Shakespearean-Style  Love Sonnet  

Here is an example of how the expression of love and affection is captured by DR. LETTERS in the form of a sonnet. A description of the sonnet and how it is constructed is shown below. Click here to see the sample sonnet in a separate browser window.

Situation:
A Shakespearean-style Love Sonnet follows a specific, intense poetic form which includes the following requirements:

1. Fourteen lines long
   1. The first 12 lines set the scene, describe the love circumstances, or relate a situation;
   2. The last two lines bring the scene to a conclusion, make a comment about the love circumstances, or end the situation;
2. The first 14 lines must be written in three quatrains with a specific rhyme pattern:
   

   Quatrain  1  -	line 1 – rhyme “a” – example “sad”
   	line 2 – rhyme “b” – example “sight”
   	line 3 – rhyme “a” – example “glad”
   	line 4 – rhyme “b” – example “might”
   Quatrain  2  -	line 5 – rhyme “c” – example “fair”
   	line 6 – rhyme “d” – example “adore”
   	line 7 – rhyme “c” – example “care”
   	line 8 – rhyme “d” – example “more”
   Quatrain  3  -	line 9 – rhyme “e” – example “meek”
   	line 10 – rhyme “f” – example “grow”
   	line 11 – rhyme “e” – example “cheek”
   	line 12 – rhyme “f” – example “flow”

3. The last two lines must be a rhyming couplet:
   

   Couplet -	line 13  -  rhyme  "g"   -   example  "see"
   	line 14  -  rhyme  "g"   -   example  "me"

4. The entire poem must be written in iambic pentameter;
   1. Each line has ten syllable, five of which are accented to create a regular, rhythmic beat;
      
      
   2. An iamb is a two-syllable part called a "foot" with the first syllable being unaccented and the second syllable being accented
      
      
   3. The word pentameter is of Greek origin and simply means five beats;
      
      
   4. An example of an iamb is the word "aware". The first syllable "a" is unaccented and the second syllable "ware" is accented;
      
   5. The unaccented syllable is shown using this symbol -
      
      
   6. The accented syllable is shown using this symbol -
      
   7. This single iambic foot made up of this word looks like this -
      
      
   8. When five of these feet are put next to each other, the pattern is called iambic pentameter;
      
      
   9. This is a line from one of Shakespeare's sonnets to illustrate this pattern: