What is a sonnet
a sonnet It is a poetic composition of fourteen verses, usually with consonant rhyme, which are distributed in two quatrains and two tercets..
The verses in the classical sonnet are usually of high art, usually hendecasyllables (composed of eleven syllables).
The sonnet structure It is four stanzas, the first two being quatrains and the last two being tercets.
The rhymes in quatrains It works as follows: ABBA ABBA, that is, it harmonizes the first verse with the fourth and the second with the third.
For example:
Fragment of “A Córdoba”, by Luis de Góngora
In the tripletsthe distribution of rhymes is freer, and these can be combined in different ways, the most used being CDE CDE, CDE DCE, CDE CED, CDC DCD, according to the different correspondences.
For example:
Fragment of “A Córdoba”, by Luis de Góngora
On the other hand, the content of the sonnet is organized, although not strictly, in the manner of beginning, middle and end.
In this sense, the first quartet presents the theme, which will be expanded in the second.
Next, the first of the tercets reflects or associates ideas or feelings with the theme of the sonnet, and the second closes it, either with a serious or emotional reflection, or with an ingenious or unexpected twist, which gives meaning to the composition. .
The sonnet, like any poetic or literary composition, addresses the most varied topics that interest the human soul and intellect. Topics such as love and loss, life and death, as well as lighter matters, in a tone of satire or humor.
History of the sonnet
The sonnet, as is known, first appeared in Italy in the 13th century, where it was first cultivated by Giacomo da Lentini, who is believed to be the creator of this type of composition, and later spread to the rest of Europe and the world.
In Italy it was cultivated by literary masters such as Dante Alighieri or Petrarch. In our language, the first of their cultists was the Marquis of Santillana, alias Íñigo López de Mendoza, but also by geniuses of Castilian poetry such as Lope de Vega, Luis de Góngora, Francisco de Quevedo, Calderón de la Barca or Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz.
In more recent times, there were also writers who used the sonnet and renewed or altered it, such as Rubén Darío, who used Alexandrian verses in his poems, or Pablo Neruda, who wrote sonnets without rhyme.
The word, as such, comes from Italian sonettoand this derives from the Latin sonuswhich means ‘sound’.
Examples of sonnets
Lope de Vega
Francisco de Quevedo