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Writing a Sonnet

Learn to write a sonnet in iambic pentameter, just like Shakespeare did. Discover the rhythm and rhyme scheme of the quatrains and couplets that make up a Shakespearean sonnet.

Here are the rules:

  • It must consist of 14 lines.
  • It must be written in iambic pentameter (duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH).
  • It must be written in one of various standard rhyme schemes.

If you're writing the most familiar kind of sonnet, the Shakespearean, the rhyme scheme is this:

A
B
A
B
C
D
C
D
E
F
E
F
G
G

Every A rhymes with every A, every B rhymes with every B, and so forth. You'll notice this type of sonnet consists of three quatrains (that is, four consecutive lines of verse that make up a stanza or division of lines in a poem) and one couplet (two consecutive rhyming lines of verse).

Ah, but there's more to a sonnet than just the structure of it. A sonnet is also an argument — it builds up a certain way. And how it builds up is related to its metaphors and how it moves from one metaphor to the next. In a Shakespearean sonnet, the argument builds up like this:

  • First quatrain: An exposition of the main theme and main metaphor.
  • Second quatrain: Theme and metaphor extended or complicated; often, some imaginative example is given.
  • Third quatrain: Peripeteia (a twist or conflict), often introduced by a "but" (very often leading off the ninth line).
  • Couplet: Summarizes and leaves the reader with a new, concluding image.

One of Shakespeare's best-known sonnets, Sonnet 18, follows this pattern:

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 dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest,
Nor shall death brag thou wanderest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest.
          So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
          So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

The argument of Sonnet 18 goes like this:

  • First quatrain: Shakespeare establishes the theme of comparing "thou" (or "you") to a summer's day, and why to do so is a bad idea. The metaphor is made by comparing his beloved to summer itself.
  • Second quatrain: Shakespeare extends the theme, explaining why even the sun, supposed to be so great, gets obscured sometimes, and why everything that's beautiful decays from beauty sooner or later. He has shifted the metaphor: In the first quatrain, it was "summer" in general, and now he's comparing the sun and "every fair," every beautiful thing, to his beloved.
  • Third quatrain: Here the argument takes a big left turn with the familiar "But." Shakespeare says that the main reason he won't compare his beloved to summer is that summer dies — but she won't. He refers to the first two quatrains — her "eternal summer" won't fade, and she won't "lose possession" of the "fair" (the beauty) she possesses. So he keeps the metaphors going, but in a different direction. And for good measure, he throws in a negative version of all the sunshine in this poem — the "shade" of death, which, evidently, his beloved won't have to worry about.
  • Couplet: How is his beloved going to escape death? In Shakespeare's poetry, which will keep her alive as long as people breathe or see. This bold statement gives closure to the whole argument — it's a surprise.

And so far, Shakespeare's sonnet has done what he promised it would! See how tightly this sonnet is written, how complex yet well organized it is? Try writing a sonnet of your own.

Poets are attracted by the grace, concentration, and, yes, the sheer difficulty of sonnets. You may never write another sonnet in your life, but this exercise is more than just busywork. It does all the following:

  • Shows you how much you can pack into a short form.
  • Gives you practice with rhyme, meter, structure, metaphor, and argument.
  • Connects you with one of the oldest traditions in English poetry — one still vital today.

Comments (84)

  1. Posted by BOB
    Is the example given there are 10 syllables in every line....Is that required of a sonnet, or is that just Shakespeare making his sonnet all the more complex?
  2. Posted by BOB
    *In the example...* I wrote is instead of in, just clarifying so there is no confusion.
  3. Posted by Eric
    Iambic pentameter implies 10 beats. 5 duhs and 5 DUHs.
  4. Posted by Sally
    Iambic pentameter implies 10 beats but they are not necessary as long as you have 5 DUHs.
  5. Posted by Teacher
    Sounds like someone wasn't listening when the assignment was explained. Slow down and read the explanation on this site.
  6. Posted by Seneca
    What about an Italian Sonnet?
  7. Posted by Ryan
    o jeez its kinda hard to make on coming up with a rhyme scheme and 10 syllables i have to this for homework to and i need some ideas i got the first 3 lines so far...
  8. Posted by Chels
    10 is required in every sonnet because its written in iambic pentameter.
  9. Posted by Cutie
    Hey Shakespear was a genius! he was so literary! He is my idol!
  10. Posted by sara and erika
    OUr english teacher is making us write a sonnet and he had to of gotten it all off this website......THANNKS!!!!...NOT!
  11. Posted by sharon
    This is a very help full website.
  12. Posted by jake
    am i the only one here who does not understand wat any of this meens? this website is not helpful.I must have downsyndrome or somthing cuz i dont even get the explanation 4 dummies.xDDD
  13. Posted by mel
    if listen to music,an idea might come to u.it always works 4 me.
  14. Posted by Nas
    So i get how to do it but i don't understand the whole duh-DUH concept. How do you know what words are stressed?
  15. Posted by Matt
    this is helpfull but i need more examples because like jake said i just dont get it
  16. Posted by Dezzy
    Yeah.....I still don't get any of this. Poetry has too many rules. If someone expects me to be able to write sonnets, I'm going to need quite a few more examples.
  17. Posted by 4ndyman
    Shakespeare has given us 154 examples: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Shakespeare-s-Sonnets.id-169.html

