that explores courtly love and personal devotion.
Michael Drayton: His sequence Idea contains sonnets that address love and poetic immortality. Drayton’s most famous sonnet, Since There’s No Help, Come Let Us Kiss and Part, expresses the end of a romantic relationship with a poignant tone.
Samuel Daniel: His sonnet sequence Delia explores themes of love and loss, reflecting the influence of Petrarch.

These poets expanded the sonnet tradition, adding variety in tone, subject matter, and poetic expression.

5. Themes in Elizabethan Sonnets

Elizabethan sonneteers employed the sonnet form to explore a variety of themes:

Unrequited Love: Many sonnets, inspired by Petrarchan traditions, portray the anguish of unfulfilled love.
Beauty and Mortality: Sonnets often reflect on the fleeting nature of beauty and the inevitability of aging and death.
Time: Poets like Shakespeare and Spenser address the ravages of time and the desire to overcome it through love or art.
Art as Immortality: Several sonnets suggest that poetry can immortalize beauty and emotions, defying time’s decay.
Conflict between Desire and Reason: Many sonnets depict the inner turmoil between physical attraction and moral restraint, as seen in the works of Sidney and Shakespeare.

6. Influence of Elizabethan Sonnets on Later Literature

The Elizabethan sonnet tradition laid the foundation for future developments in English poetry. The works of Sidney, Spenser, and Shakespeare inspired later poets such as John Donne, John Milton, and the Romantic poets (e.g., Wordsworth and Keats).

Romantic Revival: Poets of the 19th century, like Wordsworth, revived the sonnet to explore themes of nature, introspection, and personal experience.
Modern and Contemporary Sonnets: The sonnet form continues to be used by contemporary poets, reflecting its adaptability and timeless appeal.

7. Conclusion

The Elizabethan era marked the golden age of sonnet writing in English literature. Poets like Sidney, Spenser, and Shakespeare transformed the sonnet into a powerful vehicle for exploring love, beauty, time, and human emotions. Their innovations in form and content enriched the tradition and left a lasting legacy in English poetry. The themes and styles developed by these sonneteers continue to inspire poets, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the sonnet form.

References

Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Cengage Learning, 2014.
Spiller, Michael R.G. The Development of the Sonnet: An Introduction. Routledge, 1992.
Shakespeare, William. Sonnets. Edited by Stephen Booth, Yale University Press, 2000.