The sonnet is one of the most revered poetic forms in literature, cherished for its structured elegance and ability to convey deep emotions. Whether you’re drawn to the timeless words of Shakespeare or the romantic verses of Petrarch, learning how to write a sonnet can be a rewarding creative endeavor.
How Many Lines Does a Sonnet Have?
A sonnet always has 14 lines, regardless of its style. However, the way these lines are structured, rhymed, and divided varies depending on the type of sonnet.
The Shakespearean Sonnet
One of the most well-known sonnet forms is the Shakespearean sonnet, also known as the English sonnet. It follows a specific structure:
- 14 lines
- Three quatrains (4-line stanzas) followed by a couplet (2-line stanza)
- Rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
- Written in iambic pentameter (each line has 10 syllables with a da-DUM rhythm)
This form allows for a progression of thought, often presenting an argument or theme in the quatrains and delivering a powerful conclusion in the final couplet.
The Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet
Another famous structure is the Petrarchan sonnet, which consists of:
- 14 lines
- An octave (8 lines) that presents a problem, followed by a sestet (6 lines) that resolves it
- Rhyme scheme: ABBAABBA for the octave, with varied sestet patterns (CDECDE or CDCDCD)
Petrarchan sonnets tend to have a more reflective tone, using the shift (volta) between the octave and sestet to create contrast.
Other Sonnet Forms
- The Spenserian Sonnet (ABAB BCBC CDCD EE)
- The Miltonic Sonnet, which is similar to the Petrarchan but often does not have a strong volta
Famous Sonnets and Their Writing Styles
1. Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”) – William Shakespeare
This is one of the most famous sonnets, embodying the Shakespearean style. It begins with a question, explores beauty and time, and ends with a strong couplet:
“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”
The final couplet delivers an immortalizing statement, a signature move in Shakespeare’s work.
2. Sonnet 43 (“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”) – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
A sonnet written in Petrarchan form, Browning uses a deeply emotional and lyrical tone to express love:
“I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight.”
The Petrarchan structure helps create a gradual build-up of passion leading to a heartfelt resolution.
3. “Ozymandias” – Percy Bysshe Shelley
While structured uniquely, this sonnet follows the essence of the form. Shelley’s use of vivid imagery and irony captures the fall of power:
“Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
This poem combines the thematic depth of the Petrarchan sonnet with the sharp impact of the Shakespearean final couplet.
How to Write Your Own Sonnet
- Choose a Theme – Love, nature, time, mortality, or personal reflection are great starting points.
- Pick a Sonnet Type – Decide between Shakespearean, Petrarchan, or another form.
- Follow the Rhyme Scheme – Ensure your lines adhere to the chosen pattern.
- Use Iambic Pentameter – Write lines with alternating unstressed and stressed syllables.
- Develop a Strong Conclusion – Use the volta and final lines to create impact.
Final Thoughts
Sonnets remain a timeless poetic form, blending structure with creativity. Whether you follow Shakespeare’s powerful couplet conclusions or Petrarch’s introspective elegance, writing a sonnet can be an enriching challenge that enhances your poetic skills.
A sonnet about Love – “Eternal Flame”
Like moonlight silvered on the ocean’s crest,
Your love illuminates my darkest night.
Within your gaze, my weary heart finds rest,
A beacon shining ever soft and bright.
No tempest winds nor time’s relentless hand
Could dim the warmth that glows when you are near.
Like vines entwined, our fates are tightly spanned,
Two souls conjoined in love sincere and clear.
And when the stars fall silent from the sky,
And shadows stretch where golden sun once shone,
Still shall my love outlive the earth’s last sigh,
A flame that burns though all the world be gone.
A sonnet about Death – “The Final Whisper”
Upon the hush of autumn’s cooling breath,
I hear the echoes of a fleeting past.
The silent footsteps of encroaching death
Draw ever near, yet never hold me fast.
For death is but a whisper in the wind,
A fleeting shade upon the river’s crest.
Though flesh may fail, the soul shall not rescind,
But find new light beyond the grave’s cold rest.
So grieve me not when I am called away,
Do not let sorrow chain your heart in stone.
The stars will sing; the morning light will stay,
And in your dreams, I shall not be alone.
A sonnet about Family – “Roots and Branches”
Like mighty oaks that stretch toward golden light,
Our roots run deep beneath the earthen floor.
Through storms and trials, loss and fleeting fright,
We stand as one, unshaken at the core.
The laughter shared in childhood’s fleeting days,
The lessons whispered soft in tender years,
The love that lingers through life’s winding maze,
The steady hands that wiped away our tears.
No time nor tide can break this sacred bond,
No distance dims the ties that keep us strong.
Though branches spread, the roots still stretch beyond,
A home within the heart where we belong.
A sonnet about Loneliness – “Echoes in an Empty Room”
The walls once hummed with voices warm and bright,
Now silence lingers heavy in the air.
The flickering of one dim candle’s light
Casts shadows where love’s laughter once was there.
The world moves on, yet I remain the same,
A ghost who walks unseen through crowded halls.
The mirror whispers back my hollow name,
A fleeting echo that forever calls.
But even in this void where none remain,
Where solitude wraps cold around my chest,
I find within the hush a soft refrain—
A hope that I am not so dispossessed.
A sonnet about Hope – “The Dawn Will Rise Again”
Though darkness falls and stars begin to wane,
Though all seems lost beneath the shadow’s weight,
The sun will rise to kiss the earth again,
And morning light will not be held by fate.
No winter chill can freeze the seeds below,
No endless night can steal the coming day.
Within the deepest roots, new life will grow,
And sorrow’s cold shall surely melt away.
So lift your eyes beyond the weary gloom,
Let hope take flight and sorrow drift apart.
For even in the grave of midnight’s tomb,
The dawn is waiting, pulsing in your heart.