    Although they are less stringent in adhering to the "rules" (and they aren't always iambic pentameter), you can find sonnets by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Edgar Allan Poe, and Percy Shelley.

    Accented syllables aren't as complicated as you make them. Consider giving someone birthday PRESENTS, and seeing the way the birthday boy PRESENTS himself. The difference between the two PRESENTS is simply where the accent falls. If all else fails, any good dictionary indicates which syllables are emphasized.
  18. Posted by chuncan
    this is especially helpful if you have, gasp, a sudden sonnet-due-the-next-day attack on you or your fellow classmates me, I was able to procatinate until the very last minute with this info PS wrote the sonnet about steak
  19. Posted by zenmat
    10 syllabples in each line are required in a sonnet
  20. Posted by paige
    ok im getting this whole sonnet thing now !!
  21. Posted by 4ndyman
    If sonnet homework proves to be a bear,
    Just break it down into syllabic lumps,
    Then listen to the words. Now do you hear
    duh-DUMP duh-DUMP duh-DUMP duh-DUMP duh-DUMPs?
    That quatrain above was all iambic,
    That is not the only type of measure
    You will find in sonnets. Here's trochaic
    Lines for you to get some learning pleasure.
    But Shakespeare liked iambic rhythms best,
    So you should prob'ly concentrate on those
    (If making grades in Englsih is your quest),
    Unless you scrap it all and write in prose.
    So if you find iambic rhythms hard
    You're best to study sonnets from the Bard.
  22. Posted by Anais
    this was really helpful thanks! :) x
  23. Posted by tay-tay4ever
    hey, does anyone know how to make an ode? cuz I am seriously lost on that subject! it aint fair!!!! :( *wails*
  24. Posted by meee
    I know what a sonnet is. I know what it consists of. I know Shakespeare wrote amazing sonnets. That doesn't help me! The 'duh DUH duh DUH' jokes are 'ha HA ha HA' but I'm not Shakespeare and I don't have enough "creative juices" to write a stupid SONNET. Sorry. I hate sonnets...
  25. Posted by kri$10
    just to let you guys know, sonnets are usually about love, lost love, or nature.
  26. Posted by roxanna
    does the sonnet poem have to rhyme
  27. Posted by kri$10
    yes. there are two types of sonnets the shakespearean and the petrachan. they both have specific rhyme schemes. shakespearean sonnets follow the rhyme scheme abab cdcd efef gg and petrachan sonnets have many different rhyme schemes the most common being abba abba cddcdc with each matching letter rhyming.
  28. Posted by ignorant boob who happens to have the same problem
    this really helped. I need one due tomorrow but I finished it just a while ago before writing this comment one tip (not very helpful): don't ever think that it's hard or impossible. Just try to think that it is challenging. (worked for me. I don't know about you guys.)
  29. Posted by smartcookie
    this article is good for people who have know idea what a sonnet is. but i have to write a sonnet for english class and i've already had this explained to me. what i need is help on writing a sonnet WHEN I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHERE TO BEGIN. i love english but i can't rhyme. at all. and for me this article was useless. but it still sounded good all the same. xoxo
  30. Posted by anna(:
    gahh i dont understandd thisss!!! imm a country personn a nd imm veryy stupidd lol but this is so hard and my english teacher is makin us rightt thiss i meann gahhh i aint got no clue how to write this:(
  31. Posted by lelouch
    this website is so stupid and plus we are not dum we just need a better understanding that and these examples dont make sence to me. another thing why sont they just posted a shake spear sonnet poem so we can what they want us to write and how to do it. how ever made this site is a loser for not putting the poem
  32. Posted by Motor.Mouth.Of.The.South(:
    Im with dezzy on this..i need way more examples to help me understand better. do something simple instead of shakespears crap.
  33. Posted by jordan
    Are all the lines rquireed to have 10 syllables
  34. Posted by ladysmithblackmombano
    whoever wrote number 21 did u make that up!!!???
  35. Posted by katehateswriting
    twenty one helped,i have a sonnet due tomorrow for a douche of an english teacher . it inspired me to write a sonnet about how lame writing is :)
  36. Posted by 4ndyman
    @lelouch: Did you actually read the article? Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 is right there!

