Sonnets moved to England in the sixteenth century. The seventeenth century saw the theme of sonnets change from love to religion. Donne is a good example of a sonneteer of religion. For two-hundred years a minute amount of sonnets were written. This was because they fell out of fashion. However during the nineteenth century sonneteers began to write about the theme of the natural world. William Wordsworth wrote poems such as ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge.’ War poetry became popular during the time of 1914-1918. This was because The First World War was happening at the time. War was on everybody’s mind. The Poetry was read to the soldiers going off to war to motivate and encourage the soldiers to fight for their families and country.
The poem ‘Shall I Compare Thee’ written by William Shakespeare is about an unknown woman that Shakespeare compares to a summer’s day as summer is a picturesque time of year. The poem is written in the Shakespearian form. In the second line Shakespeare writes ‘Thou art more lovely and more temperate’ This quotation informs the reader that although she cannot be compared to a summer’s day as she is more than the beauty of summer. Shakespeare writes ‘Rough winds do shake the darling buds of Mai,’ this quotation is about the winds of summer; Shakespeare describes them as a type of rage. The woman could never be like summer as she is kind and caring. At the conclusion of the poem, (the rhyming couplet) Shakespeare writes ‘So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.’ This quotation informs the reader that she may die. However she will stay alive through the poem.
The poem ‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ written in 1802 by William Wordsworth is about Wordsworth love of natural world and the city of London. The first line of the sonnet reads ‘Earth has not anything to show more fair.’ In this quotation Wordsworth is sitting on Westminster Bridge looking across the beautiful city of London and is besotted with the picturesque view and feels the world has nothing to compare to it. William Wordsworth writes ‘All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.’ This quotation informs the reader of the beautiful sunrise and how it glitters across the city. Wordsworth writes ‘The river glideth at his own sweet will.’ This quotation means that the Thames has many bends on its path through the city of London and has not got a straight journey like other rivers. Wordsworth metaphorically states that the river glides freely. This sonnet is very popular and was voted 24th most popular poem in 1998. The mood of the sonnet is uplifting.
The poem ‘Death be not proud’ written by John Donne is about Donne’s personal interpretation of death. John Donne does not fear death; he does not see it as a bad aspect in life. Donne writes ‘Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so.’ This quotation informs the reader that some people may find death an awful, petrifying experience; however it is not, death is a new beginning. Donne writes ‘Thou’rt slave to fate, chance, kings and desperate men, and dost with poison, war and sickness dwell.’ This quotation informs the reader that in life bad things will happen such as diseases and devastation. The mood of this poem is low key and dark. Donne writes ‘One short sleep past, we wake eternally.’ This quotation informs the reader that after death our souls go to heaven and we awake eternally. John Donne was born in 1572 and died in 1631 at the age of 59. During Donne’s lifetime this would have been considered an old age to die. There was a short life expectancy during this period because of all the disease and drug taking.
The poem ‘Peace’ written by Rupert Brooke is a war poem and it appealed to readers in the First World War as it informs them why their loved ones died in battle. Brooke was a very popular sonneteer as his poems would get the soldiers pumped up and ready for the gruesome activity that is war. Brooke encouraged people to be patriotic, to fight for their country and beliefs. Brook writes ‘Leave the sick hearts that honour could move.’ This quotation conveys the fact that there are masses of casualties in a war just as there were in World War One.
The sonnet ‘The Vanity of his Passion’ written by Petrarch is addressed to his love, Laura. However he feels unreciprocated love. This could be for two reasons. Laura only exists in his mind or she is out of his league and could never fall in love with him. The sonnet is written in the first person; this is because Petrarch is expressing his love to Laura (There is a direct address to the lady). Petrarch uses many abstract nouns in his writing; he uses two in the title, vanity and passion. The reason for Petrarch using several abstract nouns is that it reflects the abstract nature of his love. Petrarch writes ‘Throughout my song, by hopes and vain grief’s bed;’ this quotation means that Petrarch recognises that he was vain ever to believe that she might ever love him. When Petrarch was younger he thought he was in love; he now realises what it means to be ‘in passion drowned;’ Petrarch writes ‘That worldly pleasure is a passing dream.’ This quotation informs that the love is short and can’t last. His love is like a dream. The mood of the poem is very desolate as Petrarch wants something he is unable to achieve.
In conclusion the central sonnet theme has not changed in hundreds of years, many are still written today. As time has progressed different forms have been introduced such as the Spenserian and the Shakespearian. My favourite sonnet is ‘Shall I compare thee’ because Shakespeare uses many descriptive language associated with summer and his mysterious woman, this shows the depth of his love for her.
