Shakespeare was and is to this day, one of the world’s master storytellers. What set him apart was that he shared a wealth of information in dramatic fashion, in only a few short lines. And a sonnet is one way he did that.

Sonnets are a poetic form of storytelling that had been around long before Shakespeare’s time, but he creatively modified the sonnet’s original structure and made it into something that was completely his own.  Continue with me as we learn more about studying a Shakespearean Sonnet. 

What’s beautiful about Shakespeare’s writing, is that even though it’s hundreds of years old, students can still relate to it and develop a more intimate appreciation for poetry. Though his characters are long dead, he’s kept them alive for us in great description and detail.

Here are the reasons why your students should study it, and the usual format of Shakespeare’s Sonnets.

Studying A Shakespearean Sonnet

Why should you be studying a Shakespearean Sonnet? 

It’s important that we teach our students about famous literature, and it’s history, for a number of reasons. Introducing students to Shakespearean Sonnets provides them with a deeper understanding of poetic elements while focusing on the poet’s image, tone, theme, and metaphor.

Students will also learn how to understand the message and imagery that Shakespeare is trying to convey, along with rhyming and memorization.   

While there are several other sonnets out there to choose from, Shakespeare’s own is a great place to start! One reason reading a Shakespearean sonnet is more preferable than other sonnets, is because there are more scholars and resources out there that can help you understand them.

Shakespeare is very crafty in how he tells he sheds the light on his poems, sometimes throwing a wrench, or something unexpected, that causes the reader to stop and think. So having other resources can be extremely helpful at these times.    

Shakespeare’s Sonnet Structure 

These particular sonnets are made up of 14 lines, and broken up into three groups (quatrains, or stanzas) of 4 lines each and followed by a couplet. It has a rhyming scheme that looks like abab cdcd efef gg, where each line has 10 syllables.

With that, there are accented syllables that are placed in bold, along with vertical lines that make a division between feet.

The Shakespearean Sonnet is fairly similar to the Italian Sonnet, except the former has a more climatic resolution than the latter. The shift (climax) usually takes place around line 9, or in the final couplet.

Another fun difference to note is that Shakespeare’s sonnets also focus on both men and women, while most other sonnets introduce only female characters.

The Sonnet’s Progression 

When introducing younger students to this poetic style, it’s important to show them the progression from the first quatrain to the last. The first quatrain starts out by introducing a theme or idea, while the second and third begin to reveal a conflict that’s developing. The final couplet of the poem works on finding a resolve, or conclusion to the subject. 

When you’re studying any of Shakespeare’s famous works, it’s important to understand the reasoning behind what he’s done and why he does it.

Studying Shakespeare’s Sonnet 

Shakespeare created 154 sonnets, several of which became very popular. A handful of these includes Sonnet 18, Sonnet 30, Sonnet 33, Sonnet 73 and Sonnet 104.  Here’s a look at Sonnet 18 to give you an example of what these sonnets look like.  

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? 

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;

Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:

   So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

   So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Shakespeare is admiring his beloved, a beautiful woman, comparing her to that of a summer day. He reveals that her beauty will never fade, living on in immortality.  

The Shakespearean sonnet is a great place to start while trying to teach your students about using literary devices that are found in poetry.

If you’re familiar with Shakespearean sonnets, which ones do you find the most fascinating?

Even if you’re not familiar with them, sonnets are a type of writing that you should still consider teaching your students.  

Are you interested in helping your kids learn more about the Shakespearean Sonnet? Make sure you check out my Shakespearean Sonnet Study.

You’ll learn more about structure, rhyme scheme, iambic pentameter, Old English Vocabulary and more inside of this 9-page printable set. 

DOWNLOAD YOUR SHAKESPEAREAN SONNET STUDY TODAY

Studying a Shakespearean sonnet is easy with this simple printable pack. Inside they will learn about the structure, rhyme scheme, iambic pentameter, Old English Vocabulary, and more in this 9-page printable set.