    Try to think of writing a sonnet as a word game: you have to try to get the syllables lined up (10 per line), the accents correct (dah-DUMP), and the rhyme scheme (abab cdcd efef gg). Tackle it one quatrain at a time; trying to do the whole thing at once will just overwhelm you.
  37. Posted by brea
    du-DUH!! I LOVE THAT! SO SMART!
  38. Posted by babylechrome
    im sorry but i wud like a formula, i cant do these kind of things!!
  39. Posted by mina
    by the way, Shakespeare's "beloved" is referring to a man not a woman..
  40. Posted by A.Confused.Person
    where can i find to write a rhythmic poem with iambic pentameter???? Please Name a Really good site with detailed help!
  41. Posted by Confuesed...
    Hey. Okay. This was helpful, but I'm still not sure if what i did was iambic or tropaic...... :O
  42. Posted by True
    This is confusing me, but what #21 or 4andyman wrote really help me, my English teacher also wanted me to write this stuff too, but it's so hard, i really hated this stuff!
  43. Posted by me
    I was just wondering... if all of us who have homework to be doing are on here posting comments, then how are we getting our homework done? haha :)
  44. Posted by wow
    wow i have a sonnet thats do this week for english class and omg its so hard i have no idea what to write about any ideas?
  45. Posted by kayte
    iambic refers to the Unstressed, stressed. PENTAmeter is referring to the number of times the pattern appears. Five sets of unstressed, stressed gives you iambic pentameter. If it were five sets of Stressed, unstressed, it would be Trocheeic Pentameter. Trochee is stressed, unstressed. The exact opposite of Iamb.
  46. Posted by I think I get it!
    Thank you 4ndyman! What you said was really helpful:)
  47. Posted by lovesickman
    I'm trying to write one for a female who asked me to a long time ago, and I want to do it now but this is pretty complicated. I mean each line ten syllables? Really??????
  48. Posted by sgsguitar
    In that time it was acceptable for someone to make a play taken from someone elses play or idea. How can we be sure that Shakespeare is a genius for his writing? Maybe he is just a genius for being the first person to write it all down.
  49. Posted by ha
    wait who wrote this article anyone know??
  50. Posted by Rose
    This article really dumbs it doen ! it is stupid i think !
  51. Posted by Lost Soul...
    i enjoy writing songs alottt betterr... but when it all comes down to it songs are like soonnets... both with great feeling, not all exactly about love, some are about confusion, hate, and alot of ther feelings. dont think too hard, all you really gotta write about is whats in your heart :) <3
  52. Posted by IM A DUMMY=)
    This article was very helpful but I already have heard it. Can u write about other stuff but still use the sonnet formate?
  53. Posted by Lost Soul...
    when writing a sonnet you dont have to follow the quratile format... only the ten syllables and the 14 line abab cdcd efef gg format...
  54. Posted by Alex
    DUDEEE!! im in English Right NOW i need help on a SONNET! i feel so stupid because i cant just rhyme about BOYS Help! I feel like a Duh-DUH-Duh-DUH-Duh-DUH haha :D
  55. Posted by Kayyla
    Figured out how to do a sonnet!( : ha. It's Easy if you rhyme words first! then fit them into your topic that your doing it over!! :D
  56. Posted by fardowsa
    Thanks, it helped a lot. but could anyone tell me where i could find different types of sonnets. I am after all 12 yrs old!!
  57. Posted by Bobby
    Is it 10 lines?
  58. Posted by 4ndyman
    To get a better idea of the rhythm of iambic pentameter, try overemphasizing the rhythm as you speak. Try reading the first quatrain of Shakespeare's 18th sonnet like this:

    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.

    Do you see how the natural rhythms of the word fit into an iambic scheme? Of course, you'd never read this sonnet aloud in such a mechanical and overemphasized way -- which is why some poets have occasionally gotten away with slipping an extra syllable in or out from time to time.
  59. Posted by Niaya
    yes! thank you! this helped me out a lot for my social studies homewok. still wondering why were sonnets even made? well, they are kinda lame (:
  60. Posted by the one and only
    thx. now i can make sonnets to attract girls...
  61. Posted by Mike
    Thank you. I have been searching for the functions of the quatrains.
  62. Posted by help me!
    i'm stuck!! please help me write a sonnet! i need it for a william shakespeare project handed in today!!!!!!!!!:O
  63. Posted by Albert A
    thank you for your help but i suck at it i think i'm going to flunk my class y pura martin LAREDO (956)
  64. Posted by jeremy
    someone wanna write me a sonnet about not wanting to write a sonnet? haha im so screwed i can rhyme at all.
  65. Posted by fizzy
    My english told me to write about anger ad so far i have came up with ......... a title which is ...... Anger!!! So orignial!! xox lol
  66. Posted by Mario Belen
    In a sonnet do the end rhymes have to be EXACT or could i use the words most and go..
  67. Posted by I.Like.B***.
    number 21 is a genious.. did u make tht up
  68. Posted by Erzen Bajrami
    Iambic pentameter implies 10 syllables starting with a stressed, then unstressed syllable. After 10 syllables in iambic pentameter format, the next line follows the same way and so on and so forth. The whole sonnet has to be in abab cdcd efef gg form. Which means the last word in each line has to rhyme with the letter in the format. For example, if your line ends with "best", the line after that might end in "glove", and after that it will end in "test" again, and the line after will rhyme with "glove", following the rhyme scheme.
  69. Posted by xXxlyricalLiesxXx
    thx number 21 and i love it
  70. Posted by mizzranda
    #21 is awesome! The hardest part isn't the form it's choosing words that sing!
  71. Posted by bob
    u guys are wierd get a life
  72. Posted by Breanna
    Well you see we have to right sonnets for english class but i have no idea what to right about.
  73. Posted by sean
    Is there an sonnet on reading
  74. Posted by Bully
    Sonnets are hard
  75. Posted by Alex
    Shakespeare is writing to a friend who happens to be a MALE here. this in no way was meant to be for a lover. he is telling him that he will forever be alive in his poem. in the second quatrain he is contrasting summer from his friend. Thou art MORE lovely and MORE temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May. he is saying that although summer is not completely perfect, that You are. lovely Isn't meant in the sexual connotation.
  76. Posted by Shazziiee
    AHHHH! Our English teacher has told us that we have to write a sonnet. Ive written it out and NOW he tells us about he whole duh-DUH theory. AHHH, thanks alot. Why do private schools have to be soooo HARD :( -WishMeLuck- :L xx
  77. Posted by blondy
    i dont get any of the poem crap its so hard to under stand i have to write one of these and well it is now late can any one help
  78. Posted by tisha10818
    I have to write a 14 line sonnet that ends dramatically or tragically...i can't do that! I'm not that type of person...even though i'm not all that nice...anyone got an idea?
  79. Posted by tisha10818
    anyone have a clue how to make a sonnet at all?!?!?
  80. Posted by tisha10818
    why do we have do things in class that don't help us to get a job...is there a job for making poems all day besides being a writer...come on..i mean...look at math...are we really going to need..trig, alebra, exponential functions, horizantal line tests, and all that other crap...language is cool and all but...is it even necessary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  81. Posted by kayal
    Your friendship means so much to me,
    you lift me up when I am down.
    Through my pain it is clear to see,
    that you spread kindness all around.
    You lift me up when I am down,
    with graceful words you dry my tears.
    You make me smile instead of frown,
    our friendship will last many years.
    With graceful words you dry my tears,
    in everything you give your all.
    You chase away unwanted fears,
    you're there to catch me if I fall.
    I thank the Lord on bended knee,
    your friendship means so much to me.
  82. Posted by 4ndyman
    @Kayal: A good try. This qualifies as a sonnet, but notice that it's in iambic tetrameter (four feet [accents] per line) and not pentameter. The rhythm is also a little off in the third line.

    Shakespeare liked to use metaphors and similes often in his sonnets. Your poem here is a bit repetitive, so you might consider some metaphors to put things in a different way. The radiant sun that lights your face and dries the rain on grayest earth, maybe?

    your last couplet is good, but you don't want it to repeat what you said in the first 12 lines. Think of it as a conclusion. Use the first 12 lines to tell what a great person this, er, person is, and then use the last couplet to say how important that person's friendship is to you.
  83. Posted by jean
    Wow - I just know got on to blackboard with problems with password. Still teaching today. Sonnet?????? Trying to write it during lunch.
  84. Posted by Jas
    Comment #39 is correct. It's funny how history will re-write itself as not to seem 'controversial'... oh wait, not funny - sad.

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